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in & out
GARDENING
Yiannis Lazarou, owner of Mobelius designs proposes relatively cheap and pretty easy DIY projects for garden decors
Garden decoration 1 How to make your outdoor space look like paradise lost
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By Constandinos Tsindas
am by no means a gardening expert. Far from it. But I did grow up next to a manic planting mother, who tended to everything from decorative flowers to cabbages, swirling pumpkin roots and tomatoes, back and front of our rented Nicosia home. However, I’ll leave the climate, soil and water tips to our very own expert scientist on page 49. What I have managed to do, is take full advantage of a gardening art and design buff with a number of ideas on using old reworked materials and beautifying whatever room you might have for plants both indoors and out of your detached, semi-detached home or apartment. Yiannis Lazarou, owner of Mobelius designs, works with wood, chairs, baskets, even car parts, as retro but also modern stands and pots of various shapes and sizes not just for flowers but even for growing organic produce. These are simple propositions for you, relatively cheap and pretty easy on the DIY skills, not taking much energy and maximising garden decoration and production per square foot. Something old & something green What to do with a worn out living room magazine basket. Simple. Yian-
nis says it makes rather ideal ground for small organic strawberry plants and the time of year seems pretty perfect too for such produce in your backyard. Small apartment terrace you thought was simply going to be just a broom and mop space and perhaps a couple of chairs and a ghastly table? Think again. We propose a vintage grandmother’s chair leaning against the wall, quite stylish and significantly, practical for hanging pots with herbs. It’s an everyday use for your herb cooking needs, not to mention a beautified corner of your home. Your very own herb birdcage. A spacious idea for parsley and curry pot plants, preferably for a better sunlit area of your garden. An old treated wood piece fitted on your kitchen or garden wall. Again stylish, but practical, as you keep the herbs you use daily, nearby, while also adding some retro and colour to your space This is a Lazarou original that seems to be gathering pace in many homes. A parsley pot on a kitchen blackboard wall, perhaps with herb descriptions and some of your favourite recipes chalked in, adding another flavour. How about keeping your old car close by? Old car parts (wrought iron) and whitewashed wood used to make mini train stands for pots and exterior candle holders. A house entrance unlike any other. Hanging gardens For those with a little more space or a more adventurous nature in garden decorating, vintage chairs mounted upside down on the wall for hanging plants and flowers. Yiannis tells me some have used it
FRIDAY APRIL 3 2015
Luxury for less
Work around your own budget, space and design capabilities
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merican Genevieve Schmidt of the internationally acclaimed Garden Design has become some sort of outdoor garden aesthetics guru over time and her advice travels the extra mile if you’re interested in creating a garden space that actually looks good and builds around your needs and taste. Two rules I borrow - one, don’t lift ideas from magazines or online, without actually considering your own budget space and design capabilities. Two, don’t feel ‘un-stylish’ in reusing and upgrading existing materials or paying less for design because you might think expensive equals more aesthetic looking. Far from it. Pricey is sometimes just a public relations sacrifice. It’s your garden, not the magazine’s and you live in Cyprus, not Sweden different materials, different plants, different house designs.
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mostly as a glorified ‘cat throne’, but well, this is a gardening decoration page. Wood and pallets decoration The ideas are endless. And not just about the pots or plants. Let’s take for example, the old treated whitewashed wood with antique metal (wrought iron) hooks. Ideal, countryside look for your garden. If you have the space for a backyard garden getaway, may we suggest the extra four-seater sofas from reclaimed pallets, with matching large coffee table. Not on the cheap side mind you, but still, not an unlikely proposition. Garden must. A large pine wood log coffee table, with black metal design legs gives you the natural look, with a touch of the modern. The philosophy here is that noth-
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Outdoor garden design tips Give ho-hum elements a modern makeover going through all the (re)steps you can reshape, refinish, reposition, retouch and reuse. It will cost less to build up the material you already have, rather than start over.
