How To Remove Chloramine For Gardening

What's the best way to limit garden waste? Households are being encouraged to think of new ways to reuse and reduce garden waste that would otherwise be thrown in the landfill bin.

Spring is a prime time to prepare the garden, whether that's pruning, mowing or taming our green spaces, decluttering the garden shed, or preparing soil to plant new flowerbeds. And with coronavirus lockdown, even more of us have turned our attention to our outdoor spaces at the moment. But is there a waste-free way to clean up our garden?

Compost heap

The most sustainable method is to turn your garden waste into a compost heap. 'It might sound obvious, but there really is no better way to be sustainable than a good old compost heap,' say The Greenhouse People. 'Making your own heap from kitchen and green waste is the perfect way to make throwing things away guilt-free.

'Layers is the ultimate way to get the most out of your compost – regularly add alternating layers of green (nitrogen-rich) materials like grass cuttings, weeds and uncooked vegetable peelings, and brown (carbon-rich) materials like leaves, wood chippings, shredded paper, cardboard and sticks allows the compost to truly thrive.'

Composting renews the waste into soil, which you can feed back into your garden, and encourage new plants to flourish: 'In theory, this means constantly recycling your produce in the greenest way.'

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Worm bin

You can improve the quality of your plants and crops, and support wildlife in the process, by creating a worm bin from your garden waste.

'Earthworms have a whole host of benefits: they feed on plant debris, release nutrient-rich waste to boost growth rates, and loosen and aerate the soil to promote good drainage,' say The Greenhouse People. 'Be careful not to feed your worms meat scraps or woody material though.'

You can add small amounts of garden waste such as annual weeds, leaves, and other soft green material in a worm bin, as well as raw and cooked vegetables and teabags and coffee grounds.

Reuse before you refuse

We're always talking about recycling, upcycling and repurposing your household items to put them to good use – and the same applies here.

Before you chuck anything out, think of all the creative ways you can reuse it first. If you've got cuttings of wood use these as plant labels (write the name of plants using a permanent marker), or throw dried out twigs onto the BBQ or in your chiminea to keep it burning, or even if you have broken plant pots you can reuse them for edging.

Alternatively, for old rubbish plastic sacks, give them a new purpose by using them to line hanging baskets of flowers used at your front door or in your garden.

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DIY leftovers

Doing a bit of DIY at home? Reuse old pieces of furniture or accessories instead of sending it to landfill. For any bathroom and kitchen renovations, if you're suddenly left with old bathtubs and sinks, you could make a real statement with it in your garden by using it as a quirky planter.

For any disused wooden crates and pallets, you can pop all of those newly-bought plants onto it to use as a base, or you could prop the crates and pallets vertically against the wall to create an eye-catching tiered structure for your small plants. Another alternative is to place them horizontally on the floor and fill with soil to create your very own miniature vegetable patch. The same goes for old car tyres, they can make great quirky planters.

Embrace wabi-sabi

'Wabi-sabi, a Japanese philosophy meaning an acceptance of the natural cycle of growth, decay, and death can help you cut down on your garden waste,' explain The Greeenhouse People. 'The key to practicing wabi-sabi in the garden is balancing nature and nurture. Before getting to work in the garden, think about what actually needs doing and what can be left to its own devices.

'What better way to chill out than knowing your garden can flourish on its own. So, throw your rake and weeding gloves away, sit back and relax in your new imperfect garden.'

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18 garden furniture sets perfect for your outdoor space

Best Colourful Furniture

Salsa 4-Seat Round Garden Table & Chairs Set, Coral

House by John Lewis

£399.00

A pop of colour is a must in the garden and we're obsessed with this coral design from John Lewis' garden furniture collection. As part of the retailer's Salsa range, the four-seater dining table and chairs set is both durable and weather-resistant, thanks to its steel and rattan construction, so you can even leave it outside throughout the year.

Best For Style

Natural rattan side table and 2 chairs set

Tap into the rattan trend with this super stylish side table with 2 chairs. Perfect for small gardens and balconies, the chairs have a deep seat, which is ideal for relaxing.

