In its 8^th year, the show takes place over 9 days, from Sat 5^th – Sun 13^th May (10am-6pm), promising ‘Ideas and Inspiration on a Grand Scale.’  With 500 exhibitors, 7 halls and 3 theatres, as well as amazing displays, showcases, studios, workshops and presentations, it certainly is grand.

This year visitors can enjoy The Nano Village; a collection of Kevin McCloud’s most favourite builds to celebrate the 100th Grand Design house being built this year.  The Grand Art Fair will showcase a selection of handpicked original art work from renowned artists, with designs to suit all homes and styles.  The Live Kitchen Experience will feature top chefs cooking live whilst putting all the latest appliances to the test.  Kevin McCloud, George Clarke and Charlie Luxton will all be holding book signings too, so if you want to meet them, now’s your chance.

Garden Highlights

Whether you’re considering a quick garden facelift or completely re-landscaping your outdoor space, The Grand Garden Hall has it all.  You can discover exciting new products and find new ways to enjoy your garden the whole year round.

The 24 Hour Garden – A wonderful experience where visitors can witness show gardens go from day to night in minutes rather than hours, showcasing innovative outdoor lighting products.

Garden Design Studio – James Alexander Sinclair’s Studio, allows visitors to bring their garden plans along and discuss their plans and ideas with a qualified expert.

Gardens Galore –is on today at Grand Designs Theatre 2:30pm, James Alexander Sinclair lectures on how to get your garden ready for summer.

You can get tickets on the door or order them online for an ‘advance’ discount.  Harrods lunch and VIP packages are also available.

If you can’t make it – don’t worry – we’ll be sharing our experiences, show highlights, news and design trends on the blog very soon.

Images Courtesy of www.granddesignslive.com

Avi Reisman

Image Courtesy of aka.media.entertainment.sky.com

We’re pleased to announce that the TV set of a new Sky Living show, hosted by Rihanna and Girls Aloud star Nicole Roberts will feature our metal garden furniture.  The new reality series will seek out Britain’s most talented, undiscovered fashion designers.  Over 8 weeks, 12 contestants will be challenged by to make outfits for a string celebs and musicians.   The winner will get to dress Rihanna for her Wireless performance in Hyde Park in July 2012, attracting worldwide media attention.

We’re really excited and can’t wait to get confirmed dates of when it air.  Filming has already started and according to the Sun, Rihanna has instructed her team to find a mansion in or around the capital where she can settle for the summer.  There are 2 main sets; the house where the contestants live and the studio where they work.  When the show airs, you’ll see our furniture featured as part of the set, both indoors and out.

Contestants, crew and cast will sit around the Castrum Metal Garden Furniture Collection, hang their Coats on the Kris Coat Stand and put their umbrellas in the Classico Umbrella Stand.  Some of our wrought iron plant stands will be dotted around the set too.  An International Superstar – who has sold 40 million albums, will be using our furniture!  It’s brought such a buzz around the office; everybody’s talking about it!

Of course, the stylish pieces showcased in the series are available to buy online exclusively from Metal Design Furniture.  Our furniture is made to order, therefore we can offer you many bespoke options.  Choose the collection, size, shape, colour and patina finish.

You can find out more about the show here – Also, subscribe to our blog where we’ll be posting future updates, pictures, videos and all the latest news.

Avi Reisman

1. Visit your favourite tea-rooms
2. Host a garden party
3. See a Shakespeare Play
4. Go for a pint at the pub
5. Start a ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ collection
6. Treat the family to a fish and chip supper
7. Bake scones
8. Go for a walk in the countryside
9. Fly your Union Jack
10. Have a good moan about the weather

Fascinating Facts

-23 April was named as Saint George’s day in 1222; it was accepted date of his death in AD 303.

-St George’s Day is also Shakespeare’s birthday- the bard was born 23^rd April 1564 and he died on the same day in 1616.

-Sadly, only 1 in 5 Brits know that our National day falls on 23 April.

-St George was born in Cappadocia (modern day Turkey), in about 280 AD.

-In 2011, a petition campaign to make the date a public holiday in England began.  If 100,000 signatures are obtained before the deadline in

-August this year, the matter will be opened for debate in the House of Commons.  You can sign here.

-George is also the patron saint of Portugal, Germany, Lithuania and Malta.

