Gardening is fraught with peril. Soft-bodied gastropod molluscs and aphids clandestinely plot the ultimate demise of your leafy prodigy while you sleep-and sometimes in broad daylight. Have they no shame?
Well, no- they’re slugs, snails and flies. They’re the bane of every gardener’s life, but you can keep them at bay using organic, environmentally friendly products...
Sanderson's Maycott range of prints and wallpapers have a fresh floral theme, drawing their inspirations from flowers, woodlands and hedgerows. Choose your favourites from the range available at The Drapery Shop, Emmet Place. Call 021 4271877, visit thedraperyshop.ie or find them on Facebook for details.
Turn a simple homemade sponge cake into a birthday treat with a Pirate Bunting Set, €7.99, thehomebarn.ie.
We couldn't resist the cheerful flower arrangements outside Sakura Floral Design on Cook St. this week. Get the effect in your own garden by purchasing shrubs and flowers in no more than three colours.
There was a time when hanging baskets were thought of as being a little bit twee, but anyone who plants one quickly realises how easy it is to make them look pretty cool. They’re easy, beautiful, and transform your space with the need to make a huge mess.
Hanging baskets are also a clever way of getting elevated colour around your house; and you can attach them all over the...
Now that the sunshine appears to have arrived, we'll be ordering a pair of these old fashioned deck chairs, the inserts for which can be ordered in whatever fabric you choose from the range. Deck chairs, €90 and fabric inserts, €22 each from The Drapery Shop, Emmet Place. Call 021 4271877, visit thedraperyshop.ie or find them on Facebook for details.
Blue lantern €45, Buddha €42, Style 25, Drawbridge St. Cork
This lantern and porcelain Buddha will look as good on the porch or picnic table as they do indoors.
These wicker votives look effortlessly chic lines up on the dining table or dotted around the patio in the late evening. €5 for two from Penneys.
Give weather-battered garden furniture, rusty chairs, plant pots or an unsightly fence a makeover with Ronseal Woodland Colours. €11.49 for 750ml, Woodies DIY.
If your home is prone to condensation, or one room has a tendency to get damp from cooking, laundry, or showers and baths, then you need Croc Odor Moisture Absorber. It’s the perfect way to remove excess moisture, which is one of the main causes of musty smells, mould stains and mildew. Each pack collects up to 600ml of moisture, lasting up to two months. Look out for Croc Odur in...
The sweet pea is a great plant for a beginner, with romantic floaty flowers that are easy to manage and need little care. You can get successful cuttings from them to grow in the house for that uber-co-ordinated look, and they have a pleasingly rapid growth rate for impatient gardeners.
Their candy-like scent and vibrant colours have made the sweet pea a firm favourite since Victorian...
Looking for a kitchen that's as fashionable as you are? The Reflection Range, available now at Cash & Carry Kitchens, is the ultimate in contemporary style. Available in a wide range of colours, from stunning aubergine or red to a soft cappuccino and a distinct and classy black, the glossy finish gives an exceptionally hardwearing shine and will make your kitchen stand out for many years...
The Kilkenny Shop's five-day sale event continues until May 6th, with up to 50% off all products. This Orla Kiely Plant Pot (was €32.95 now €26.36) is great for indoors or outdoors.
Ideal for alfresco dining in the garden, these acrylic ice cream bowls are €13 for four from M&S.
Editor: Katie Mythen
The Cork News
1 Academy Street
Cork
Tel: 021 425 2255
Fax: 021 425 2288
email: editor@thecorknews.ie