Best For Dining

Santa Rosa 6 Piece Outdoor Dining Set

Relax in style with this 6-piece dining set. With steel frames and a wave glass table top, this is strong and sturdy and the chairs can be folded for easy storage. It also comes with a parasol to shield you from the sun's glare.

Responsibly Sourced

Portside Garden Folding Bistro Set

We love this rustic, weathered grey solid wood garden furniture set. The bench-style table and accompanying seats are all foldable too, so they can be easily stowed away when not in use. Even better, it's FSC-certified.

Best Feature

Ruxley 6 Seat Dining Set and Round Firepit Table

A key feature of this dining set is the round dining table which boasts a large gas fire pit in the centre. It's great for using well into the evening, adding light and heat to your outside space.

Good Value For Money

Miami 5 Piece Lounger Set

Sleek, stylish and good value for money, this set of 2 comfortable armchairs with adjustable backrests, 2 footstools, and a coordinating side table, will help you to kick back and relax.

Best For Entertaining

St Mawes Drinks/Planter Bar Table

Looking to elevate your garden and transform it into an alfresco dining hotspot? This bar table is a great place to start. Small enough to fit into even the most compact of spaces and crafted in weatherproof teak, we especially love the galvanised steel trough that can be filled with ice and drinks or small plants.

Best For Compact Spaces

Parc Yellow metal folding garden table and 4 chairs set

No other colour will bring a bigger smile to your face, so there's no better way to brighten up your garden than with a pop of yellow. This set is great for compact spaces as you can fold the table and chair.

Ideal For Patios

Rope Cube 8 Seater Patio Set

Kit out your patio for all the family with this lovely outdoor set from Argos' garden furniture collection. With a glass table top and 4 chairs and 4 stools all neatly tucked under the table, it won't clutter your outdoor space either.

For Design Lovers

Tice Garden Dining Bench set, Grey

This design by MADE is incredibly sleek. With a minimalist, streamlined look, it's perfect for any contemporary garden.

Best for Relaxing

Garden Rattan Furniture 3 PC Sun Lounger Recliner Bed

Outsunny

If you want to bring holiday vibes straight to your garden, this outdoor sun lounger set is a good start. It also comes with a side table to prop your drinks on. For ease, the loungers have wheels at the head, making them easy to move.

Best Sofa Set

Mini Corner Sofa Set with Storage

Looking to kick back and relax in your garden? Argos is selling this hand-woven, rattan effect mini corner sofa set with a cushion-top table that doubles as a footrest. Plus, it's a bargain.

Best For Cottage Gardens

Devon Round Bistro Set, Bronze

Boasting powder-coated aluminium frames with a bronze finish, this charmingly pretty bistro set is perfect for a courtyard or cottage garden. Bonus: the chairs are stackable.

Best Budget Garden Furniture

Hawaii 3 Piece Bistro Set

With a round tempered glass top table and 2 PVC coated sunshine yellow polyester chairs, this compact bistro set has been designed for quick and easy assembly.

Best for Modern Gardens

Sydney Sofa Set

Garden furniture doesn't have to be fussy. If you're looking for a simple design, invest in this sofa set from Very. With 2 armchairs, a 2-seater bench and a coordinating coffee table, it's perfect for any modern garden.

Best Luxury Garden Furniture

Aldegonde 5 Seater Rattan Sofa Set

If you've got space for a garden sofa set, invest in one like this. The curved design is the real selling point here and it's great for entertaining. Aside from the sofa segments, the set includes 1 coffee table, 5 back cushions, 5 seat cushions and 5 pillows.

Best For Picnic Parties

Mead Garden Bench Set, Graphite Blue

Switch it up with this stylish bench set. This is great because it accommodates for more seating space, plus it reminds us of peak summertime – sandwiches, Pimms and sunshine!

Olivia Heath Executive Digital Editor, House Beautiful UK Olivia Heath is the Executive Digital Editor at House Beautiful UK where she's busy uncovering tomorrow's biggest home trends, all whilst delivering stylish room inspiration, small space solutions, easy garden ideas and house tours of the hottest properties on the market.

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