Longacres Blog

This weekend we have two different companies coming to our Bagshot branch to show off their products, demonstrate how to use them and of course, provide a free sample or two! Valoriani Fornino Demonstration (Saturday 28th May) Join us on Saturday 28th May 2016 for a day of cooking with the Valoriani Fornino (brand new to Longacres!) This wood burning outdoor oven is perfect for pizzas, chicken, beef, lamb, fish or anything else you can think of. We have Nino from Caffe Amore joining us along with the team from The Green Olive Firewood company to show you what the oven can do and hand out some free freshly baked pizza samples. All the pizza dough will be provided by Caffe Amore; so if you enjoy the sample you can visit them for more. We will be all set up from 10am until 4.30pm on Saturday 28th, so be sure to pop along! Weber Grill Squad Demonstration (Sunday 29th May 2016) We here at Longacres are huge fans of the Weber brand and their amazing products, so we are pleased to welcome them back on Sunday 29th May! The team will be at our Bagshot branch cooking smoked salmon, beer can chicken and meatballs wrapped in bacon in the morning, and preparing perfect steak, pizzas and brownies in the afternoon (yum!) The first demonstration will begin at 10.30am and the second demonstration will begin at 1.30pm (ending around 3.30pm) - be sure to pop along, say hello, learn a few things and of course grab yourself some free grub!

It's still not feeling too warm outside, but at least you can give your garden a splash of colour with our range of bedding plants and hanging baskets.

Isn't it great to get out in the garden again now the sun is shining!  Trouble is, you then tend to notice that your shed could do with a new coat of paint, or your fence needs a treatment to protect it from the weather. Those little garden jobs never go away do they!  At least with the Cuprinol range at Longacres, you can brighten up your wooden garden furniture, and at the same time give it a coat of protection (that sounds like something a modern super-hero would have).   If you're a little fed up with your shed, fence, flower pots and bird box all being a different shade of brown (not that we have anything against brown you understand), you might like to try some Cuprinol Garden Shades.  In a range of amazing colours, the texture of the wood can still seen whilst offering the protection you would expect from Cuprinol products. If you're not quite sure what colour is right for you, there are tester sizes available so you can try a few and see what suits your style. Cuprinol Less Mess Fence Care is quick drying (around an hour) and gives great coverage using just the one coat.  The 6L can covers 30m2 or around 10 fence panels and is great value at £7.99.  If you prefer to spray your fences, try Cuprinol Spray and Brush 2 in 1 Pump Sprayer for £37.99.  The unit fits any Cuprinol sprayable products, as well as the Garden Shades range. Cuprinol Ducksback offers protection for sheds and fences for up to 5 years, is easy applied and shower proof in just 1 hour.  We currently have an offer of 'Buy 2 Cuprinol Ducksback 5L cans and get a free 4" brush'.   Remember to give your garden table and chairs a new lease of life with Cuprinol Naturally Enhancing Team Oil once you've taken the covers off (full range of garden furniture covers here).   If you're changing the colour of your fence or shed, or letting your imagination run wild with multi-coloured wooden flower pots, you might like to post a picture of your newly coloured items on our Facebook page!

We have the very talented Grant Colbrook from La Hacienda joining us this weekend (Saturday May 14th 2016), at our Bagshot branch for a cooking demonstration day with his magical BakerStone Pizza Oven. Join us any time between 9.30am and 4.30pm for a demonstration and some free pizza samples! You can find our BakerStone Pizza ovens online here!

Hooray! Summer is here (well, almost). We’re sure that this weekend was many people's first barbecue of the year and their first opportunity to relax in the garden. However, it’s not all relaxing when it comes to gardening and giving the grass that first mow of the season is always a wonderful feeling (and a wonderful smell as well!) Trouble is, sometimes you then notice the moss to grass ratio is a little higher than you’d like!   If your lawn is looking a little worse for wear (like the one above), now's the time to treat it to some TLC. Viano MO Bacter is a slow release organic lawn fertiliser and moss killer which rids your garden of that pesky moss and improves existing grass. It's a gentle product and will not damage plants, so your border flowers are perfectly safe. There's also no need to scarify afterwards either as MO Bacter 'digests' the moss. It is also stain free, so no more having to worry about your patios and stonework. Once you've treated your lawn, you can make it truly green again with EverGreen Complete 4 in 1 (currently 2 for £36). With a glorious green and weed free lawn, it's time to sit back and relax with a Pimms - you've earned it!

