screens - LJN Blog Posts - Landscape Juice Network2024-03-28T12:33:32Zhttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/screensTop 5 Screening and Storage Solutions for the Gardenhttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/top-5-screening-and-storage-solutions-for-the-garden2015-06-08T10:28:35.000Z2015-06-08T10:28:35.000ZAnna @ Jacksons Fencinghttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/AnnaJacksonsFencing<div><p>Just like your interior accommodation, the outside room that is your garden needs to fulfill a number of functions, which means there is a strong risk that outdoor based clutter can sometimes be at odds with the desired stylish alfresco living setting. </p><p><span>The solution to this problem is to employ successful screening tactics combined with creative storage solutions. And whilst screening can be used to great effect to hide or disguise certain features, it also has an important role to play in defining key areas within the outdoor space.</span><br/> <br/> <span>Here’s our take on some of the best screening / storage ideas to keep your garden looking gorgeous this summer.</span></p><h2><span style="text-decoration: underline;" class="font-size-5"><strong>Wonder walls</strong></span></h2><p></p><p><span>Walls provide the ultimate in privacy and shielding and with the right choice of materials, complement Britain’s natural countryside. Authentic stone walling will not only add rustic charm to your outdoor space, it also ages beautifully. Walling is also a favoured choice for garden designers looking to introduce an individual stamp on an outdoor space and has many applications beyond just offering a secure perimeter boundary. It can be successfully used to create a more intimate and sheltered patio area; build eye catching (and low maintenance) raised beds and can also become the backdrop to a stunning water feature.</span></p><p><img src="https://www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk/pages/multimedia/db_image.image?CrnID=-1&id=14235&width=200&height=150&quality=85&crop=False&percent=0&vm=0" alt="A garden living wall" align="right" width="200" height="150"/>Living walls have been the talk of the landscaping community in recent years and offer an excellent opportunity to create a stunning visual screen, which blends perfectly with the garden landscape. A living wall is a self sufficient vertical ‘mini garden’ grown in a panel system that is attached to a free standing frame or to the exterior of a building. The plants contained within the wall receive water and nutrients from within the vertical support instead of from the ground. Visit the RHS website for more info: <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=547" target="_blank">www.rhs.org.uk/advice</a></p><h2><span style="text-decoration: underline;" class="font-size-5"><strong>Designer fencing</strong></span></h2><p></p><p><span>A fence provides the perfect screening device as well as a useful boundary marker if you are looking to create distinct zones within the garden. Attractive </span><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk/fencing/fencing-panels/woven/fencing-panels-woven.aspx" target="_self">woven panels</a><span> or bold </span><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk/fencing/fencing-panels/venetian/fencing-panels-venetian.aspx" target="_self">Venetian horizontal</a><span> panels, not only represent excellent stylish screening solutions, they both also benefit from offering striking filtered light effects to deliver a visually stunning focal point within the garden.</span><br/> <br/> <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk/fencing/secret-garden-collection/trellis-premier-lattice/secret-garden-collection-trellis-premier-lattice.aspx">Lattice Trellis </a><span>panels complemented by beautifully scented climber flowers such as clematis can be used to establish a private area in the garden for dining or relaxing. They can also be combined with pergolas to establish a commanding structure that sections off a slice of the garden.</span><br/> <br/> <span>There are occasions where screening may be required for safety rather than aesthetic purposes, for example, screening off a swimming pool. Here it is important that the fence represents a strong and robust structure to maintain a secure boundary that cannot be easily scaled and which does not pose any risk of injury to young children as a result of entrapment of limbs. </span></p><h2><span style="text-decoration: underline;" class="font-size-5"><strong>Hedge your bets</strong></span></h2><p></p><p><img src="https://www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk/pages/multimedia/db_image.image?CrnID=-1&id=21566&width=200&height=133&quality=85&crop=False&percent=0&vm=0" alt="Green Garden Hedge" align="left" width="250" height="167"/><span>There's a lot to be said for boundaries that consist of plants rather than solid materials. Hedges provide shelter and food for wildlife, as well as adding colour, texture and even fragrance across the seasons. And if you’re interested in planting a hedge, which can act as a burglar deterrent, planting options for the security conscious include barberry, firethorn, rose, holly, hawthorn and gorse. </span><br/> <br/> <span>Hedges are also frequently used to segment spaces within the garden, providing an entirely natural line of division between one area and another. Hedges used for this purpose also offer the additional benefit of boasting aesthetic appeal and can become a focal point in their right – mazes and topiary being good examples of this.</span></p><div>Hedging plants can be chosen to suit your local area – mixed native hedging looks good in a rural setting, while mop-head hydrangeas or silver-leaved sea buckthorn work well for coastal gardens. Classic hedge plants such as yew, holly and box can be easily trimmed to a particular size or shape, making them look good in a formal setting.