-Legend has it that our Patron Saint was forced to swallow poison, crushed between 2 spiked wheels and boiled in a cauldron of molten lead for his faith.  None of this killed him as his wounds were healed in the night by Christ.

Traditional Metal Garden Furniture

Lastly, we’ve selected some fitting traditional metal garden furniture pieces that will see you through the next decade of patriotic celebrations including the Queens Jubilee and London Olympics.  The Classico Collection is elegant and sophisticated.  Add a patina finish in green or bronze and you’ll get a Victorian Style antique look.

The Classico lounge set will allow you to enjoy quaint tea parties and outdoor activities.

This beautiful bench will allow you to enjoy your garden in comfort and style.

A wrought iron style garden arch will create an English Country Garden look.

Avi Reisman

Image by Wikipeida

A Zen Garden or Japanese Rock Garden (Karesansui ) is a miniature stylised landscape carefully-composed through an arrangement of rocks and gravel or sand to represent water.  The purpose was to imitate the essence of nature to serve as an aid to meditation.

“In a place where there is neither a lake nor a stream, one can put in place what is called a kare-sansui, or dry landscape.”  - The Sakuteiki  (of the Heian period (794-1185) is the first known manual of Japanese gardening).

This manual describes creating a garden as ‘setting stones,’- ishi wo tateru koto, which literally translates to the act of setting stones upright.  It details very specific rules for choice and placement of stones.  If these rules were not followed, the owner of the garden would suffer misfortune.

While you may not be interested in these ancient Japanese superstitions, there are advantages of this type of garden in modern day British life.  It uses only stones, rocks, sand, gravel and some plants.  Therefore it’s minimalistic and low maintenance, as well as a great talking point.

The Essentials

Stones/Rocks  –  The main elements of Karesansui are rocks and stones so you’ll need ornamental and feature rocks of different shapes and sizes.   Stones are used in a number of combinations and arrangements.  These are symbolic of gods, mountains, temples, islands and even battle scenes.  Groupings of 2 or 3 are the norm, these can be joined together to create larger focal points.  There are normally around 5 stone groupings which will be the main focus of a garden.  To find out more consult your copy of the Sakuteiki.

Image by Wikipeida

Gravel/Sand – Will be used to symbolise water or the sea.  Water is represented both by the arrangements of rock forms to create a dry waterfall (karetaki) and by patterns raked into sand to create a dry stream.  Traditionally white sand was used for water as it represented purity, although, sand could also be gray, brown or blue-black.

Metal Garden Furniture – In Japan, dry gardens are viewed and not entered, in order not to disrupt the delicate relationship and scale of the composition.  Like paintings, Karesansui are meant to be viewed from a single, seated perspective.  This means you’ll need some sort of viewpoint.  You could create a seating area or include a garden bench for prolonged meditation.  If you can – invest in a sheltered area to cover your observation point such as a pergola or gazebo.

Planting

Plants are much less important and often nonexistent in many rock gardens.  However, you may wish to include some limited plant life.  Mosses often used to suggest that the garden is ancient; a popular feature is an ornamental moss pathway.  Some plants are chosen for their religious symbolism, such as the lotus, sacred in Buddhist teachings, or the pine, which represents longevity.  Common trees and plants found in a Japanese garden are bamboo, azaleas, Japanese maple, Japanese anemone and the cherry tree.

Accessories

Stepping Stones – A pathway is symbolic of the journey through life.  Be careful of your choice of path-stones though as certain ones may have meanings.  Smooth and round sedimentary rocks are normally used.

Bridge – The bridge symbolises the path to paradise or immortality.  In a Zen garden bridges are normally made of stone, wood, or logs with earth on top and covered in ornamental moss.

Stone Lanterns – Originally these lanterns lined the paths and approaches to Buddhist temples.  The design expresses the idea that after death our physical bodies will go back to their original, elemental form.

Water Basins – were a common feature so monks could bathe.  Worshippers washed their hands and mouth as a symbol of purification.  A decorative granite water feature is a great design idea to add interest to the landscape.

Avi Reisman

We bring you below a report on some Ideal Garden highlights that we liked, and the latest trends in Metal Garden Furniture as seen at the show.