The food hall at Longacres is an attraction in its own right, with daily deliveries of fresh bread, cakes, fruit and vegetables, a selection of American and South African foods, health foods, Cook range of frozen meals, Walkers biscuits, Losely Farm dairy products and a wide range of all your favourite confectionery! We sell quality products at brilliant prices and always have a variety of great offers in store. Our staff are knowledgeable, passionate about food and are always available to help you find exactly what your looking for in the Longacres food hall. Come and see us today! In addition we now also have fresh meat from Bevans Butchers and our very own on site bakery, providing bread, rolls, sandwiches, croissants, cakes, doughnuts, bacon butties, hot soups and so much more. I'm getting hungry just writing this!

Our good friends at Weber will be joining us on three days to help you get the most out of your barbecue (and of course provide yummy free samples along the way!) These free, all day demonstrations will be running on Saturday 23rd April (past event), Sunday 29th May (past event) & Saturday 18th June at Longacres Bagshot. Come along and experience a cooking demonstration like no other! On all three days the Weber team will be cooking smoked salmon, beer can chicken and meatballs wrapped in bacon in the morning, and preparing perfect steak, pizzas and brownies in the afternoon. The first demonstration will begin at 10.30am and the second demonstration will begin at 1.30pm (ending around 3.30pm) Why not pop down and learn something new, grab some free samples and enjoy the beautiful weather (beautiful weather not guaranteed - but keep those fingers crossed!) You can also find out all about our Weber Grill Academy which is being held on Wednesday June 1st at 6.30pm on our Facebook event page here (past event) You can find our range of barbecues online here!

For all you early birds out there, we have an egg-cellent (pun intended) offer running on Good Friday (25th March) and Easter Monday (28th March); you can save a massive 10% off* in store at our Bagshot and Shepperton branches!  To redeem the offer just come into the store (Bagshot or Shepperton only) between 7.30am and 9.00am where you will be given your voucher at the front doors. Then all you need to do is simply hand the voucher over to the till assistant when you go to pay to receive your discount. Don't feel that you have to rush - your voucher will be valid for the duration of the day. Don't worry though, if Good Friday seems like the perfect day for a lie in and Easter Monday you're recovering from too much chocolate, we also have the same amazing offer on the Early May Bank Holiday (2nd May) and Spring Bank Holiday (30th May) *Please be aware that the vouchers are only valid for the duration of the day of issue, and cannot be used towards the purchase of gift vouchers, alcohol or sheds - sorry!

Most people love holly with its rich shiny leaves and bright red berries. There are many other plants with highly ornamental fruit that provide interest, often during autumn and winter when flowers are scarce. The following are a few of the many choices available. Starting small with the summer dormant bulb Arum italicum subsp. italicum 'Marmoratum'. It has short columns of showy red berries in autumn, followed by marbled leaves that last through winter. Plant this with Hellebores and spring bulbs and it will naturalise if happy. Another lowly, often overlooked plant is the Gladwin iris, Iris foetidissima, with informal clusters of red berries in winter and fan-shaped spikes of green leaves. This is useful in difficult shady or dry places, a plant of quiet quality. Finally try Honesty, Lunaria annua. (Also available with showy variegated foliage). The sprays of white or purple flowers are followed by rounded white papery seed pods that appear in summer and which are loved by children. Moving on to compact and medium-sized shrubs there are new ranges of the Tutsan, Hypericum that have been developed with a resistance to the rust disease that had blighted them. Some of these have names prefixed with  ‘Magical’ or ’Miracle’. They are truly eye-candy when the shiny yellow flowers combine with clusters of berries from late summer. The berries are coloured in shades of white, pink, red, and mahogany, all eventually turning black. One example is Hypericum x inodorum Magical Sunshine = 'Kolmasun'. They make attractive shrubs, around a metre in height with pleasing foliage and a neat shape that looks good in the foreground. Try some of the smaller and sometimes prostrate cotoneasters that have white flowers in May and masses of berries from August or September. The low-growing or prostrate Cotoneaster conspicuus 'Decorus' has orange-red autumnal fruits. For a characterful plant, good in a container or enhancing a rockery or raised bed the small but craggy Cotoneaster microphyllus has small red berries that last and last. Many roses have showy hips (don’t deadhead if you want these to develop), they include the prickly Rosa 'Fru Dagmar Hastrup' that has fragrant pink flowers. Finally, the exceptional flagon fruits of red-flowered Rosa 'Sealing Wax' stands around 2.5 metres in height but can have lower shrubs planted in the foreground. Many climbers also have showy fruits. The bold pyracantha is probably the supremo for in-your-face displays of red or orange berries from autumn. Among the number available is Pyracantha Saphyr Orange = 'Cadange'. For something different there are the purple autumn pods of the annual climber Lablab purpureus 'Ruby Moon'. If you are really brave and can handle a 12 metre high climber, there’s the shiny green wall-covering leaves of Celastrus orbiculatus. Its fruits are curious with yellow-lined pods that burst open to show its red berries. For a warm spot the subtle Schisandra rubriflora has dangling red flowers and red fruits, both distinctive and unusual. If you have room for larger shrubs consider the native guelder rose in the beautiful form Viburnum opulus 'Compactum' with clusters of shiny red fruits. The larger Viburnum opulus 'Xanthocarpum' is a beauty with its translucent orange berries. For intrigue, try the blue berries of Clerodendrum trichotomum, the large but delicate sprays of red berries on Nandina domestica ‘Richmond’, that last all through winter, or, finally, the violet fruit of Callicarpa bodinieri var. giraldii 'Profusion' these have a haunting quality all their own, most effective in late autumn. There are also plenty of ornamental fruits on trees, but these have to wait till next time when ‘Trees for Small Gardens’ will be covered. Enjoy! This blog post was kindly contributed by Susan A Tindall.