ing goes to waste. How about the mini-bonsai planted in an old pine log, a mountain style literally natural pot. To cap it all, a mini table stool made out of large whitewashed logs, a rectangular pallet with vintage legs, turned into quite the stylish coffee table and your garden whitewashed pallet table, with a baby olive tree in prominent position. A subtle light at the bottom adds to the night garden scene. If you prefer a different variation, we propose large pots of green plants or flowers, placed in stripes of reclaimed wood and various pastel colours to cover the garden or balcony. Yiannis calls it the ‘French countryside’ style and he’s tried it successfully with basil or mint. For more garden decoration and pot placement ideas, visit facebook. com/mobelius
Go horizontal with fencing A simple design tweak, as Schmidt would have it, can turn something ordinary into an eyecatching element of your garden. The norm is that the fence becomes nothing more than a backdrop to garden furniture and the real protagonist, plants and flowers. You can change all that however with a single move. A horizontal wooden fence gives a brighter aspect to the surroundings, brings them to the fore. It costs the same as the traditional vertical structure. In essence, the most success-
ful garden designers in the world are those who warn against outdoor complexities and excessive style statements that simply become arrogant spaces out of touch with their surroundings and not in tune with the rest of the house. Los Angeles based Stefan Hammerschmidt cautions, “remember that you’re out to create a cohesive look, like making house and garden join seamlessly…” Here are 6 very basic universal garden tips: 1. Design the garden, whatever the space you have may be, as a place to live in year round and not a special occasion’s design, to be touched as little as possible and not by you. 2. Harmonise your colours. Your planting must be in line with your flooring and fencing for a uni-
Captivating modern backyard design
tary shape and colour garden effect 3. Make a space with character, even if it’s small, like you want to actually be there and experience it, even if that involves a few dozen steps from the gate to the front door. 4. Easy to use materials are the safest bet for example concrete contrasted with greenery 5. You need to inject your own personality into the garden, whether it’s your doing or you can afford a gardener or designer. You are the one living there. 6. Don’t hesitate to go with instinct and implement at least one idea that might add a little drama to your garden. 7. One such element can make a difference, turning something simple into a special space. Watch it though.
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in & out
GARDENING
FRIDAY APRIL 3 2015
Outdoor furniture basics
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ou’ve probably noticed that your garden atmosphere is mostly as good as the comfort of the furniture picked out. I’ve seen many squeezing or adjusting their bodies in hard narrow chairs or sofas, only sheer courtesy keeping them from parting your company. They can’t relax or enjoy your home outdoor space if the furnishings aren’t up to standard. So The dos and don’ts the dos and don’ts of of choosing the right buying them can acfurniture for your tually make a major garden, patio or balcony difference in the success of spring or summer garden and patio entertaining. Consider the weather Is your outlook mostly hot and dry? Are you living in a coastal area, where humidity comes into play? How often does it rain? Not much if you’re in Cyprus in a summer season, but it’s pretty much a resounding yes to all the previous considerations. They are significant for practical reasons. Hot, dry conditions can make some wood splinter and crack. Strong winds
For a small space, a bar table set may work better than a regular dining set, because bar tables are narrower, and stools take up less room. Cafe or bistro tables and chairs also have a smaller profile.
can send aluminum furniture flying, and wicker will not withstand constant exposure to moisture. Measure your space Don’t buy what you don’t have room for. Basic physics of space - do you have a long and narrow balcony or a broad and wide deck? Use the shape of the balcony, patio or porch to determine furniture size. And do not pick them just enough to cover all available room. It goes without saying. You need to remember that there must be room around them to be able to walk comfortable. The same way people come and go indoors, they move around outdoors.
Furniture surroundings Is there a roof or other overhead covering or is your outdoor space exposed to the elements? What is the surface like? Grass and soft soil, or hard, such as concrete, a wooden deck or a paved patio? This will help you pick out material which match your environment and surroundings. For example, pine furniture on grass as ground moisture can cause rotting or certain metals to corrode. Decide on material The three factors that can help you decide are weather, the amount of care required, and aesthetics. Weather is primary here. You don’t want material that’s not durable to conditions. Maintenance is the next thing. Aluminum, teak or resin don’t need too much care. Wrought iron can last for a really long time and is highly resistant to heat and moisture. Resin furniture is also impermeable to damp conditions and available in many styles and finishes.
