Sustainable Gardening

Using sustainable materials when making an energy efficient build has become a very important issue, and this belief has moved to gardens. Garden architecture and landscape designs are now becoming more and more energy efficient with just as much thought going into the environmental aspects of the garden, as that of the home. This accounts for the material used, the construction process and how it copes in the environment.

Sustainable garden landscaping incorporates all routines and methods used when building an eco-friendly building, with much thought and consideration toward the environment. Sustainable landscaping can range from putting kitchen waste in a compost bin and using native plants to organic gardening or garden buildings. No matter what scale of the garden, every bit of the space can be very useful. Planting trees not only creates a natural windbreak from the home keeping it warmer, but also provides natural shade.

Landscaping a sustainable garden doesn’t have to mean a drab and dreary area, but instead can be bright, colourful and modern. A garden studio from Decorated Shed would be a great addition to an environmentally friendly garden, with a warm organic feel, thanks to Western Red Cedar cladding on the garden studio that looks at ease in any environment. The bespoke design will add to the ambience of your garden, resulting in a relaxed atmosphere.

Decorated Shed’s garden studio would fit perfectly into the sustainable landscape of any garden due to its environmentally friendly materials and energy efficient construction process. At a time when the environment is prominent in people’s minds, using your garden to try and save money and energy is a very effective tool.

RHS London Autumn Harvest Show 2010

Just when you thought all the summer garden shows were over. The Royal Horticulture society is holding an exciting harvest show on 5th – 6th October 2010 in London.
Yes for the first time ever the RHS Chelsea show manager Alex Denman will be turning our heads with some fantastic new autumn styles and talents. Visitors will be able to taste and buy some of the wonders of this season.
Commenting on the London show, Alex Denman, says: “I love fruit and vegetables and this show is a fantastic chance to show off the season’s finest’’.
“It’s been great organising a more intimate event, where I’ve been able to include interactive displays to demonstrate great gardening ideas and fun elements like apple-bobbing.”
Decorated Shed support new talent and designs for your garden. We like to team any garden studio we build with a well-designed garden to support it. Our in-house team can advise and help you to make the most out of your garden and natural space, making your eco built garden building fit into the surroundings. Our architects will design a building which matches your environment so it belongs and feels part of your garden. Features such as decking will join the building to your land and energy efficient external down lights can enhance the calm, relaxing mood of the building and your garden.
Jon Wheatley will again take part in the RHS show after winning gold medal at Hampton and Chelsea for his fantastic eye catching Dahlias displays. This time he has created a ‘walk around’ feature of fruit and vegetables.
Mouth watering fresh vegetables will be up for grabs for a major fruit and vegetable competition to showcase champion produce. Apples, pumpkins and carrots will be amongst the variety of produce entering the competition.
So to start the season off in style this show will definitely get you in the mood.
For more details please contact Ed Horne at the RHS Press Office on edhorne@rhs.org.uk or on 0207 821 3145.
RHS Autumn Harvest Flower Show 2010
Venue: RHS Horticultural Halls, Greycoat Street, SW1 (nearest tubes are St James Park and Victoria, 5 minutes)
Opening Times: 1st day 10am-7pm
2nd day 10am-5pm
Ticket Prices: 1st day £5
2nd day £3
RHS members FREE
Children under 16 free with an accompanying adult
To book tickets in advance, call T: 0845 612 1253, or visit RHS London Shows

Concentrated Relaxation-A Garden Studio as a Leisure Space

The unending doses of well-being that nature provides, makes it an optimum setting in which to carry out leisure activities, as exercise is also responsible for the release of its own mood-enhancing endorphins. A garden studio’s practical position means that activities can be embraced in the comfort of home grounds and throughout the changing seasons.

Pilates is a popular form of exercise which is practised by all ages in order to gain a heightened physical strength through the application of mental discipline. The advantages of setting the activity in a garden studio means that the garden can also be used as an extension of the space, so that when the feel-good rays of the sun decide to shine they can combine to maximise the overall effect. The grassy garden acts as a ready rolled out mat, where the natural surroundings automatically feed into the process of relaxation. Pilates seems to echo the synergy expressed between the different elements of nature, which may explain why Pilates are often associated with wide open spaces and the backdrop of nature, where a group exhibit the beauty of synchronised elegance, as movements and stances reveal a composed state of mind.

On the surface, Pilates is a series of graceful movements that seem to mimic the swaying of branches and the stances of trees. The correct postural alignment of the skeletal structure is controlled, so that clunky movements are avoided in favour of smooth, sweeping motions. Although, seemingly low impact and flowing, Pilates actually requires a lot of focus, in order to maintain positions, while in turn developing core strength, while elongating the spine.

Pilates is also about a fixed centre; by having a studio in the heart of the garden, a centre is already in place. Physically, the body must also work from a centre. In Pilates all energy is said to originate in the core, which is comprised of the abdomen, lower back, hips and buttocks. This area is thought to be the fulcrum of the body’s strength.

The main aim is to create a fusion of mind and body, so without even engaging the mind, the body will automatically move with poise and polish. Breathing is also a crucial element of Pilates. Joseph Pilates believed that the circulation of oxygenated blood awakened the cells in the body, while waste was carried away to combat fatigue. This is done by forcing exhalation to its limit so that waste gases are purged and the following inhalation becomes deeper, so more air is drawn in and more oxygen delivered to the muscles. If outdoors, the advantage of fresh air filling the lungs through a deep intake of breath will serve to reel in the benefits of Pilates invigorating effects.

A garden studio can be used for a whole range of activities, besides Pilates. Nature can easily entwine with the relaxing properties associated with all leisure activities, as it plays host to a surge of energy and optimism.

