Five magically minimalist homes for spring clean inspiration

It's a tried and tested design philosophy.

from Property blog https://ift.tt/2YvYrxc
via IFTTT

Say hello to aloes that will thrive outdoors | James Wong

With good drainage, many succulents grow well outside

As a lifelong lover of succulents, it’s exciting for me to see that they are suddenly back in vogue. Driven in large part by social media, sales of these wonderfully low-maintenance houseplants have seen a sharp increase in recent years. But despite their incredibly exotic appearance, many succulents will grow perfectly well outdoors. If you have run out of windowsills for your growing army of desert plants, here are some of my favourite aloes that will let you increase your collection outside.

We tend to think of aloes as larger, statement plants when grown indoors, but if you have a sunny spot outside, the low-growing, bunching rosettes of Aloe aristata make a wonderfully effective ground cover. They help green up the bare patches of gravel between bigger specimens in dry or Mediterranean-style borders, where they will also suppress weed growth, and even reward you with spikes of bright orange tubular flowers held on elegant stalks each summer.

Continue reading...

from Home And Garden | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2FJgMOZ
via IFTTT

Homeowners caught in a crippling ground rent trap

A clause in their lease doubled the bill every 15 years, meaning mortgage lenders steered clear

Sahar Nejabati planned to sell her flat before she got married in order to buy somewhere more spacious to raise a family: but buyers would not touch it because of a clause in the lease under which the ground rent doubled every 15 years.

Mortgage lenders steer clear of homes with onerous ground rent clauses, so it can be difficult for sellers to find a buyer or remortgage.

Continue reading...

from Property | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2Up0F28
via IFTTT

Say hello to aloes that will thrive outdoors | James Wong

With good drainage, many succulents grow well outside

As a lifelong lover of succulents, it’s exciting for me to see that they are suddenly back in vogue. Driven in large part by social media, sales of these wonderfully low-maintenance houseplants have seen a sharp increase in recent years. But despite their incredibly exotic appearance, many succulents will grow perfectly well outdoors. If you have run out of windowsills for your growing army of desert plants, here are some of my favourite aloes that will let you increase your collection outside.

We tend to think of aloes as larger, statement plants when grown indoors, but if you have a sunny spot outside, the low-growing, bunching rosettes of Aloe aristata make a wonderfully effective ground cover. They help green up the bare patches of gravel between bigger specimens in dry or Mediterranean-style borders, where they will also suppress weed growth, and even reward you with spikes of bright orange tubular flowers held on elegant stalks each summer.

Continue reading...

from Property | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2FJgMOZ
via IFTTT

Spring fever breaks out | Allan Jenkins

As the hour goes forward, it’s all systems go for everything from the windowbox daffodils to the street magnolia

So that’s it. British Summer Time Sunday, slightly later this year. We’ve had meteorological spring for a month and the equinox was over a week ago. So is it all gardening systems go? Well, sort of, though it helps if you have a greenhouse, perhaps a polytunnel or even a tray on a windowsill.

Of course it will be brighter in the evening. Day workers get to go home in daylight, or in my case try to steal away for an hour or two in the vegetable patch. Our rooftop daffodils are all out, the street magnolia, too. Assorted frothy blossom colours my walk to the plot. I am currently obsessed with spring – with frogspawn and blackthorn flower.

Continue reading...

from Property | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2HMY0JP
via IFTTT

Spring fever breaks out | Allan Jenkins

As the hour goes forward, it’s all systems go for everything from the windowbox daffodils to the street magnolia

So that’s it. British Summer Time Sunday, slightly later this year. We’ve had meteorological spring for a month and the equinox was over a week ago. So is it all gardening systems go? Well, sort of, though it helps if you have a greenhouse, perhaps a polytunnel or even a tray on a windowsill.

Of course it will be brighter in the evening. Day workers get to go home in daylight, or in my case try to steal away for an hour or two in the vegetable patch. Our rooftop daffodils are all out, the street magnolia, too. Assorted frothy blossom colours my walk to the plot. I am currently obsessed with spring – with frogspawn and blackthorn flower.

Continue reading...

from Home And Garden | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2HMY0JP
via IFTTT

Looking for a quiet property? Tips if peace is your priority Nottingham Estate Agents

With increasing numbers of people moving to busy cities and towns, peace and quiet can seem a rare commodity. Some people are happy living close to the action, but for others, a quiet home is a priority. If you are house hunting, it can be difficult to know (beyond the obvious) of what to consider. […]

The post Looking for a quiet property? Tips if peace is your priority appeared first on OnTheMarket.com blog.

from OnTheMarket.com blog https://ift.tt/2FLuPEO
via IFTTT