Framing the horizon: dwellings that blend with the desert

Part fantasy escape and part futuristic vision, these desirable desert designs are a stunning blend of structure and landscape

Beloved by artists, mystics and hermits, the desert is a place for contemplation and coming face-to-face with oneself; a place to fully detox from the outside world and enjoy the purifying nothingness of a vast, barren, empty space. The desert retreats featured on these pages – the Glass Pavilion in Granada, Spain, and the Desert Courtyard House, the Desert Nomad House and the Levin Residence, all in Arizona – are an invitation to do just that.

These desert retreats are designed to help their inhabitants feel a sense of peace through connection to nature. Situation and design combine to turn the poetic idea of the idyll into reality.

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Gardening tips: pick a sunny spot for strawberries

Then plant laid-back lady’s mantle and listen to a lively gardening podcast

Try this Pots of strawberries can be planted now: they need fertile soil to produce juicy berries, so dig some homemade compost or soil improver into the ground first. Choose a sunny, sheltered spot and plant so the growing tip, or crown, is level with the soil surface: plant 40cm apart, with 75cm between rows. ‘Mara des Bois’ is a good choice for flavour-packed fruit.

Plant this Lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis) is the Bez of the plant world – so laid-back that you can put it in full sun or deep shade, and it will keep on dancing. Lime-green lacy flowers, that bloom from early to late summer, sit above scalloped leaves. Cut a few to enjoy indoors. Height and spread, 60x60cm.

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How to grow cucurbits: pumpkins, courgettes and cucumbers | Alys Fowler

Grow summer and winter squashes to feel prepared, says our gardening expert

My friend Birgit once told me that she didn’t feel truly happy unless there was some sort of cucurbit in the house, preferably a winter squash. I’ve come to understand that. There’s a comfort in having a store full of them. I start the winter with 15-20 fruit from five or six different varieties, and I’m still eating them well into May. I have pumpkins that taste of melon, others with a deep, sweet nuttiness, and thin-skinned, dense, beta-carotene rich ones. Sow salads, radishes and fast-growing greens like cime de rapa for quick rewards, grow courgettes and cucumbers if you want something for summer; but grow pumpkins to feel prepared.

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Gardening tips: pick a sunny spot for strawberries

Then plant laid-back lady’s mantle and listen to a lively gardening podcast

Try this Pots of strawberries can be planted now: they need fertile soil to produce juicy berries, so dig some homemade compost or soil improver into the ground first. Choose a sunny, sheltered spot and plant so the growing tip, or crown, is level with the soil surface: plant 40cm apart, with 75cm between rows. ‘Mara des Bois’ is a good choice for flavour-packed fruit.

Plant this Lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis) is the Bez of the plant world – so laid-back that you can put it in full sun or deep shade, and it will keep on dancing. Lime-green lacy flowers, that bloom from early to late summer, sit above scalloped leaves. Cut a few to enjoy indoors. Height and spread, 60x60cm.

Continue reading...

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How to grow cucurbits: pumpkins, courgettes and cucumbers | Alys Fowler

Grow summer and winter squashes to feel prepared, says our gardening expert

My friend Birgit once told me that she didn’t feel truly happy unless there was some sort of cucurbit in the house, preferably a winter squash. I’ve come to understand that. There’s a comfort in having a store full of them. I start the winter with 15-20 fruit from five or six different varieties, and I’m still eating them well into May. I have pumpkins that taste of melon, others with a deep, sweet nuttiness, and thin-skinned, dense, beta-carotene rich ones. Sow salads, radishes and fast-growing greens like cime de rapa for quick rewards, grow courgettes and cucumbers if you want something for summer; but grow pumpkins to feel prepared.

Continue reading...

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'Hey Google, dim the lights': how smart home devices can save money

From energy-saving bulbs to leak detectors, smart tech offers many benefits at the touch of a button

Almost everything in your home, from lights and thermostats to door locks and security cameras, can now be connected to the internet. With a few taps on an app or a voice command you can turn down your heating, let visitors into your home or check for leaks.

But while many of these gadgets appear to be simply a way to impress visitors (“Hey Google, dim the lights and play some romantic music”), others can save you money. And at a time when many of us are working from home and running up bills during the day, this is likely to be their biggest selling point.

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Ten tips for adding water to your garden Nottingham Estate Agents

There’s nothing more soothing and relaxing than the presence and sound of gently running water in the garden.   Whether it’s a tranquil reflective pool or a fountain, water can add a wonderful sense of serenity to any outdoor space, providing lovely movement and sound. But there are other benefits to being around water, too.  Much […]

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