It’s all about the Sheds This Year at Chelsea, Not Flowers

This year at the Chelsea flower show it’s seems that flowers or Diarmuid Gavin’s pyramid aren’t the talking point, but instead it’s the sheds. Of course there have always been the usual hut type structures around as well as attractive sheds and the latest greenhouses, but this year there has been an array of large scale garden offices, shepherds’ huts and even caravans. This underlines the trends in what you want in your garden, a garden room.

It’s not surprising though, the amount of versatility that a garden room adds to your home and that extra space. Furthermore, statistics show that it can even add 5% to the value of your property if done correctly.

Chelsea has seen inspiring garden offices in the past and includes:

2005 – Andy Sturgeon – The garden featured a white-walled garden office with glass folding doors.

2005 – Microsoft SoGo Garden – by Lizzie Taylor and Dawn Isaac that contained a futuristic pod.

2007 – Diarmuid Gavin – Westland Garden show garden that featured a ‘his and hers’ pair of garden studios.

2008 – The Simmons & Simmons Garden – A Journey to Work in which they tried innovative ways for flexible working and featured an office in a barn.

There have been plenty this year too with Patricia Fox’s Rooftop Workplace, which integrated a garden office perfectly and created an atmosphere you could be happy to work in. Also Jo Thompson’s vintage caravan took centre stage in her garden and also won her a silver-gilt, but to name a few garden building inspired entries.

Now we do still recognise that it maintains a ‘Flower show’ and not a ‘Shed show’, but shows that gardens this year reflect how we are utilising our outdoor space to create a more working or playful environment.

Check out Walton’s range of Summer houses and Log cabins here to see if something inspires you.

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Chelsea Flower Show Interactive Piece

Waltons Garden ShedsWow, in searching the web today we have found a stunning interactive panoramic photo. Diarmuid Gavin, who we all know for his inspirational work on gardens, has build a headline grabbing 24-metre tall pyramid from scaffolding for the Chelsea Flower Show. Each level compromises of a different garden with its own design and the whole concept has been built around the idea of ‘Urban Gardening’. There are Bellboys who take visitors up in lifts to have a closer look but there is an added option of a giant stainless steel slide to get you back down again.

Click this link to view the stunning panoramic view

Diarmuid Gavin at Chelsea Flower Show

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It’s Time to Take Care of Your Garden Furniture

With the nice weather finally rolling in and with it feeling like summer is only round the corner, we are staring to find ourselves spending more time outdoors. The thing is when we go to sit down on the beloved bench or bring out the dining furniture set, we find that it is looking a little worn and like it has seen a winter or two.

Outdoor furniture, although it is much more durable than indoor furniture, still needs some TLC to look its best. Washing is ironically the best way to take care of your furniture as when dirt and residue starts to settle then this can corrode metal as well as being the culprit of fabrics and plastics starting to lose their colour.

A top tip is to clean your outdoor furniture at the beginning of every outdoor season, we find a quick dust and then some hot soapy water seems to bring back the shine. It is important to check all nuts, bolts and screws to see if they need tightening. If you have any missing or damaged then the perfect replacement would be rustproof ones.

Next make sure that you lubricate all hinges and wheels with silicone, WD-40 also works well when cleaning items such as these. Do take care when using some substances to ensure none get on and material.

Most soils can be cleaned off with a non-abrasive cleaner and use glass cleaner for any glass table tops. If you have any furniture made of wicker then a good idea is to soak it once a year in water to help put the moisture back in the fibres.

Aluminium furniture is prevented against rust and decay but can be susceptible to pitting, which is basically a small form of corrosion. If you wash the furniture down frequently this will keep the metal in a good condition and prevent pitting. To further enhance the durability, protect the surface with a light coat of car wax and buff to remove excess.

Cushions can be easily washed in the washing machine or vacuumed.

If you maintain your furniture regularly then you will not only look great this year but it will also enhance the looks of your furniture for years to come.

If your looking for a new furniture set then check out Waltons range, here are a few samples below.


Waltons 6 Seater Garden Furniture Set

Waltons Teak 4 Seater Garden Furniture Set
6 Seat Furniture Set Waltons 4 Seater Furniture Set
Waltons 7 piece Garden Dining Set Waltons Stainless Steel 4 Seater Garden Furniture Set
Waltons 7 piece Garden Dining Set Waltons 4 Seater Garden Furniture Set
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Raid your shed for Charity!

Joan Bingham with Lutterworth Inner Wheel

A group of ladies are appealing for all you shed owners to raid your sheds and donate any unwanted gardening equipment to a fund raising sale that will take place later this month.

Elite members of the Lutterworth Inner Wheel, Leicester, are hosting a stall at the annual Plant, Craft and Food Fair, which is run by the Rotary Club of Lutterworth on Sunday 20th May between 10am and 4pm.

“We are collecting garden equipment that you no longer need and we will recycle it at our charity stall”, said Joan Bingham, from the Lutterworth Inner Wheel.

Bingham continues: “Helping us will make you happy, by having an empty shed, the new owner happy, because they got just what they wanted and the charity happy because they get desperately needed funds.

“We will collect any garden related items, from hand tools to lawn mowers, from garden furniture to ornaments.” If you think that you can help then you can contact her on 01455 552785 or 07835 382802.

We are all for giving your shed a good clean out and getting it ready in time for those summer months. Check out this article on Ten Steps on organising your Garden Shed.

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Check Out Walton’s Most Popular Items

Check out Walton’s top selling products this weekend!

Wooden Garden Sheds

8′ x 6′ Ultra Value apex Shed

Wooden Garden Sheds

Contemporary Garden Room Summer House

8′ x 6′ Ultra Value apex Shed Chinese Shed, Garden
£249.95 £1,069.95

Wooden Garden Sheds

6ft Lap Garden Fencing

Wooden Garden Sheds

5′ x 5′ Honeypot Poppy Playhouse

6 ft. Lap Panel Pack from 5′ x 5′ Honeypot Poppy Playhouse
£17.00 per panel £219.95
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Best of the Shed of the Year 2012 Entrants. So Far…

So in just over a week’s time, Sunday 20th May to be exact, this year’s Shed of the Year competition will close. So what a perfect time to have a look at a selection we love so far and hopefully give you that little bit of inspiration for the weekend.

Shed of the Year 2012 Shed of the Year 2012
Pete’s Retreat, Sheffield Chinese Shed, Garden
Shed of the Year 2012 Shed of the Year 2012
T.A.R.D.I.S, Leicester Rosies Church, Oldbury

There are plenty more Shed of the Year 2012 entrants to view on http://www.readersheds.co.uk/

Don’t forget you can still get your entry in before voting starts on Monday May 21st 2012!

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Build a Garden Shed in 33 Minutes!

Wow, I have to say it this is an impressive garden shed build.

If it only took 33 minutes to build a shed from scratch, I wonder how long it would take you to build a Walton’s Garden Shed that comes pre built in panels? Something we may try in the coming weeks so watch this space!

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