The ‘Ideal Young Gardeners of the Year’ competition gave 6 of the UK’s top Horticultural Colleges 1 week to construct show gardens outside Earls Court. Organised in association with Channel 5′s TV Gardener, David Domoney and The Prince’s Foundation, t

he theme this year was ‘landcraft techniques in an urban setting’ – An inspiration to city dwellers, showing just what can be achieved in the most impossible of tight urban locations.

Check out our How to on Contemporary Gardens or our French Courtyard Garden post to find out more on getting the most from small spaces.

The show urged Brits to get back to DIY, guest speakers George Clarke and Alan Titchmarsh spoke on a range of topics such as ‘Introducing Colour into your Garden,’ to encourage Homeowners to do it themselves in the garden.

There was a re-occurring theme about re-vamping old furniture, in combination with new products; for example with a spray paint that transforms everything from wood and metal to ceramics.  This harmonised well with the many rustic/country styles of new furniture exhibited.  So, choose something with a rough natural finish to be right on trend for this summer.  Our metal garden furniture is available in a choice of colours and patina finishes – so shop here for the best of shabby chic.

Many of the colour schemes where in pastels, although we did see the occasional splash of brighter shades such as green, yellow and pink – however this may be due to the time of year – traditional shades for Spring/Easter.

There was a definite emphasis on providing a sheltered space from the elements in your garden, so you can enjoy it for as much of the year as possible.  This makes sense – especially during a recession – when you make an investment in your garden – you want to make sure you get maximum use from it.  Spending has to be justified and if a pergola or gazebo can improve your quality of life, allowing you to enjoy your garden more – then it’s well worth it.  Check out our Romano Metal Gazebo – we’re offering free installation worth £300.

Avi Reisman

Customary April showers seem to be a thing of the past; we have seen some of the warmest and driest Aprils on record over the past few years.  Let’s hope this holds out so we can all have some fun in the garden over the Bank Holiday.

It’s time to grab some sunshine; April’s a great time of year for outdoor activities as it’s not too hot and sticky.  Make the most of the bank holiday this Easter and do something outdoors.

Here are a few ideas to get you in the mood for Spring fun-

Visit a Garden Centre – spruce up your garden ready for summer this weekend.  If you’re in the London area, visit the Green House Garden Centre at Wembley Park – you’ll find our metal garden furniture on display there.  See previous post for more details – it’s a great day out for all the family.

Host the First BBQ of the Year – It’s never too early to light up the Barby!  For something a little different this year try flavoured charcoal or specially-made rubs to coat your meat.

Take Tea and Sandwiches on the Lawn – Fed up with your stodgy Sunday Roast?  Invite friends and family to an elegant, quintessentially British tea party.

Invest in some New Garden Furniture – Metal garden furniture will last years and there’s virtually no maintenance.  You can transform the look of your patio with a stylish new dining set.

Host your own Olympics –great entertainment for kids and larger families, everyone – young and old can get involved.  Choose your own Olympic events depending on what equipment you’ve got available and get into the competitive spirit.

Create a Sheltered Area – in the garden to extend its use into rainier months.  We’re offering free installation on our gazebos until 15^th April.

Put in a Garden Pond – This is a great DIY project and relatively easy if your go for something small.  Water adds a whole new dimension to your garden and attracts wildlife.   You’ll local DIY store or aquatic centre should be able to supply everything you need.

Whatever you do – have a Happy Easter – from everyone at Metal Design Furniture.

Avi Reisman

Fixing your gazebo to the ground means that it’s secure enough to withstand anything, even if you live in a windy area.  How to secure the structure depends on the surface you wish to fix it to.  It can be done in 2 ways, depending whether you are placing the structure on hard or soft ground.

Hard Surface Install

The legs are screwed into the ground (see the picture opposite of a leg with the surface mount socket attached).  When you buy, we will provide you with all the fixings you need, this may be special fixing pins or bolts for a concrete surface.  It is best to inform us of your ground’s material when you place your order, we’re here to help you every step of the way, until your completely satisfied with your new metal gazebo.

Soft Surface Install

This may be grass, sand or other soft surfaces.  You need to inform us where you wish to install as for soft surfaces, we make the legs 30cm longer.  This enables you to install the structure directly in the ground.  The legs can then be inserted into holes in the ground and concreted into place for extra security.  A layer of grass or sand can then be placed on the top to keep it looking neat.

