uk Tagged Articles - Page 2 of 33

Amie, Barbecues, Celebrations And Holidays, Events, Gardening, Primrose Gardens

The Best BBQ Food for a Brilliant Summer Party

The sun is out (let’s ignore the brief drizzle) and Euro 2016 is in full swing, which means plenty of BBQs and gatherings for people throughout the UK. There will be impending celebrations for when England win the competition (we can live in hope) so we’ve compiled a handful of the best BBQ food (and some extra party essentials) to get you started.

Ribs
With a vintage, smoky flavour, ribs make a great treat for any BBQ. Cover in sauce or keep dry; either way they make an excellent handheld treat.

Burgers
Perhap the ultimate classic when it comes to a BBQ, burgers come in a host of varieties, accompanied with any possibility, inside a range of buns. Brioche or seedless buns work well, and beef burgers larger than the palm of your hand make for a textbook combination.

Kebabs
You should stick to kebabs on a skewer, as these are much more convenient at a BBQ. Mix up your kebab with chicken, lamb and vegetables. The possibilities are endless.

Sausages
Another classic addition to any BBQ, sausages in a hotdog bun make a perfect BBQ snack. A Bratwurst sausage can give your BBQ a German feel, but my personal favourite is a traditional pork sausage, dolloped with some ketchup.

Wings
To finish off the list, wings/ drumsticks make a great choice. Similar to ribs, when placed on a BBQ they produce a tantalising smoky flavour and can easily be held (although sometimes your fingers can get sticky).

So you have done the shopping, but you need some additional items to help you throw your superb summer party. Primrose have a great selection to choose from, and with next day delivery, these can be here in time for the game against Wales if you order before 2pm tomorrow!

All you need now are the guests and for the rain to hold out…

So what are you waiting for! With many an excuse to have a knees up, dust off the BBQ and serve up a summer treat.

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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.

Alex, Events, How To, News

6 Facts About Remembrance Poppies You Probably Didn’t Know

We’ve collected 6 little-known facts about the Remembrance Day poppy that you may find interesting:

1. The Royal Canadian mint issued a coin emblazoned with a red poppy in 2004 to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the start of World War. This was the first coloured coin to be released into circulation in the world. Strangely, once-classified U.S government documents reveal that in 2007 US army contractors were so shocked by the coloured quarters released by Canada that they suspected that they were being used for “espionage purposes”. They stated that they looked odd and were filled with “something man-made that looked like nano-technology”.

2. The original British Legion poppies were designed so that veterans from the war could make them even if they had lost the use of one hand.

3. Poppies flourished on the battle grounds of the First World War I in France and Belgium as rubble from the fighting released lime into the ground causing the little red flowers to pop up around the gravesites of fallen soldiers.

4. “In Flanders Fields”, the poem from which the tradition originated, was almost thrown away. Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae was conducting the funeral of a fellow officer and looked around to see nothing but death, suffering and crosses marking the resting sites of his friends engulfed in a sea of poppies. He took some time and wrote the words of the famous poem but was unhappy with it and threw it away. A fellow officer picked it up a decided to send it to a handful of newspapers in Britain and later that year Punch decided to publish it.

5. Poppies are an international symbol of remembrance and are distributed in 53 commonwealth countries around the world including the UK, Canada and Australia as well as in non-commonwealth countries such as France, Belgium and The Netherlands.

6. In New Zealand, they wear poppies in April. This came about when the shipment of Poppies sent over for the first Armistice Day in November 1921 arrived late and so the soldiers decided to wait until ANZAC day (April 25th) the following year.

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Alex works in the Primrose marketing team, mainly on online marketing.
As a psychology graduate it is ironic that he understands plants better than people but a benefit for the purpose of writing this blog.
An enthusiastic gardener, all he needs now is a garden and he’ll be on the path to greatness. Alex’s special talents include superior planter knowledge and the ability to put a gardening twist on any current affairs story.
See all of Alex’s posts.

Garden Design, How To, Sally

How to Cure your Clay Chiminea

Chimineas are amazing additions to any garden. Not only do they provide warmth, but they look great and can be used for practical tasks like barbecuing. Clay chimineas in particular can be a real statement piece and bring the flavour of Spain into your back garden. If you are thinking about or have already purchased a chiminea, there are a few tips and tricks you ought to know. These handy hints will allow you to enjoy your clay chiminea for years to come.

Medium_Tortuga_Clay_Chiminea — Medium Tortuga Clay Chiminea

A clay chiminea must be cured before it is used for the first time; this will help prevent cracking and should give your chiminea a longer, happier life. It is a relatively easy process but can take a little time. I recommend making the most of a sunny Sunday afternoon to get this task done.

Step One: Place sand in the bottom of your new clay chiminea. Keep filling it up until the sand reaches ¾ of the way to the lip of the opening. We are doing this to ensure no flames touch the clay directly the first few times we light a fire. The main reason for this is we want to warm our clay chiminea without burning it.

Step Two: Start a small fire, using only bits of paper and kindling. I wouldn’t recommend any larger pieces of wood at this stage. Allow this fire to go out naturally after it has been burning for a few minutes.

Step Three: Always allow your chiminea to cool after any size fire has been lit within it. Chimineas are great outdoor heaters because they hold and radiate heat. This means that they take time to cool and can remain hot even when the fire is extinguished. Touching a chiminea too soon before it has cooled can result in burns. Remember to empty out your chiminea of all remaining ash, once it has cooled, and do this before starting another fire. If you are an avid composter like me, this ash can be added to the compost bin or used around the base of plants. It is a natural source of potassium so it’s great to help even our acidic soil.

Step Four: Repeat the first three steps, each time allowing your fire to become slightly larger. I would suggest repeating six times. During the third time you light your fire add some larger pieces of wood. The sixth and final fire should be almost the size of the fires you will be regularly making.

And voilá! Your beautiful new clay chiminea is cured, so you can sit back and enjoy it for years to come, without the worry of it cracking or splitting.

Deluxe_Chim_Chimenea_Weatherproof_Cover — Deluxe Chim Chimenea Weatherproof Cover

Other Tips:

I would recommend always lining your chiminea with sand for any size fire even after it has been cured. This is an extra step, but it will help prevent cracking.
Keep your chiminea dry. Chiminea covers are your best bet if you are looking to leave it outside. If you do leave it out and it gets wet, let it dry completely before use as damp clay will crack under high heat.
Fires can be dangerous, be aware of where children and pets are when around any open flame.

You can also have a look at our video guide to building and curing a chiminea:

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Sally works in the Marketing team here at Primrose.
She spends most of her spare time looking into the latest developments in social media. Sally loves travel and wants to step foot in every continent in the world. When not travelling the Globe or working, she likes to relax with a bit of DIY.
She is a novice gardener and doesn’t claim to be an expert, anything she learns she will happily pass on.

See all of Sally’s posts.

Cat, Pest Control, Spiders

Stop the Spider Invasion!

Experts say that “the number of giant house spiders creeping into UK homes is set to rise after the hot wet summer weather”. (BBC News, 22.08.15 – we’d link you to the article, but it’s full of graphic spider pictures!)

Our PestBye™ Advanced Spider Repellent clears your whole house through ultrasonic sounds and electromagnetic waves and carries a 45 day no quibble money back guarantee.

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Cat works in the marketing team and is responsible for online marketing, social media and the newsletter.
She spends most of her time reading about a variety of interesting facts, such as oddly named Canadian towns, obscure holidays and unusual gardening.
She mostly writes about Primrose news and current events.

See all of Cat’s posts.