</div><div> <div><img src="https://www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk/pages/multimedia/db_image.image?CrnID=-1&id=11070&width=173&height=200&quality=85&crop=False&percent=0&vm=0" alt="Jacksons Wheelie Bin Storage" align="right" width="173" height="200"/><h2><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="font-size-5"><strong>Bins be gone</strong></span></span></h2><p></p><p>Wheelie bins are a household necessity but do little to complement the garden scenery. Conjure up a classy disguise for your bins by storing them in a bespoke <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk/fencing/secret-garden-collection/sheds-wheelie-bin-store/secret-garden-collection-garden-sheds-wheelie-bin-store.aspx" target="_self">wheelie bin storage shed</a>, crafted from smart tongue and groove effect boards supported by a strong galvanised steel frame.</p><h2><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="font-size-5"><strong>Children’s ultimate play zone</strong></span></span></h2><p></p>Just as you may have a play room inside the home, where all the children’s toys are neatly contained, you can do the same in the garden by installing a dedicated <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk/fencing/secret-garden-collection/shelters-zone/secret-garden-collection-shelters-zone.aspx?pg=871" target="_self">Zone shelter </a>which doubles up as a sun-safe getaway for the younger members of the family.<br/> <br/> So with a little forward planning and screening savvy, your garden can be clutter free! Tweet us <a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/Jacksonsfencing">@JacksonsFencing</a> with your personal clever screening / storage solutions for the garden.</div></div></div>What do you suggest to customers for evergreen hedges?https://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profiles/blogs/what-do-you-suggest-to2011-02-04T16:14:53.000Z2011-02-04T16:14:53.000ZJohn Inghamhttps://landscapejuicenetwork.com/profil/JohnIngham<div><p>I have just written an advice article, copied below, for customers on choosing evergreen hedges. I'm commonly asked which hedges are best for screening out unwanted views. Have you any experiences of hedges which have worked very well, or have been a disaster, to help me improve my advice. </p><p> </p><p>I NEED A HIGH EVERGREEN HEDGE TO BLOCK OUT A VIEW. HOW SHOULD I DECIDE WHICH TYPE TO BUY?</p><p align="center"> </p><p align="left">There are many varieties of plant which make excellent evergreen hedges. The first thing to bear in mind though in the UK is that neighbours and local authorities can object if boundary hedges are higher than 2m.</p><p align="left">For many people the first plants which come to mind will be conifers. Leyland Cypress are infamous for making enormous hedges which can be a problem both for the owners and their neighbours. If clipped closely twice a year they can make excellent hedges but it is common to see Leylands which have grown enormous, very tall and very thick, or both, and which will never look good again. In addition they now often suffer from a disease which causes large brown patches. A similar plant, but one which is more attractive and has fragrant leaves, is Western Red Cedar. This will also grow away rapidly if not tightly controlled. Both of these types of conifer will grow in poor conditions such as thin soils or a degree of shade but they will also take most of the nutrients from the surrounding soils making it difficult to plant close to them. The best conifer hedges, and the most traditional, are undoubtedly Yews. These venerable plants have been used in formal gardens for centuries. They make close, dense hedges which can be clipped to shape. Their preference is for lighter, drier soils and they should not be considered for damp situations or heavy clay. They are slower growing than Leylands or Cedars but are readily available as large plants which will soon grow into each other. They are also more expensive.</p><p align="left">There are broadleaved plants which make good hedges. Two varieties of laurels, the common laurel and Portuguese laurel, are frequently used. They both have large leaves which can look untidy after cutting – their edges tend to go brown for a while – but are tolerant of shade and a variety of soils. Portuguese laurels have neater leaves and can be used in shallow, chalky soils where common laurels may not thrive. Smaller leaved plants such as privet, Lonicera nitida and escallonia are commonly used in urban gardens. Privet will grow tall and is tolerant of most soils and situations although in the coldest regions it can lose it's leaves in winter. Lonicera nitida is quick growing and can be tightly clipped though it has a habit of leaning or even collapsing when tall. Of the many varieties of escallonia, which have the advantage of attractive flowers, the variety rubra Macrantha is probably the best for hedges and is particularly good near the seaside where it withstands salt-laden winds. In this situation Griselinia littoralis is also excellent. It clips well, grows fast and is salt tolerant. Box (Buxus sempervirens) makes an excellent hedge suitable for very close clipping and the smaller leaved box, Buxus microphylla, is also a good low hedge. Both are rather slow growing.</p><p align="left">Many other evergreens will make quite good low hedges but would not be suitable for blocking out a view. There are good holly hedges, but often plants are gappy if not well grown and they may fill the garden with prickly dead leaves. Eleagnus, Euonymus, Pyracantha, Osmanthus, Bay, Berberis, Aucuba and Abelia will make good hedges under the right conditions. Ivy is available in the UK covering wire mesh panels 1.8m (6ft) high which can be used instead of fence panels to give thin evergreen screens.</p><p align="left">Finally we should consider two cheap and effective plants which are not really evergreen but can be just as effective. Beech and hornbeam are very good hedging plants and will keep their brown leaves through the winter if trimmed in late summer. They can form hedges which make equally effective screens as genuine evergreens but they are native and tough.</p><p align="center"> </p><p align="left"> </p><p> </p></div>