If you’d like to know more about building a gazebo visit our YouTube Channel – metal design furniture You’ll see 2 videos on which show the professional installation of our Paris Gazebo in 15 Easy Steps and our Romano Metal Gazebo – a full 8 minutes showing the entire process.

These will show you exactly what’s involved if you’re thinking of doing it yourself.  Although, if you order your gazebo with us before the 15^th April we’re offering free installation, that’s a saving of £300.  Don’t miss out – now’s the time to buy!

Avi Reisman

Why – and which – metal garden furniture

Whilst plastic is cheap and cheerful, and rattan currently fashionable and light, both of them are not the most durable materials and can soon become affected by elements and look worn. Metal garden furniture is generally a lot more reliable choice; however it is also important to know that not all metal garden furniture comes with the same advantages.

What you know as ‘iron garden furniture’ is nowadays actually mainly made from mild steel. Mild steel offers the most flexibility of any material today, both for classic and modern designs. In fact, it offers a certain timeless appeal that will look equally trendy now as in ten years’ time (whilst today’s rattan, plastic and even stainless steel furniture styles might actually look outdated in a few years).

Whilst priced almost the same, mild steel garden furniture is also far better than, for example, aluminium garden furniture. Although the designs may look similar on the photos as both material offer both welded and cast design options, metal garden furniture made of steel is stronger, heavier and more luxurious. So it will not only look more impressive in your garden in reality but it also won’t fly around your garden in the wind.

Aluminium furniture also easily breaks – in fact, its suppliers often complain that up to 10% of shipment already comes damaged by the transport from the factory and have this calculated in the price. Mild steel furniture’s surface is also more scratch resistant and less likely to need a ‘touch up’ painting.

Mild steel is composed of iron and a percentage of carbon, which makes it very strong but at the same time it can be bent, twisted and welded into endless design possibilities, from traditional to classic-inspired to contemporary and minimalistic.

Anti-rust protection in metal outdoor furniture

When used for outdoor furniture, the surface treatment of mild steel furniture is very important. The main three types of protective finishing of metal outdoor furniture made of steel are:

Cataphoresis – is a very reliable metal treatment primary used in automobile industry but often used in metal garden furniture production. The components are treated in a bath, this bath is then electrically charged which basically strengthens the metal and makes it more resistant to things like acid and salt. A powder coating is then applied on the surface.

Galvanisation – is the process of applying a protective cold zinc coating in order to prevent rusting. This works as Zinc is corrosion resistant. It also makes a very nice smooth surface to make the powder coating layer look really beautiful.

Hot-Zinc Galvanisation – This technology uses hot-zinc and is the most advanced and reliable technique for rust protection. The protection is so reliable that even when the paint coat is damaged, the surface underneath will still be rust-protected with zinc’s electrolytic working. This treatment ensures years of outside use even in humid environments, and it is used for boat parts, cable cars and street lamp posts.

After anti-rust treatment, powder-coating is usually applied. It clings to the surface through magnetic charges and makes the end product durable and scratch resistant. Many metal outdoor furniture sets will nowadays offer this protection because it is better than conventional painting. However, make sure your metal patio set has one of the above treatments underneath, as powder coating on its own is not enough if you want to leave your metal patio set out in all weathers.

Stainless steel garden furniture

Stainless steel is steel alloyed with chromium and nickel, resulting in a rust-proof material with its modern satin silver finish. It is even stronger than mild steel, but therefore difficult to cut and grind, so it is more suitable for straight lines of the modern designs.

Nonetheless, a technologically advanced production line can offer even curved designs in stainless steel. For example, our Oliver metal garden chair, as well as some other products, can come in stainless steel option*.

*Please ask about this option if interested. As this requires changes in our tooling equipment, minimum order quantity is required for this option.

Avi Reisman

Courtesy of David Andersen Garden Designers

Contemporary gardens have become increasingly popular in recent years.  They are designed for low maintenance, look great in built-up areas and are perfect when you have limited space such as a courtyard or rooftop garden.

Design Considerations

Streamlined and minimalist is the look to aim for, with clean lines and bold shapes.  Use a graphic pattern, define your spaces and put in a path to create a flow.

