Month: September 2021

Decorating Your Garden For Christmas!

Christmas is a magical time of year where friends and family gather together to celebrate the season of goodwill. Mince pies, perfectly wrapped presents and stunning decorations are the order of the day when it comes to Christmas, but if you haven’t been decorating your outdoors, as well as inside, you have been missing out.

Decorating your garden for Christmas is a great way to spread the cheer even further, and truly get into the spirit of the season. Sound good? Here are our top ideas for creating a beautifully decorated Christmas garden.

Hang a wreath

It’s classic, but a festive wreath made out of seasonal foliage and brilliantly bright berries is a must-have for any Christmas garden. You can, of closure, buy very beautiful garden wreaths at garden centres and shops during the winter months, but if you really want to wow with your Christmas garden decor, why not make your own, totally unique decoration using things you’ve found in the garden and local beauty spots? You’ll be the envy of the street!

Create a cosy garden hideout

Many of us shy away from using the garden in the winter months, but being outdoors in the bracing winter air is actually really healthy, and it can be a lot of fun if you very up your own cosy garden hideout. How do you do that? Start with an outdoor firepit or log burner as the centrepiece, then add a couple of comfy garden chairs that have been adorned with tinsel and some festive red and white striped cushions. Finish off with a basket of logs and a light-up deer or Santa for decoration and you’ll have the most amazing time in the garden this Christmas.

Make it sparkle

Christmas is all about sparkle, bling and a relaxing atmosphere, and there are few better ways to create that in the garden than by wrapping white fairy lights around everything from your trees and topiary to the garden rails, fences and porch! Make it magical!

Create a festive display

When it comes to your front garden, something that can work well is setting up a festive display that will not only cheer you and your family up but which will spread the festive cheer to anyone who passes by too. How can you do this? The options are endless, but why not start with a large Christmas candle in a glass hurricane lamp? Make this the focal pint, then add arrangements of holly and ivy, mistletoe, winter berries, and maybe a few festive statues or a basket of winter produce. This is a great way to create a more sophisticated display than the usual plastic Santas and flashing coloured lights – although there’s nothing wrong with them if that’s what you and the kids are into!

Fake snow

If you want your garden to look magical for Christmas, then fake snow, applied liberally can really help to create that traditional Christmas garden image. Just make sure it looks natural!

Have fun in your garden this Christmas!

Gardening Jobs For The Autumn

The days are starting to get shorter and there’s a distinct smell in the air that indicated autumn is truly on its way. For you gardeners out there, the change in seasons also means a change in your gardening practices. If you aren’t sure what you need to do to keep your garden in shape this autumn, here is a list of the most important gardening jobs for you to get to grips with.

Clear the garden

In autumn, one of the most important things you must do is keep the garden clear of debris. That means you need to get out there with a rake or leaf blower and start collecting twigs, leave and other debris so that they can easily be removed from the parts of your garden (paths and patios) where they would otherwise rot and cause a potential trip hazard. But, don’t throw them away – pile them up in those little-used corners where they will be used as a safe place to stay for hedgehogs and other wildlife, or throw them on the compost heap if you prefer.

Feed and dig the soil

Autumn is the perfect time for digging over your soil and feeding it with a good natural fertiliser. By doing this, you can ensure it is in good shape ready for your next planting session. Just remember to also dig out any dead plants and add a new layer of compost to protect leftover plants from the harshness of the coming winter.

Plant some flowers

Many people new to gardening don’t associate autumn with planting, but there are many plants and flowers, including onesies, roses, and peonies, which can be planted in the autumn ready to spring into full bloom in… well, spring.

Scarify the lawn

If you have an artificial grass lawn, then this is one step you’ll be glad to hear you can skip, however, if your lawn is the real deal, autumn is the time when you are going to want to scarify it, by which we mean, you should remove signs of all moss, weeds and dead patches of grass. You can then aerate the lawn and reseed it so that when spring comes around again, it will be healthier than ever.

Prune the hedges

Most of us let our hedges grow more freely in the summer when they provide extra privacy, and hopefully a tasty treat or two, but when autumn comes around, it’s time to prune them ad cut them back so that they can remain healthy and provide a fresh crop of fruit next year. Once pruned, make sure to provide plenty of water, lest your hedges die off.

Secure against wind damage

Winter tends to get pretty windy in many places, so autumn is the ideal time to check out how vulnerable your plants are likely o be in the wind, and where necessary, secure them with windbreak protections and horticulture fleeces so they, hopefully, live to see another autumn after this one.

And, relax!

Decorating Your Garden For Halloween

For a lot of people, autumn is their favourite time of the year, and Halloween has a lot to do with that! Arguably the most thrilling of holidays, Halloween is a time to get together and have some good old-fashioned scary fun.

If you’re ready to get into the Halloween spirit, and you want to ensure that your garden is the scariest in the neighbourhood, check out our top ideas for a Halloween garden that will make everyone envious (and more than a little scared) right now…

Fix up the garden first

First thing’s first, before you start to plan the spookiest of decorations to deliver a scare in the dead of night, you’re going to want to smarten up your garden a bit because, no matter how delightfully dreadful your decorations are, if they’re surrounded by weeds and other unsightly debris, your garden isn’t going to look its best.

Oh, and we’ve made sure that all of these ideas for decorating your Halloween garden are totally lawn/garden safe, so you don’t have to worry about them messing up your outdoor space.

Carve those pumpkins

Halloween and Jack-O-Lanterns go hand in hand, and there is no denying that decorating your garden with lots and lots of gruesomely carved orange pumpkins is the most delightful way to raise and smile and hopefully deliver a scare or two at Halloween.

