Here we are in early autumn, with the days getting shorter and the prospect of cooler temperatures. But it’s a lovely time to enjoy the remnants of summer colour, and plan ahead for spring by planting bulbs and winter bedding, amongst other tasks. …

How to get a great looking lawn with minimal effort. A beautiful lawn complements the rest of the garden and makes the whole garden look fantastic. Find out more on our blog. …

Your lawn has been working hard all year and after the heat (and rain) of Summer it is in need of some care to prepare it for Winter and to get it ready for next year. Find out how in our handy guide. …

Probably one of our favourite activities come spring and summer is entertaining outside. And it’s one of the easiest things to do since outdoor dining areas can be created nearly anywhere in your garden, lawn, or backyard. You can easily throw a fabulous dinner party where you and your guests can enjoy good food and company on a lovely spring evening or a cool summer night. To help you, here’s a quick guide on some of the must-have elements in an outdoor garden dining area. A Place of Comfort and Function Dining al fresco is one of the things you can indulge in when there is good weather, especially if you have a garden or a patio. A dining table, a couple of benches or chairs are essential in making your outdoor area a true place for entertainment and hosting. The right furniture makes your garden a great place where you and your loved ones can come together, catch up, socialise, or just enjoy quality time together. Repurposed wood, wicker, and cast aluminium bronze are just some of the popular options. Make sure that you provide comfort by throwing in pillows and cushions. Find one that fits you and your home exterior by browsing our catalogue. A Place for Warmth Barbecues, fire pits or maybe even an outdoor fireplace not only sets the ambience, it also give you an “outdoor room” that you can use all year round. These additions are a great way to give your al fresco dining area more purpose. A Place for Cover Too much sunshine, wind or rain can sometimes ruin a perfect outdoor party. For these reasons, it would be wise to create a covered space so you can truly enjoy your outdoor area. There are numerous options for you, from retractable awnings, makeshift canopies, to a parasol. They can provide adequate shade to make your dining area just perfect. If you’re a bit creative, you can also play around with some garden elements, such as arches, vines, and trees to make your own shade. Your options for designing an outdoor dining area is as plenty as the plants and accessories you can use for your garden. The trick is to find pieces that you want and you’re comfortable with, and make them work not just for the garden but also for you. …

January 2014 has gone down on record as the wettest January ever recorded. With the terrible weather we've been experiencing in December and the beginning of the year it’s not difficult to believe! But fortunately the worst of it is looking like it is behind us, so now we can all start looking forward and trying to repair some of that damage caused in our poor waterlogged gardens. Unfortunately there are few plants that can survive long periods of flood water. The water will drown the plants in the sodden soil and restrict air flow to their root system. The outcome of this is yellowing leaves dropping off and the plant eventually rots and dies. The weather may also cause bark to peel off stems and herbaceous plants may fail to come into growth in spring. Saying that, here is a quick guide with useful tips and tricks to get that garden soil back to what it once was ready to plant in and bring back to its former glory: Try to avoid walking on waterlogged soil, not only will you get mucky boots but the soil will compact causing more long term damage. This is even more essential to avoid on heavy clay soils. If you must walk over the soil, use a plank of wood, board or purchase a portable path to help disperse the weight and even the load on the soil. Spike the lawn with a garden fork or lawn aerator to the depth of 10cm. Then fill the holes with horticulture sand or top dressing to help allow the water to penetrate the less compacted soil below. Another way to improve soil structure is to add lots of organic matter such as garden compost or chipped bark. There is no need to dig this in, just put it down and let the worms do the work for you. Once the water goes down its time to feed! The water would have washed away a large amount of nutrients so a good fertiliser is essential for bringing that soil back up to its former standard. Whilst that soil is improving you can still get out there and do a bit of gardening! Longacres stocks a wide range of colourful spring plants, shrubs, herbs, grow your own and more which would all look fantastic planted up in a pot or container on your path, patio, driveway, alcove, balcony or whatever space you've got while the vegetable beds and borders dry out of excess water! Why not see us in store and speak to one of our members of staff on what you can do for your garden space. …