Comfort is of the essence Relaxing is key. Even if your chairs don’t come with cushions or pillows, you can buy or make your own. Don’t be stingy with quality; pillows have to stay looking their best after storage. Chaise lounges, rockers and recliners are ideal for outdoor comfort. Simplest way to choose-try them out yourself. Have storage space Make sure that you can provide storage for your outdoor furniture. Sometimes even covers will not provide enough protection, especially for materials like wicker. Budget Money is the determining factor in what you can buy, let’s face it. But try and get the best furniture you can afford at the time. There are ways to ensure the highest quality for what you can offer. One solution is to buy in late summer when prices go down. You might consider less expensive materials or cheap but good quality wood. Even if you find it used, you can still clean and refurbish. It might cost you less.
GARDENING
FRIDAY APRIL 3 2015
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Do you want to enjoy your garden all year round?
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By Tryfon Tryfonos Managing Director Green Forest BSc Agriculture/ Genetic Biotechnology, MSc Garden Design, Floriculture Tel.: +35799675101 Email: tryfon@ greenforest.com. cy
s professional gardeners we are often asked for some general guidelines on how to maintain or, sometimes, even to design a garden. Well, let’s get this out of the way once and for all; if you want to create an alive, thriving and sustainable garden, you cannot rely on general tips. And that is because alive, thriving and sustainable systems are all unique, needing special and professional approach. But let’s see what we have learned from our 20-year experience of designing, constructing and maintaining gardens. A stylish design starts with… study, study and study Before proceeding with a garden design, you should first of all, identify your needs, evaluate the property and study the following: • The surrounding environment. If you want your garden to look and feel harmo-
nious, you should integrate it into the wider natural environment. For example, if you are in a coastal area, the right thing to do is choose plants and a general “theme” that looks natural in a coastal environment. • Earth and water. An experienced agronomist-landscaper visiting your house will study the characteristics of soil and water in order to be able to make proposals and changes if necessary. For example, in an area where a natural lawn will be planted, the soil should be sandy (in order to drain) but also rich in nutrients. • Your special needs. The plant selection and all the landscaping works are based on your personal needs. If a garden has a pool next to a resting place, you should avoid using deciduous trees beside the pool, since it will increase the time and cost of maintenance. • The orientation of the house. Pay special attention on the orientation of the garden. The bougainvillea for ex-
ample, should be placed in a bright position while gardenias require lower brightness. Also, if you have aromatic plants, your kiosk or your relaxation area should be placed in such a point that when the wind blows you will be enjoying the aromas. Garden maintenance requires knowledge, skill and time Only with knowledge, skill and time you can make sure that you cover all these tasks: • Timeless beauty. Gardens become more and more beautiful as time goes by, but in order to sustain their beauty, they need special care. If you don’t know how to take care of your garden or if you travel a lot, consider calling a professional maintenance company. Professionals do it in a quick, efficient and inexpensive way. • Disease prevention. As with all the diseases, the most effective medicine is pre-caution. Take the “palm bug” that’s massively destroying all the palms in
the Mediterranean area for the last couple of years. For our clients, we used special injections that prevented the bug from affecting the palms in the first place. Always remember precaution is better than cure. • Agronomist consultation. Qualified agriculturists are the only ones that can give you precise information on decisions such as when and which fertiliser or pesticide should be used, point out which is the right period for trimming as well as irrigation advice for different kind of plants. • Irrigation system checkups. If you don’t have an automatic irrigation system, get one. Water consumption can contribute to a garden’s proper growth and save you money - but it should be programmed and checked regularly to avoid under or over-irrigation of the garden. Living on an island that al-
lows us to spend half of the nights in our garden, is a luxurious advantage. Taking that into account, we should pay special attention to both design and maintenance of our garden. Having a professional company looking over your garden is still the most efficient and inexpensive way of enjoying it all year round.