Inside Out, Chester Chronicle

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TheChronicle May, 2008

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TheChronicle May, 2008

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TheChronicle May, 2008

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Instead, just think about rooms that seem with their colour schemes to be flooded with light whatever the weather, are furnished with pieces with timeless good looks and effortlessly seem to combine comfort with elegance. This is the essence of cool, calm, sleek ‘Scandi style’ and those appealing qualities explain perhaps why we don’t seem to be able to get enough of it. While Swedish giant, Ikea, has long dominated the mass market with its winning combination of top class design and rock-bottom prices, the growing popularity of the look has now brought a host of other smaller companies to the UK, offering people even more opportunity not only to interpret the look in their own homes but in a more individual way. Companies who’ve recently come to the UK include inspirational Finnish fabric-makers, Marimekko, through to Iittala, which offers a treasure trove of Finnish glassware and accessories. Scandinavia’s style is inspired partly by its seasons as interior designer, Gail Abbott explains: “In the far northern countries of Scandinavia, the clear

inding a reputable tradesman Fcan sometimes be difficult.

Recent estimates by CORGI has put the number of cowboy plumbers trading in the UK at 20,000. How to spot a rogue trader:● If you decide to choose a local plumber take a look at the phone number, do they have a landline? Or is it just a mobile number? It’s unlikely a cowboy plumber will give out a landline number with a local prefix. ● Speaktofriendsorneighbours.Canthey recommend a good plumber or have they heard of the plumber you’re considering?

By Gabrielle Fagan

summer light is one of the dominant features of the landscape. Forests, lakes and mountains are bathed in its clarity, and for half the year the sun hardly sets below the horizon. “People make the most of the outdoors while they can, for the winter means long, dark days, when light is low and shortlived. Because of this, light is a quality that is highly valued.” So the fundamental principles of the Scandinavian look are – light-reflective white painted walls, modest window treatments designed to avoid blocking the light and a basically uncluttered feel. They work together to create a smooth blend of the contemporary and the timeless, which can suit any home and isn’t expensive to achieve. But while pale walls and white surfaces give an authentic feel to a room, acres of white could be cold and unappealing in our hard Northern light, so the use of an accent colour adds individuality, interest and warmth. Gail, is the author of a new beautifully illustrated book, Living with Light, which shows how to recreate all the hometransforming elements of the style.

STYLISH: Decorate the Scandinavian way with bright colours and pastels.

● Gas works – Ask for their CORGI registration number and check it at their website (trustcorgi.com). A plumber must be CORGI registered to work on live gas installations. ● Oil heating works – Check for OFTEC registration, similar to CORGI. You can be safe in the knowledge that the engineer is competent and insured to work on oil boilers and installations. ● Can they start immediately? A good, reputable plumber will always be busy. ● Do they offer you a discount for ‘cash’. A sure sign of a rouge trader.

● Can they offer at least two references? If not, beware. ● Do they provide a written, itemised quotation on company headed paperwork? ● Are they polite and presentable? A professional tradesperson will more than likely demonstrate the same traits in their work. ● Trust your instincts, if you’re not quite sure, then don’t risk it. ● If you’re still unsure about a local tradesperson, professional companies like British Gas provide plumbing and boiler services nationwide.

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TheChronicle May, 2008

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Titchmarsh’s taste for the exotic

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caught up with gardening guru, Alan Titchmarsh, recently to chat about the different varieties of exotic fruit and veg which we can now grow here to pep up curries, stir-fries and other cosmopolitan dishes.

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also offers advice on how to expand your culinary repertoire by growing items such as lemon grass, Thai basil and kiwi fruit. “There was a time, of course, when courgettes and sweetcorn were considered exotic,” he muses. “Sweetcorn does like a good summer still, but we have more varieties now which are bred for cooler summers, such as North Star. They do better in a colder climate because they grow faster.” Sprouting seeds, which are dead easy to grow without soil, pots or even a garden, add zest to stir fries and

salads. These include fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum), spicy sprouts ideal for stir-fries, aduki beans (Vigna angularis), slightly spicy-tasting beans with large seeds, and mung bean (Vigna radiata), the original Chinese beansprout, star of a million take-aways. Oriental leaves including pak choi, mizuma and Chinese mustard greens are also easy to grow and not very time-consuming. Some are used as baby salad leaves, others in stir-fries. As a general rule, they should be sown outside from May to August (pak choi from mid-June), where you want the crops to grow. Many of the newer ingredients which we want to grow ourselves, such as

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TheChronicle May, 2008

IDEAL CHOICE: The New Heights Miri bedside table from £349.

Garden centre with something for everyone

edroom partners are By Gabrielle Fagan seldom perfect in every way but when they become tired looking, scruffy and frankly past their sell-by-date, wobbly piles of magazines. This is seriously not doing anything they should be ditched.

