children Tagged Articles

Care Home Competition – Winner announced!

As many of you are already aware, Primrose has been running a national care home competition in which the lucky winner would receive £1000 towards their communal garden. We have received near 100 entries from across the country from Glasgow all the way to Isle of Wight! There have been some incredibly moving nominations from those who work in care homes, those who have family in care homes and people who just simply want to support their local community.

A common pattern in all the entries was people recognising the amazing benefits of spending time outdoors, echoing the belief that the outdoors can relieve stress, stimulate the senses and promote calmness. One entry also said “the garden is important for the residents not only for them to enjoy being in an outdoor space that is safe and accessible but it’s also a great social space” which highlights the ways a garden can encourage residents to speak to one another and build lasting friendships.

Despite all the wonderful entries though, there could only be one winner…and we are thrilled to announce them as Abbeywood care home in Aldershot!

We were touched to see the heartfelt nomination written by their activities co-ordinator which talked about what difference this money could mean to them and how the garden was currently being used by the residents to connect with the community and spend time reflecting.

We learnt that Abbeywood would use the money to encourage local woodland wildlife so that the residents may enjoy watching the birds and other creatures in the garden, and also invest in some raised beds which would make gardening much easier for residents who have trouble bending down. We loved the idea of making the outdoor space a place for people to relax but also a place where residents may get involved with growing vegetables and gardening if they wish to.

There were also several other nominations for the same care home from families of residents which reflects the great care work they currently do. Well done Abbeywood – it’s so great to hear positive reviews!

Thank you to everybody who took the time to enter, we have really enjoyed the entries we’ve received and can’t wait to move forward with Abbeywood and their garden transformation.

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Zoë works in the Marketing team at Primrose, and is passionate about all things social media.
After travelling across Europe and Asia, Zoë is intrigued by different cultures and learning more about the world around her. If she’s not jet setting, Zoë loves nothing more than curling up with a good book and a large glass of red wine!
She is an amateur gardener but keen to learn more and get stuck in!

See all of Zoë’s posts.

Barbecues, Celebrations And Holidays, Decoration, Events, Garden Furniture, Outdoor Heating, Zoe

Garden Party Essentials

Summer has slowly approached us in the UK, and even with the interruptions of rainy showers, it’s not enough to dampen our spirit. We’re sure you have something to celebrate this summer, whether it be: a wedding or engagement, a birthday party, a new home, a new baby or simply because you want to have a party!

So why not take your party outside, we have thought of everything you will need to have a garden party no matter the weather.

Gazebo

A gazebo is an absolute must if you are planning a garden party this summer. A gazebo protects you from all of the unpredictable wind, rain or scorching sun. If you have little ones around it’s a great place to protect them from the harmful rays or equally you can run for shelter if the weather takes a turn for the worst.

If you are thinking of a garden party on a grander scale, it may be worth considering purchasing a marquee that can hold a lot more people than the standard gazebo. Many people consider renting marquees, but there are plenty of reasonably priced luxury options that will allow you to re-use it again and again!

For events such as weddings or large scale celebrations, marquees offer a place to put your dance floor or a place to seat your guests for a dinner.

Outdoor Lighting

No doubt your garden party will last until the sun goes down, and when that happens you can illuminate your garden with an array of outdoor lighting. You can create a magical atmosphere with the addition of lights and be sure to wow your guests.

A popular option now for outdoor lighting is those that are solar powered. These lights will generate their power via the sun during the day, and have a pleasant glow when it gets dark. These are fantastic for saving money on your energy bills and are great for the environment. What’s not to love?

BBQ

Is there anything better than being in the sunshine with friends whilst smelling your lunch being grilled on the BBQ? We don’t think so.

Rather than buying disposable BBQs time and time again, why not spend the extra and buy a permanent one that will last you for many summers to come? Disposable BBQs can’t be recycled or composted so the investment is much better for the environment, and with the huge amount of styles now available, a stylish BBQ can be a great feature in your garden.

Garden Furniture

Of course it’s important to consider where your guests will sit at the garden party! Depending on how formal your party is there are a variety of options you can consider from benches, dining sets and even bean bags to create the perfect place for everyone to sit back and relax.

You also might want to consider a quirky drinks cooler that will get your guests talking, our recycled steel cooler can be used as a outdoor ornament for the rest of the year.