Part 2 - Planting Your Small Scale Garden In a small garden every plant counts and plants with ‘multi-season’ interest are particularly valuable. Look for plants that offer flowers and fruit, foliage and flowers, or plants that have autumn colour or interesting stems or foliage during winter. Plants that have both flowers and fruit These include plants that have the added bonus of foliage interest as well. Berberis forms can really come into their own here, for example the tiny Berberis thunbergii 'Tiny Gold' which has yellow leaves, young red shoots, yellow spring flowers and red fruit in autumn. Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea 'Admiration' has red-orange leaves but is otherwise similar. There is now a range of disease-resistant Hypericum which have yellow flowers and coloured fruits, try Hypericum Magical Beauty = 'Kolmbeau' for its berries that start peachy-pink. If you want a good-sized, handsome shrub the fan-shaped, golden-leaved Leycesteria formosa Golden Lanterns = 'Notbruce' has red flowers and purple fruits that provide interest all summer through. Plants that have winter interest Consider flowering plants with foliage that changes colour in winter. Some Hebes have this quality, coming in a range of sizes and needing a spot that has sunshine in winter. Try the compact Hebe 'Caledonia' with violet flowers and rose-purple winter foliage whilst Hebe 'Pascal' has copper-red winter foliage. Amongst herbaceous plants Bergenia often have burnished winter foliage, for example Bergenia 'Overture' has bright pink spring flowers and leaves that are burgundy in winter. The stems of dogwoods can positively glow in winter sunlight – for beautiful variegated foliage and red stems try Cornus alba 'Spaethi' or Cornus sanguinea 'Midwinter Fire' for good autumn colour followed by orange winter stems. These are cut back to near ground-level in spring, once established. Plants with exceptional foliage Evergreens in particular can provide interest throughout the year. Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Gold Star' has dainty shimmering foliage and can be pruned for containment if space is limited. In warm gardens the exotic Coprosma and Lophomyrtus forms, some of which change colour at different seasons, can be fascinating. Try Coprosma repens 'Tequila Sunrise’ or Lophomyrtus x ralphii 'Red Dragon' with red to black foliage. Slow but beautiful Nandina domestica 'Wood's Dwarf' glows red in winter and is gold, green and red in summer. For foliage drama where a feature plant can be accommodated Fatsia japonica 'Spiser's Web' is exotic, with huge variegated leaves. Plants for a hot and dry place Where your garden has a hot and dry area, herbaceous plants can be invaluable. Slugs permitting, try Alstroemeria, coming in a huge range of sizes and happy in a container, such as Alstroemeria 'Orange Gem'. Striking Abutilon with big bell-flowers can be grown as annuals, try apricot-flowered Abutilon 'Linda Vista Peach'. Colourful Zinnias have a long season, if deadheaded, an example being Zinnia marylandica 'Zahara Yellow' (Zahara Series). Sedums also have a place in a hot spot. In winter they provide architectural interest with their flat brown seed heads, try grey purple Sedum 'Matrona'. Frothy purple fennel is lovely placed at the rear, especially Foeniculum vulgare 'Purpureum'. Requiring little attention Salvias, such as the small shrub Salvia microphylla 'Pink Blush' has rich pink flowers for months whilst silvered Convolvulus cneorum is decorative all summer. This has just dipped a toe into the possibilities. We haven’t even started on walls and fences that can be clad in repeat-flowering climbing Roses paired with Clematis... Enjoy! This blog post was kindly contributed by Susan A. Tindall

