Archived

King crimson: poinsettias, the perfect Christmas plant

Poinsettias are the second best-selling houseplant in the UK (after the enduringly popular Phalaenopsis orchid), and this year it's estimated w'll be buying some eight million of them over the Christmas period.

Beautiful gift-wrapping the eco way with Arona Khan

We're urged to avoid becoming hoarders on the grounds that madness lies that way. But the good thing about not throwing out all the stuff that wraps the stuff we buy or receive is that IF we're organized, one plastic carrier bag should be enough to store over the year the off-cuts we'll need when we commit to saving money by becoming an eco-gift wrapper.

And once you get the eco-wrapping bug, you'll snort with derision at the idea of anyone paying £2 for a single sheet of Father Christmas paper.

California dreaming: a wooden house by the ocean

The Sea Ranch is an area of exceptional natural beauty and as such development in it is, rightly, tightly controlled. So if you're fortunate enough to buy a house here, you aren't going to be overlooked by the neighbours.

Upcycling tips

Antikbar original vintage poster online sale

Always a great opportunity to buy a fascinating piece of art, AntikBar is holding its final Original Vintage Poster Auction for 2021 on Saturday 13 November. This online auction has several hundred lots covering art, propaganda, film, cars, travel and advertising.

View the auction catalogue and register to bid:

We're all going crazy for succulents

choose mini cacti and succulents as easy to care for indoor plants. They improve your environment by cleaning the air of pollutants

English Country House style

The cosy interior of a traditional English country house is hard to resist. This style has it all: eccentricities, historical features and ancestral beauty. If you're more maxi as opposed to minimalist in your tastes, country house interiors will suit you because you can continue adding to your interiors and they'll become ever more characterful. From floral motifs to antique furnishings, it's an easy style to master.

History

Winter Art & Antiques Fair

Cordless vacuum cleaners: Gtech AirRam Mk2

We tested the original Gtech cordless vacuum cleaner soon after it was launched (when back when in 2013!) and as we said at the time, it's a good machine for quick clean-ups. On the downside it was noisy, didn't get close in to the edges of skirting boards and kick plates and I also felt it was better on carpet than on hard floors.

Nonetheless I wasn't expecting any significant changes when we were given the Mk2 upright and the hand-held Gtech Multi to test...possibly a bit of new styling, a little more horsepower so to speak. 

Wilko extends in-store facemask recycling scheme

If we dump our facemasks in the bin, they'll end up in landfill, contributing to the formation of greenhouse gases. So we're all being urged to dispose of masks carefully and one easy way is to drop them off at a recycling point in a wilko store.

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