This type of outdoor space is more about hard landscaping than planting.  Most contemporary gardens are primarily made up of hardscape materials and have limited vegetation.  This includes terraces, patios, paved or decked areas and pathways made from simple materials such as wood, gravel, stone, tile, pebbles.  There are trendy alternatives available too, for example glass or metallic gravel and volcanic rocks and coloured pebbles.

The key to a successful contemporary space is to introduce different heights.  This can be done with decking, raised beds, stepped planters, oversized urns, or a metal gazebo or pergola which will create a sheltered area too.

As the focus is on the hard landscaping materials, the design shape is much more noticeable.  Whereas, in traditional style gardens you can hide a multitude of sins with a good planting scheme; you won’t have that luxury.  Expect to spend more as a lot more time and skill goes into creating this style of garden.

The Essentials

Metal Garden Furniture – A modern garden is all about bold, clean lines, making metal garden furniture perfect.  Metal can be sculpted to form the bold, striking designs and it’s low maintenance – which fits in very well to the modern lifestyle.  If you’re feeling daring metal gives you the opportunity to go for a bright colour or you can play it safe with black, grey, chrome or silver.

Outdoor Lighting – a modern garden must look just as good after dark as it does in the day time, use contemporary outdoor lights such as built in, colour changing LEDs or fibre optics to set the mood.  You’re literally spoilt for choice these days from designer outdoor lamps to trendy Japanese style lanterns.

Statement Piece – statement wall-art or an abstract sculpture will create a focal point and really help to set the theme whether that’s contemporary-elegance, informal chill-out, industrial or tropical.  Everything you put in the garden will have to be carefully chosen so it helps to have a theme/colour scheme in mind from the outset.

Planting

Using fewer plants means that their selection is even more crucial, use structured plants with strong forms to create a modern look.  Exotic plants with large, irregular shapes are ideal.  Here’s a few modern favourites -

Black bamboo

Lily turf

Mountain Flax

Agave

Black Magic

Japanese Silver Grass

Indian Shot Plant

Japanese Sedge

Flax Lily

Miniature Papyrus

Accessories

In a minimalistic space, accessories should be kept to a minimum.  To avoid cluttering it’s often best to choose a statement piece, as mentioned above a piece of wall art, mirror, a cool water feature or an abstract sculpture.

Oriental styled accessories are popular in many modern gardens.  Asian urns, oriental rock gardens or fire pits provide an eye-catching focal point.

It is important to incorporate non-traditional materials like plastics, synthetics, stainless steel and other metals to give a modern feel to the outdoor space.  Do this with chic metal garden furniture, shiny metallic planters, a bright synthetic designer chair or a cool chrome light fitting or vase.

Avi Reisman

The garden centre is the largest in the Greater London area, with a 5,000 square metre display area.  Nature lovers can enjoy the beautiful setting; located in woodlands, next to the Welsh Harp nature reserve.

If you’re following our garden series, you may be planning a makeover.  If that’s the case, this is the place to start; with an unrivalled range of stock and supplies.  This includes garden furniture, lighting, heating and water features.  You can get everything for your landscaping project all under one roof; trees, plants, bulbs, planters, screening and trellis.

There’s a kids section with toys and games and an aquatic centre.  This has a huge koi pond and visitors are welcome to feed the fishes that are up to a foot long in size.  It’s Mother’s Day on Sunday too so you can browse the gifts, scented candles and books and perhaps pick out something nice.

If all this isn’t enough to keep you entertained for the day, you’re right next to one of London’s largest lakes at Welsh Harp.  Take a stroll by the reservoir and see how many different species of water bird you can spot.  The park is the most important bird breeding area in Southern England.

Or, perhaps the shops at the Brent Cross shopping centre interest you more.  It’s just 5 minutes away from the garden centre, with 120 stores to browse.  Open until 7pm with free parking.

If you do decide to take a trip to the Greenhouse Centre, don’t miss our elegant Romano and stunning Paris Gazebos. You’ll also see our Oliver Metal Garden Furniture range, available in 3 colours, with a choice of 4 different patina finishes.

The centre is open from 9am – 5.30pm on Saturday and 11.00am – 5.00pm Sunday and there’s space for 250 cars.  For more information, visit the website -

http://store.greenhousegardencentre.co.uk/store/content/183/FindUs/

Avi Reisman