Relationship counsellors might wince at such harsh, unforgiving treatment but we’re talking image here and you can’t be too careful. Actually, it’s nothing personal. I’m referring to the bedside table, which is one of the most useful pieces of furniture in the house but one that can be so taken for granted. Be ashamed if it’s just an unattractive, cluttered dumping ground, coated with coffee mug stains and

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GARDENING GURU: Alan Titchmarsh, whose book,The Kitchen Gardener, is published by BBC Books, priced £20. lemon grass, will need to be grown under glass, he admits. “You can’t grow lemon grass outside because it’s too tender. It’s best grown indoors at room temperature in the winter, but it can be put in the conservatory or out on the patio in summer.” The bases of the grassy stems are the only bits that are any good for cooking and are particularly good in Thai dishes. But be warned, lemon grass is quite a large, coarse, grassy, unattractive plant with sharp-edged leaves which can be hazardous if you have small children. Thai basil is another one to try at home, although it can be tricky, says Titchmarsh. “Basil likes a warm climate. I grow it in pots in the greenhouse. It’s a Mediterranean plant and you need to sprinkle a few seeds in a pot every couple of weeks and you’ve always got a succession coming along. As long as you’ve got a well-lit windowsill or a porch just to give it an umbrella from the worst of the weather, it’ll be okay.” Cape gooseberries, usually served at the side of your plate for decorative purposes in upmarket restaurants, are another less well-known fruit. The fruit can also be used for making jam and do best in a greenhouse. They are an acquired taste and Titchmarsh admits he doesn’t like them, but you’ll impress your dinner guests if you have grown your own decorative additions. “Don’t think they’re anything like the Chinese lantern flower in your border because they’re a different species. But you can grow them,” he says. “You might also fancy trying their close cousin, tomatillo, which is currently enjoying a minor surge in popularity as an ingredient of authentic Mexican salsa.” Titchmarsh does have a personal favourite veg, which is a far cry from the exotic – red onions. “I use them in so many dishes. They are that much sweeter than ordinary white onions and all you need is olive oil in a pan, chop up a red onion and think what else you are going to put in, either an egg for an omelette or a bit of rice and make it into a risotto. It’s so versatile and dead easy to grow. All you need are sets and you’re half way there.”

JACKSON’S ‘boutique’ Garden Centre, as it has recently been rebranded, was established as a nursery about 40 years ago. Set in the beautiful hills of Trelawnyd some 600ft up, it was the perfect spot for shrubs and conifers to flourish. Times move and although run by members of the original family, it has now developed into a highly individual centre with an eye for trends and fashions, which sit comfortably with traditional quality and value. The enormous selection of gifts and home accessories reflect this while the quality and selection of plants form a strong part of Jackson’s nursery heritage Its ethos extends into the tea rooms, where the majority of cakes are baked in its kitchens, hams are home-baked, free range organic eggs are locally sourced and in the summer months, salad crops are home grown ● So why not make time to visit Jackson’s Garden Centre at Trelawnyd, Dyserth. For more details, telephone 01745 570680.

Pick that perfect bedtime partner B

CJ STORAGE Solutions can help solve your storage problems by maximising loft space in your garage. Chris Seddon, of CJ Storage Solutions, claims he is seeing a rapidly expanding market for this solution. He said: “In recent years storage has become a huge issue for many people. In many cases they simply use the garage floor but that means leaving their cars outside on the driveway or the road, which has all sorts of security implications. “For only £160 we can provide 112sq ft of boarded roof storage space and for an extra £139, we can fit a loft ladder and a light for safe and easy access. “Use is restricted to light storage only but for many

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for the look of your bedroom (especially important if you have visitors) and not only that, gazing at a muddle just before you go to sleep can give you bad dreams. Such a messy state of affairs prob-

chest is overflowing with possessions it’s probably too small, and maybe has too few or no drawers. Your bedside table may have other failings. Just as partners that are too short can be a trial (no heels!) a bedside table that’s too low can also be downright irritating. So end the nightmares and find the perfect sleeping partner – whether it’s a slim and lean model, a Mr Darcy period style piece or even a Scandinavian style bedside hunk.

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Advertiser’s announcement people, that is enough for Christmas decorations, suitcases etc. Most people are aware of the potential of their house loft but they forget that there is safe storage in their garage loft as well. It is also a much cheaper and more convenient solution than using outside storage warehouses.” ● For more information, call 800 014 18 61 or email mail@cjstoragesolutions.co.uk

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TheChronicle May, 2008

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anging baskets are a sure-fire way of adding a mass of colour and texture to the outside of your home – but what if your patio is north-facing? How are you going to make a dull shady area sizzle with colour?

