Advantages: Looks Unusual
Disadvantages: Weathers terribly

...After having our garden landscaped 2 years ago, including more decking than you could shake a stick at, we decided that our old, white plastic garden furniture just didn't match anymore. After much deliberation, we decided on aluminium furniture and scoured all the local outlets. We settled for a hexagonal table, with a bronze coloured aluminim frame and a frosted glass top. The top had a hole in the middle to take the cream coloured wind-up parasol. The six aluminim framed chairs had a sort of plastic coated wire mesh as a seat, which was light and practical, and dried out within minutes after a shower of rain. It cost a total of £500 for the lot, including 2 matching sun loungers. The whole suite looked excellent, and was very easy to keep clean - just a wipe with a damp cloth. The glass top did, however, get grubby... Read review

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Advantages: Mary mary, quite contrary. How does your garden grow?
Disadvantages: With slime and snails and puppy dog tails!!

...is the roses. This pot is wild and having not trimmed the stalks at first frost (I didn't know I was supposed to until I went to the garden centre), they are long and claw like. I dig a hole wide enough for the whole bottom part of the plant to go into and struggle massively to tilt the plant on its side and remove from the pot. The thorns are everywhere and are very sharp and I'm dull enough not to have infested in a pair of gardeners gloves! I manage some movement, now comes the trick where I have to quickly get the squashed roots and compost into the little hole area without loosing the compactness. I scrammed my face along the way but that's fine, the roses are in their little hole! Now for another move. I decide I want a climbing plant in-front of the roses by the balcony area. My vision is that they will spiral up a metal frame and make... Read review

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Advantages: Comfort and style
Disadvantages: May not stock them in bnq anymore!

...I like to have stylish furniture, I bought this for my dads house in cyprus and it looks fabolous in the summer, we even use it in the house during the rest of the year. Not only does it look good but it also brings extremely good comfort, the cushions have special foam in them which has been designed to ensure maximum comfort. The cane used is of excellent quality, selected and shaped to ensure the best standard of product possible. It is very easy to assembly, with clear instructions given, so anybody can do it! I found mine at bnq for £299. However i am unsure if they still stock them but i have seen many available on ebay, offers varying. They really are a pleasure to sit/lay on and enjoy the sun or even have them inside the house. Would really reccomend them to anybody wishing to purchase a value for money... Read review

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Advantages: Beautiful hardwood bench
Disadvantages: Not cheap

...We recently had a new patio built and I had hoped to do a review but haven’t discovered a suitable topic in which to write about it, but as we have been enjoying sitting out in the sunshine we decided that we needed some more up-market garden furniture and so it’s about the garden bench that I am going to tell you about today. I wanted a table, chairs and umbrella, but it would probably cover the whole patio and then you wouldn’t be able to admire the lovely pattern! So I agreed with my husband (unusually for me!) and we went looking yesterday for a bench instead. I had looked in the Argos book but as you can’t actually see the item before you buy it, we were a bit wary and so went to Homebase as they were advertising 10% off today and although the better half was working if we choose something I planned to go today to buy it, save... Read review

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Advantages: Great quality, Good ethics, beautiful furniture
Disadvantages: Expensive

...I recently bought a teak garden table, chairs and parasol made by Alexander Rose. Because of the price - we looked around to try to find an equivalent product which was cheaper. Unfortunately, having seen the Alexander Rose range, nothing else compared in terms of quality or comfort (I didn't realise wooden chairs could be so comfortable!). Everything else seemed rather flimsy or rickety in comparison. I think that their products are a very good choice ethically as well. Most of the furniture is made in a village in Ghana where they pay their workers a fair wage and give them and their family health care. They're also strict about where their wood is sourced from, to ensure that it's sustainable. The furniture I bought is beautiful and unlike a lot of other garden furniture on the market, doesn't have to be treated, although... Read review

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Advantages: Balckens trim, good shine finish, bottle lasts
Disadvantages: stains anything it touches

...your hands and makes it looks like you have lived in your garden for the last year. Also find yourself an old towel that you know you wont be wanting for anything other than applying the trim wax. APPLICATION Once you have washed your car you just apply this stuff to any of the black plastic trim or possibly metal (sills) as you would a normal car polish. I started on a little piece of trim at the back of the Renault to see how I would get on and if indeed it would be worth doing the whole car. It can take a little effort and time to cover the trim but mainly because most of it is on the bottom of the bumpers and lower4 down on the car. But once you've finished applying the wax you can immediately see that the trim is blacker than it was before. It took only a couple of minutes for the wax to dry but then I did it on a sunny day so may... Read review

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Advantages: Comfort, adjustability, quality, guarantee, comfort...
Disadvantages: price.

...Bought on an impulse from a camping shop at £175 for two, cheap they aren’t but they are worth every penny! ************************************** These French made chairs come with a two-year guarantee and are the ultimate in garden comfort. High tensile steel frames have elastic lacing threaded through loops supporting a padded seat complete with headrest, which will have you nodding off in the sun in no time. The reclining action is very smooth and infinitely adjustable so you can sit in the exact position you want and not in one predefined by the manufacturer. Once you're happy with the position simply turn out the levers under each arm rest to lock the seat in position. The tops of the resin arms have built in pads to make things even more comfortable. The headrest is a simple but clever pad held on by a loop of elastic... Read review

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Advantages: Safe, effective and it even tidies up for you!
Disadvantages: Not ideal for trimming flimsy shrubs

...it sideways on worked just fine. If the hedge hasn't been clipped before or if there are long branches projecting it is best to start above the hedge and bring the machine down on to it so that they get cut by the rotating blade but for hedges that have been regularly trimmed you can just skim over the top surface to tidy up. I was impressed, it was very easy to use and it gave a great finish. There were a few leaves on the path when I had finished but not very many and they were easy to clear so I was pretty happy. Next I moved on to some shrubs in the front garden which were a little unruly and that I wanted to tidy up. These presented more of a challenge to the Garden Groom as the branches were very fine and difficult to trim however with a bit of practice I developed my technique and managed to trim off about 2 ft of growth although... Read review

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Advantages: good day out, fantastic christmas displays
Disadvantages: spend too much money cos theres lots I want!!

...Varieties to more exotic ones. There are plants in here suitable for every occasion and every room of the house. Bookshop - A wide range of books - mainly on gardening but there are also cookery and craft books as well as a large selection of childrens books. Stonewear - Lots of statues and garden ornaments her to really add a bit of class or a touch of humour and those finishing touches to your garden. Garden Tools - A large selection of tools available for all your gardening needs. Budget cheaper ones are available as well as more professional ones. Garden Buildings - From sheds to conservatories to greenhouses. They are all available here. Garden Furniture - a wide range of patio furniture, hammocks, benches etc. Owl Centre - Entrance is 2.50 per adult and 1.00 per child over 10, under 10's get in free. Over 100 birds... Read review

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Advantages: Comprehensive selection of plants and expert free advice available all year round.
Disadvantages: Can come out with more than you originally went in for.

...a fantastic selection of barbecues, garden and conservatory furniture, and even picnic hampers and patio heaters. All year round they have a comprehensive gift section where you can buy items such as books, scented and decorative candles, china and crystal. During the festive season, Wyevale is also a good place for Christmas shopping; they have an excellent range of tree decorations, Christmas cards, wrapping paper and trimmings. My local centre also hosts a special shopping evening for our local gardening club where we are treated to a free glass of wine and mince pies - the whole centre is given over solely to us for the evening so that we can shop at our leisure – they even give us a ten percent discount on our purchases. All the Wyevale Garden Centres I have visited have restaurant facilities where you can obtain anything... Read review

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