If you aren’t great at carving, there are various websites that allow you to download and print off templates of both traditional  Jack-O-Lantern faces and classic horror film greats like Dracula and Freddie Krueger, which are sure to impress the neighbours. Carve as many as you can and leave them on the porch, lining the drive, or even poking out from the bushes to really deliver a scare, but if you have artificial grass, be sure to leave a little gap between your lanterns and the lawn.

Spin a spider’s web

Using delicate white string, why not create your own giant spider’s web, complete with a giant spooky spider? This looks great in a spooky old tree, but you can also create a web on your porch if you prefer. 

Wire ghosts

If you’re the artistic type, get yourself as much chicken wire as you can manage, and bend it into the shape of human beings. Once places on the lawn, these creepy creations will look just like ghosts, especially in the misty moonlight of Halloween. This idea is one of the best for really creeping out passers-by.

Build your own graveyard

What could be more spooky than a misty graveyard on the very day when spirited are sid to roam the earth? Not much, which is why building your own graveyard, using styrofoam and paint to make your own headstones, is a great way to mark the occasion and creep everyone out. Oh, and be sure to hang a few sheets and maybe strategically place a zombie mask or two to up the creepiness factor and deliver a jump scare or two.

 Whatever you do this Halloween, keep it spooky!

Looking After Your Artificial Grass In The Autumn

If this is your first autumn with an artificial grass lawn you may not be up-to-date on how to maintain it during the season, but it is important that you do make an effort to maintain it because artificial grass is an investment that will last you many years if it is properly cared for.

Okay, but how exactly do you look after your artificial grass in the autumn months?

Keep it clear

Probably, the most important thing you will need to do for your artificial grass this autumn season is to keep it clean and clear of debris, which means that you will need to commit to regularly raking up any fallen leaves and twigs, not to mention dust and dirt, that finds its way onto your lawn when the weather changes.

Why is this so important? Because when organic matter gathers on your artificial grass, if it is not collected and removed, it will eventually start to rot and decay. This decayed matter could clog up your lawn’s drainage system and lead to flooding.

Clean it up

As well as removing any autumnal debris from your artificial grass, you are going to want to make an effort to also remove any first and grime from the lawn, which is more likely to appear in autumn and winter when things are getting muddy. You can do this with a little warm water and a bristled brush, or a 50/50 mix of water and vinegar if you prefer. Just make sure that you brush any excess moisture in the direction of your drainage system to avoid a build-up.

Oh, and using a stiff brush is preferable because it will really get to work on those stubborn patches of dirt. Some people err on the side of caution and do not brash their artificial grass particularly hard or fear of damaging it, but artificial grass is strong stuff and it will bounce right back into place.

How often should you do this? Once or twice a month should suffice, but if the lawn is particularly dirty, you can do it more often as needed.

Take a hose to it

Between thorough cleanings, it is perfectly acceptable, and a good idea, to hose it down now and again to get rid of any mess that has accumulated. If you have a pet, doing this every day or so is important at all times of the year because it will help to wash away any of their leavings. Disinfecting your artificial grass may also be a good idea, but be careful o choose a product that is compatible with your lawn, and if you’re unsure, conduct a patch test first.

Keep the fire at bay

Artificial grass and fire are not easy bedfellows, so if you want to avoid a disaster, keep that autumnal bonfires as far away from your artificial lawn as possible.
If you want to know about artificial grass and how to look after it this Autumn, get in touch with the experts at Elite Artificial Grass. You can contact us on  0800 8611 721 or by email at hello@eliteartificialgrass.co.uk

Is Fake Grass Safe To Play On?

Artificial grass is becoming increasingly popular due to the fact it is low-maintenance, durable and long-lasting, not to mention less messy, and because of the fact that, when you use it, your garden will always look pristine, but is it actually safe for children and pets to play on?

The short answer is yes, providing you choose artificial grass that does not contain any crumb rubber, which ours does not. 

Crumb rubber is made from recycled vehicle tyres, and it contains contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known to have cancer-causing properties. There was a scare about its use in artificial grass products a few years ago, along with a few reports of lead being used by fake grass manufacturers, but that really isn’t a problem now, providing you are buying from a reputable company like Elite Artificial Grass because we only ever use the safest, approved materials in the creation of all our luxury grass products.

To ensure your safety, and the safety of the children and pets who play on your lawn, you can always ask to be shown fake grass testing certificates that verify whether the grass is non-toxic and lead-free for your peace of mind.

Which materials are the safest?

Generally speaking, if you want to make sure that your fake grass is as safe to play on as possible, you should steer clear of materials like rubber tyre crumbs and other man-made materials and opt for natural alternatives like sand and stone. As well as being much safer, these natural alternatives tend to look and feel better too which is why they are typically used in the creation of luxury artificial grass products rather than those at the lower end of the market.

What about the blades?

Another concern amongst parents and pet owners is whether artificial grass blades are likely to injure their children or pets. When you look at our luxury fake grass, you will notice that each individual blade of grass can be seen clearly, and although they look sharp and well-defined because they are made from a soft substance, they are very unlikely to cause an injury, in fact, kids are probably more likely to injure themselves on real grass lawns which can get muddy and slippy, and which often hide rocks and other sharp materials beneath them!

What is the best artificial grass to play on?

Elite Artificial grass is lead and toxin-free, which means that it is perfectly safe for you, your children and your pets to play on. We will never use potentially toxic or cancer-causing materials like cheap rubber infill, instead opting for natural alternatives, which is why our grass products are so superior.
If you still aren’t sure about the safety of artificial grass or you want to know more about our manufacture and testing procedures, you are welcome to get in touch with us on 0800 8611 721 or by emailing our team at hello@eliteartificialgrass.co.uk today. We look forward to hearing from you.