Going for Green- At the Heart of Environmental Concern

The Green Providers Directory is the UK’s leading resource for finding green, organic and fair trade products, which have been vetted so the user is secure in the knowledge of their eco-friendly credentials.

Green products can line the interior of an eco-friendly structure, so that a green approach is fully inhabited. A garden studio epitomises environmentally focused practices, as the studio blends with nature, serving as an incentive in which to preserve its beauty. The Green Providers Directory provides a whole range of products, including dating services aimed specifically at green enthusiasts, such as Eco-dater and Countryside Friends, which work on the premise that a joint interest will blossom into romance. A dinner date would ideally take place in the romantic setting of the garden, with a meal served in a garden studio that oozes eco appeal, topped off by a sedum roof, which enhances the desirable location.

The Green Providers Directory also provide links to companies that offer a range of organic food and drink that would go far to impress a fellow green enthusiast on a dinner date. Planet Organic and Wholesome Food are just a couple of organic companies that the site mentions. The table you eat at can also create an impact, as recycled furniture provides an injection of character.

The many facets involved when preparing for a date, from clothing and flowers to cosmetics can be incorporated into a green approach. Clothing made from sustainable fabrics and flowers that are ethically sourced can enter the frame, as well as television catered towards a green audience, with a viewing package dedicated to green issues.

Cosmetics, such as natural skincare is an example of how nature’s beautifying effects can be embraced. The directory also lists a company aimed at men, selling natural products that are chemical-free, sustainable and eco-friendly. Therefore, both parties can prepare for and experience a date that is environmentally encompassing.

A shared interest in green values can instantly provide a foundation on which to form a lasting bond. Even if only one half of the date is driven by eco-friendly approaches, the occasion becomes undeniably infused with a distinct and memorable style.

Garden Soul- A Garden Studio as a Music Room

Both nature and music share soulful connections, as they communicate to us on an almost spiritual level. A garden studio, set in the heart of nature is a perfect setting for a music room, as it is detached from the main house so that the less perfected notes of a practising musician are contained within the four walls of a garden room, so that the finished product can be delivered to a excited audience in its refined state. The screeching of violins and the whistling of recorders in a repetitive tune are common irritations in a family home. Drumming is another major source of noise that can affect neighbours, however the double glazing and high insulated casing that makes up a garden studio means that noise is minimised, as well as complaints.

Interior expression can help to transform a garden studio into a musical temple of sorts. Posters of favourite artists can be pasted on the walls, providing steadfast muses that give teenagers a real sense of personal space that they can stamp with their own identity. Friends or band members can also convene in the space, while remaining in the grounds of a secure home.

Creative inspiration can be absorbed directly from the garden studio’s natural setting, which provides its own source of melody and harmony within bird song, the rhythms of flowing water and the breeze. The sounds and sights of nature are strongly linked to emotion and mood, just as music is. Many existing songs are inspired by nature, as lyrics and sentiment demonstrate. Examples include ‘Child of Nature’ by ‘The Beatles’ with the lyrics; ‘Sunlight shining in your eyes/ As I face the desert skies’, as well as American soul singer India Arie who sings ‘I don’t wanna watch no movie/ Let’s sit and watch the stars put on a show’. Both sets of artists recognise the inspirational value of nature, as they reflect upon and communicate its worth to listeners.

A garden studio also provides the perfect location in which to teach music, serving as a classroom where music is contained and does not disturb others but remains in a pretty setting that is both motivational and inspirational.

Marrying music with nature means that an instant harmony is achieved. By blending the beauty of music with the vistas of nature, a symphony of sensation is created as a pulsing, musical heart is formed.

Reuse and Recycle

We all know how important it is to recycle our household waste, but according to a new survey by the British Heart Foundation, over a third of us do not recycle unwanted furniture and electrical items. With so many of these ending up in landfill sites, the cost to the environment is growing rapidly. As a greener alternative, the BHF is urging people to donate any items in good condition to their furniture and electrical stores across the UK.
These stores can then arrange free collections for good quality furniture and electrical items and sell them on with all proceeds going towards the life-saving work of the charity to fight heart disease, the nation’s biggest killer. Plus – if you nip along to your nearest store, you may be able to pick up some real bargains, while doing your bit for the charity.
For more information to arrange a collection via the website or to find your nearest store visit British Heart Foundation
Decorated Shed’s bespoke building option allows you to use recycled materials where ever possible to create your garden studio. Green building is something we are hearing a lot at the moment. Using sustainable materials for the structure and throughout the building will have a more positive effect on the environment. Along with the use of recycled materials, first class energy efficient insulation comes with every garden building decreasing the need for internal heating instruments or under floor heating. The double glazed doors and windows also act as heat insulators. These may seem like small additions to your garden building, but will not only save you money on electric builds but will benefit the environment long term.

Autumn in a Garden Studio

Studio spaces are always about inspiration and the productive energy that the surroundings provide, and the creative pursuits that thrive in a studio setting – art, writing, music, textiles and more – have very specific demands of their location. Unlike other workspaces, studios require the presence of a certain elusive spark to function as well as they can. By placing a window on the ever-changing environment of the landscape, garden studios can deliver this motivational energy in abundance.

A garden is always a powerful stimulation for the creative side of the mind, but perhaps never more so than in autumn. The breathtaking changes of colours, the bright and crisp mornings, and the inevitable transition to the stark monochrome of winter all show the fast-moving cycle of nature like no other time of the year. Being at the centre of this in a garden studio, watching the season unfold before your eyes, provides an inspirational fuel for creative invention and imagination.

With the phenomenal insulation and energy efficiency provided in a Decorated Shed studio you’ll be able to experience the stunning transformations of the season from the heart of your garden, without needing to retreat to the home for warmth or security, while the natural kaleidoscope of the autumnal environment will deliver boundless motivation for your studio activities.