Many gardeners avoid placing hanging baskets in shade, but there are some plants that will do well without direct sun and still provide a splash of colour where it is needed. The most obvious bedding plants which can withstand shade are Busy Lizzies, which you can plant successfully in wire hanging baskets, planted not just on the surface of the basket but also in slits in the liner around the sides. Trailing varieties of Busy Lizzies including Spellbound are now available, to provide your shady spot with a ball of colour all summer. Alternatively, if you want an ideal specimen in the centre of your basket go for one of the New Guinea Busy Lizzies, which are larger and more leafy but produce fantastic blooms in a wealth of colours. But while most bedding requires some direct sunlight, you can create wonderful hanging baskets

By Hannah Stephenson

from plants which provide contrasting foliage and texture. Mix leafy plants including begonias and hostas with spiky grasses and flowing ferns for an eye-catching contrast. There are some fuchsias which will do well in the shade, including F. ‘Eva Boerg’, whose trailing stems of deep rose-coloured flowers cascade beautifully over a large pot, or the popular ‘Swingtime’, which is ideal for a hanging basket, producing large red and white flowers. Some heuchera are also perfect for adding dramatic leaf contrast to a basket. H. ‘Colour Dream’, for instance, has scalloped leaves patterned with purple and in the summer the leaves develop a red edge. It likes some cool shade and its silvery sheen adds lustre to a dull scene. One of my hanging baskets is in shade at the front of my house and I find that bacopa works well as a trailing filler, its white flowers contrasting well with the daisy-like lilac flowers of brachyscome. Whatever you choose, remember that hanging baskets can dry out easily in shade, just as they do in sun. Make sure when planting that you

COLOURFUL: A lovely hanging basket display. add water-retaining granules and slow-release fertiliser to the compost and choose a liner that’s going to retain the moisture well, such as an old woolly jumper. While moss looks natural, it doesn’t do much for retaining water. There have been times when I’ve just used polythene, with holes cut around the sides for drainage but not at the bottom. It doesn’t look pretty at first, but once the plants have taken hold, you can’t see it anyway.

Blazes can make your home a hot property BLAZES – one of Britain’s biggest fireplace and heating specialists – is launching the summer season with some of the latest designs and exclusive fireplaces to be seen in the region at its flagship store at High Street, Saltney. There’s never been a better time to buy your new fire fireplace or central heating than right now in the Hot Summer Sale, with massive savings up to half price. And there’s something for everyone from traditional to contemporary with special offers throughout the store. As a national company, Blazes is able to use its considerable buying power to negotiate with the UK’s leading man-

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Rectory Lane

Chester Showroom

ufacturers and pass the savings on to customers. Whatever fireplace or fire you are looking for, then you need specialist advice on what is right for you and you’ll find it at Blazes. Blazes provide a complete service, which includes a free, no obligation home survey, advice on design and qualified installation. As well as the superb displays of fires and fireplaces, Blazes has now introduced central heating to offer customers everything hot under one roof.

TURF TIME

Experience the premium quality of our furniture at one of our Indian Ocean stores, selected partner stores and Selfridges.

The Old Garden Centre

Advertiser’s announcement

01244 549700 Mobile 07702 556 799

a family business since 1965 - www.greenwaysturf.co.uk

You will still find that in the height of summer you may have to water the basket on a daily basis, whether in sun or shade. For the moment, plant up the baskets by balancing the basket on top of a bucket, so you can move the basket around and plant up the sides without it toppling and damaging the plants. The planted baskets will need to be brought inside during cold snaps and at night until all danger of frost has passed.

Dawn’s Soft Furnishings At Classic Curtains

Professional Maker of Drapes, Balances, Tie Backs, Loose Covers and Upholstery etc. All types of Blinds available. Fitting and Design Service.

Mollington Grange, Chester Tel: 01244 851929 or 07759 115592

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YOUR DREAM SPACE? LET US COMPLETE THE PICTURE

TheChronicle May, 2008

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OAK BEAMS LARGEST SELECTION IN THE NORTHWEST

MOSTYN ESTATE SAWMILL STRUCTURAL GRADE OAK BEAMS, JOISTS & LINTELS TIMBER FRAMING OAK, INGLENOOK AND FIREPLACE BEAMS, SAWN OAK & LARCH FOR BOATBUILDING OAK & LARCH CLADDING, ASH, CHERRY, AND SYCAMORE ALWAYS IN STOCK

LARGE SELECTION OF SAWN SIZES ALL TIMBER CUT TO YOUR SPECIFICATIONS email - mail@mostynsawmill.co.uk ESTATE SAWMILL MOSTYN HALL HOLYWELL FLINTSHIRE CH89HN

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TEL: 01745 561188 MOB 07765235692 FAX 01745 561587 FAX 01745 561587

5 MINS OFF A55 JUNCT 31 2 MINS OFF A548 COAST ROAD

MOSTYN TIMBER A TRACEABLE PRODUCT

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