Outdoor Heaters

Let’s not kid ourselves, if you’re having a garden party in Britain it will no doubt turn to the chilly side at some point. There’s no need to move the party inside though, if you have an outdoor heater to keep you warm you can still party through the night.

Nowadays you have the option of a gas or electric heater depending on what your requirements are. Both have their advantages; take a read of our breakdown of Gas vs Electric Powered Heaters to help you make your mind up what will be best for your need.

We hope you have a great time at your garden party, send in your photographs of your Primrose products to photos@primrose.co.uk and you could win £5 worth of vouchers if they’re used!

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Zoë works in the Marketing team at Primrose, and is passionate about all things social media.
After travelling across Europe and Asia, Zoë is intrigued by different cultures and learning more about the world around her. If she’s not jet setting, Zoë loves nothing more than curling up with a good book and a large glass of red wine!
She is an amateur gardener but keen to learn more and get stuck in!

See all of Zoë’s posts.

Christmas

Primrose Rock the Christmas Jumpers for Save the Children!

Every year, people up and down the country rock out their Christmas jumpers in aid of Christmas Jumper Day. It’s a time for everyone to unite, wear festive knits and take several snaps for social media to show off their silly sweaters.

But more importantly, it’s an opportunity to raise money for Save the Children UK – a great charity which promotes children’s rights, provides relief and supports children in developing countries.

Primrose have done our bit for Save the Children so let’s see your sweaters!!

Email photos@primrose.co.uk
Tweet us @PrimroseUK
Facebook us @ facebook.com/Primrose.co.uk

Have a great Christmas from everyone at Primrose !

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Amie is a marketing enthusiast, having worked at Primrose since graduating from Reading University in 2014.
She enjoys all things sport. A keen football fan, Amie follows Tottenham Hotspur FC, and regularly plays for her local 5 a side football team.
Amie also writes restaurant reviews on Barnard’s Burger Blog.

Amie, Children in the garden, Gardening, Grow Your Own, How To

How to Get Children to Love Gardening!

Growing up, my first exposure to gardening was planting sunflower seeds in my grandparent’s back garden and watching them grow taller than me! I used to love getting my hands dirty and playing in the muck of the garden, but it seems a lot of children today would prefer to do the opposite.

Follow these steps to get the kids back into the garden and appreciating the outdoor elements.

1) Plant exciting flowers or varieties
Flowers which don’t require a lot of work or maintenance, such as sunflowers or marigolds are a great starting point for children. Sunflowers grow really tall, which I remember fascinated me. Sensory plants such as Stachys Byzantina (Lamb’s Ears) or Mentha Spicata (Spearmint) will also excite young ones. You can’t go too wrong with seed based plants due to their ease.

2) Use grown vegetables for dinner
Do you have fussy eater in your household? If so, get them involved with the growing of fresh fruit and vegetables. Carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, the possibilities are endless. It will be rewarding when you sit down for tea and eat all of your hard work too.

3) Decorate plant pots
You can easily get some plain pots, which are cheap enough to paint and decorate. This combines creativity with gardening, and then allows for potting and planting afterwards.

4) Build a wormery
Most children are fascinated by worms, and why wouldn’t they be? Worms are wonderful little creatures so support their habitation by building a wormery. Simply fill a glass jar or box with moist soil, sand, vegetable peelings, vegetation and leaves, and some worms. You can then look at how they behave, how they move and how they look.

5) Create a treasure hunt
Children love a treasure hunt, so hide some goodies (perhaps chocolate if you’re feeling generous) in your garden, ensuring they’re hidden well! Bury underneath bushes or hide up trees, and promote the idea of getting mucky and stuck in. It doesn’t matter if your garden is small (or you have no garden), you can go to the park or some wooded area and do this too.

Show us how they get on, and send in any pictures or stories, especially of worms! If your photo contains a Primrose product and we feature it on site, you will also get a £5 voucher!

Email photos@primrose.co.uk
Tweet us @PrimroseUK
Facebook us @ facebook.com/Primrose.co.uk

We recently had photos sent in from one customer who is helping to educate future gardeners using one of our New Leaf polytunnels!

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Amie is a marketing enthusiast, having worked at Primrose since graduating from Reading University in 2014.
She enjoys all things sport. A keen football fan, Amie follows Tottenham Hotspur FC, and regularly plays for her local 5 a side football team.
Amie also writes restaurant reviews on Barnard’s Burger Blog.