It's not just a hint of snow that's in the air at the moment, but good old love as well.  Yes, Valentine's Day is just around the corner now, and as we like to say here 'The early bird catches the £5 off discount'.  Okay, maybe not such a traditional quote, but one to bear in mind! Here at Longacres we are giving you the opportunity to show how much you love that someone special in your life by offering a hand tied bouquet of a dozen red roses in a lovely presentation box for just £34.99!  That's a great saving of £5 on the usual price.  You need to place your order quickly though as this offer expires at 11:59 on 7th February.  You could then spend that extra £5 on a nice box of chocolates from our food section (we won't tell anyone if you decide to eat them all yourself) or perhaps add a shiny red heart balloon to your arrangement for £2.99? Lindor Chocolate Arrangement If the love of your life is a bit of an orchid fan, how about a vase filled with delicious Lindor chocolates and topped with a stunning arrangement of roses and orchids for £39.99?  More of a traditionalist but want a twist? No problem! 12 beautiful red roses with gypsophila, carefully created by our talented florists, can be yours for just £44.99. Maybe you prefer that understated romantic gesture of a single red rose, beautifully wrapped for £5.99, or a gorgeous rose gift pack containing 12 short stem roses with delicate diamonte detail, a box of Lindt chocolates and a bottle of rose wine for just £34.99. Shamrock Hand Tied Bouquet If you are looking for something different this year, we have a stunning hand tied bouquet of gerberas, pink roses and chrysanths for £25.99.  As well as for the romantics amongst you, this is also a stunning bouquet to send to the other special ladies in your life - your grandma, mum or daughter, with love. To see the full range of Valentine's Day cut flowers, take a look at the Longacres website. Now, where has that Barry White CD gone?

It may be a little dull outside at the moment with predictions of snow, but here at Longacres we have been busy with our Refresh and Renew displays, incorporating a range of wonderful houseplants. Houseplants are an ideal way to bring a little sunshine to those rainy, winter days.  Whether you are looking for some greenery for your conservatory, or flowers for your dining room, we have a huge variety of indoor plants available to buy online and in-store. You don't need to be Alan Titchmarsh to grow some amazing plants in your own home.  How about your very own citrus plant? We have oranges, lemons and limes which enjoy a warm environment and would be well suited to a conservatory.  You can even move them outside in the summer months where they would make a lovely feature in any garden. Just don't forget to bring them back in and keep them cosy during the winter though as they really don't like frost!  We also have a range of specialist feed for your citrus to ensure it stays at its best. If you prefer greenery around your home, we have plants to suit all tastes.  From the delicate green and white leaves of Ficus Benjamina 'Twilight' (not a vampire or werewolf in sight you'll be pleased to know), the unusually shaped leaves of Schefflera Arbor 'Compacta' (umbrella tree to you and I), and the stunning reds of Anthurium and Guzmania, you can brighten up your home with some dazzling varieties of green plants. If you prefer flowering houseplants, one of the most popular (and a personal favourite here) are Orchids.  As well as the usual variety that we are used to seeing in homes and offices, we have introduced a selection of even more exotic flowers such as the Wild Phalaenopsis. To keep your houseplants in tip-top shape, we also stock a wide variety of houseplant care including drip feeders, leaf wipes and revitalising sprays. Naturally you might like a nice pot to display your new plants in so we have a range of sizes and colours to choose from, along with a special offer on selected RHS pots at present which are reduced from £7.99 to just £3.99 each.  Hurry though, they're going fast! Don't forget that houseplants also make a great gift for someone special or add a little dash of colour to your desk at work. For details of all of the houseplants available to order online, take a visit to the Longacres website.  Don't forget that we also provide our own delivery service for larger plants within a 5 mile radius, and couriers for smaller varieties nationwide.