Garden Projects and DIY

I’m looking to build some raised beds up against a shed and wondered what is the best type of timber to use? I’m looking for something long-lasting, I don’t want to be rebuilding it every couple of years! It will be mostly used for flowers so I’m not worried about preservatives leaching into...

thanks for your replys the base is full of water at the moment i wonder if there is a bracket with a clasp on it so you dont have to undo the whole bracket to get parasol out for use

Hi again...a little update on my rescue project and more advice needed! So, my garden has been pruned (aka 'scalped') in preparation for my new fence which arrived this week...yay! Unfortunately, I accepted the very kind offer of a neighbour to rebuild my (above ground) pond as it was leaking...

Thanks all for the advice. I pressure washed as much of the green gunk off that low wall as I could, then put some compost & geraniums in over the topsoil I’d already put in.In my last garden I used to alternate red and white geraniums in a curve around the base of a tree stump, every other...

It's actually not a bad idea. I remember a "demolition party" where some guys wanted to tear down an old barn. So they put an advertisement in the newspaper, asked for 10€ each, fired up their barbecue and lots of guys came to play with their tools. Ripping through walls, swinging away with...

This is whats accumulated after 24hrs with no rain....

The shed is in! It's down the bottom of the garden, against the ugly concrete/breezeblock north facing wall, and the combination of a half-complete paint job and the shed is already improving the look of things down there Nothing in this garden is flat or level in any direction, so we built...

hi i am in the process of making a pond out of sleepers the pond is 6 x 5 foot and approx 30 inch deep , i have got a waterbut that i bought earlier and thinking about filtration for my pond is it easy to do as it is my first diy pond from scratch thanks for your advice

Don't give up on the plants you got last September, they might surprise you and start putting on new growth as the weather warms up.As said, keep an eye / look around your local garden centers or aquatic shops for whn their stock arrives; online is always a bit of a gamble, just check the...

Thanks for that - and yes, I am in communication with her, and wanted to know the 'legality' so that I was forewarned in light of any disagreement. Hopefully she will be ok with me trying to remove it from its present position, at least.

Hi Welshone I think all fence paint these days will be water based. I would advise sticking to the better makes such as Ronseal. Check that it is suitable for spraying though. Lots of colours available, but as Nigel said watch the other side of the fence, the colour will leach through in...

Thanks for the info @noisette47 You are probably right when you are saying "There is no such thing as too much water stored".I myself am in a lucky position because we live near a river so a simple 3 metre well with an electric pump gives us plenty of water all year round.But I would...

It's difficult to give a suggestion without more information. Is the bank north or south facing and does it leave the area at the base of the bank in shade? Is it possible to post a photo of the bank?I have a steep north facing bank at the front of the house and collected stone from the...

You can get Galvanised spray/paint

That's my opinion anyway. We have an area of driveway here that is similar to gravel with recycled road surface material used and I just keep the weeds under control by picking them out with finger and thumb and maybe a trowel if I allow one or two get a bit too big. If there was a membrane down...

Oh they are stainless steel it was all bought in specially for making reconstituted stone work. It's been outside for years and still bright silver.

With veg plants I guess we've got to consider which wood preserver is reasonably safe. I doubt if it would leech into the soil but i did put a sheet of black dpc plastic on the inside of mine to minimise the risk. A roll from screwfix wasn't expensive.

Slight rub down with some sandpaper/wet and dry, paint with acrylic paint in whatever colour you require. Jobs a goodun

All in...........and me. Very hard work but rewarding to actually do something positive during lockdown.

I know how you feel - I have to build a new one and just want some warmer drier weather!