episode 27 | show notes & advice
episode description
With all the care and attention, we put into our gardens and green spaces, it’s good to have a comfortable corner in which to sit back and enjoy it. This week, we turn our attention to decoration and colour combinations to perfectly complement your hard work in the garden.
In this episode of “Grow, cook, eat, arrange” Sarah & Arthur talk garden props; the most inviting lighting for a relaxing evening, where to source good quality vintage furniture, and an attractive method of protecting your newly sown plants and hedges.
in this episode, discover...
- How to match the perfect shade of gravel with your garden, and choosing a pet-friendly size of stone
- A cheap alternative to hessian fabric/burlap, to help your new plants thrive
- The perfect decorations to radiate natural light in the garden
- Sarah & Arthur’s favourite places to find comfortable, good quality furniture
links and references
- Shop Sarah's new book >
- Start shopping >
- Get in touch: info@sarahraven.com >
- Lavender & Leeks
- Dee Puddy Vintage
- Eclipse Furniture
The best garden props
In this episode we will discuss garden props: candles, tables, paving, even fence panels.
Natural materials are key. Look local for references on this.
Sarah’s favourite additions to the garden
- Seats in different areas of the garden, ideally east or south facing for early morning sun, sustainably sourced hardwood (which holds up in all weathers) not plastic.
- A small table (not glass) for your mug of tea or coffee
- Terracotta or dull-patinated zinc pots are much nicer than brightly glazed oriental pots, which can be too much for an outdoor space.
- Wax globe candleholders (filled with an inch of rice in the base to stop them melting)
- Solar lights – of warm white colour, not blue-white, so no need to bother with batteries. They’re more sustainable and easier to maintain.
- French-style bistro tables to give your plants a stage. With metal (not wood) you don’t have to worry about them rotting for most of the year. Sarah has lots of old vintage ones all dotted around Perch Hill.
- Enamel buckets – in pink, teal, ivory etc. are long-lasting and lovely to cut your flowers into.
- Oasis florist’s scissors – so much better than kitchen scissors or secateurs (too cumbersome).
- Nutley antiques
Arthur’s key things are
- Gravel, needs to be fine and the right colour for your garden and outdoor space.
- He doesn’t like garden lighting on the whole as it’s bad for owls and bats, so would go for natural candlelight if at all, with windproof candleholders.
- Willow or hazel hurdle fence panels - so much nicer than lap larch panels. When Sarah first created the garden at Perch Hill, she used chestnut posts with roofing lathes woven between, which last around 7-10 years.
- An old inexpensive floral carpet, as in the Marigold Hotel – a great film for inspiration.
- Parasols (Cutter Brooks sell the crème-de-la-crème of parasols )
- Weatherproof cushions e.g. from Designers Guild
- Clear purple Crystal plastic chairs from Chatsworth farm shop
- Bunting – Caroline, Arthur and Sarah’s tour manager, recommends ironing bunting before packing it away to keep it in good condition. It makes such a difference.
