This book jumped out at me on a recent visit to my local library – Chicken Coops for the soul – is an absolutely lovely book. Full of interesting snippets about hens, tied to the story of how she got two hens and a rabbit and what happened next.  I’m now after a packing case .. but you’ll have to read the book to know why!

When Julia Hollander agreed to buy her small daughter a rabbit, she had no idea that she would end up with two hens as well. Finding herself at the wrong end of a very steep learning curve, she then had to master the many skills of hen husbandry in short order, from what to feed them to how best to fox-proof a small urban garden.

Chicken Coops for the Soul is a record of the five years of trial and error that ensued, in which Julia charts the joys, challenges and inevitable moments of disappointment thyat face any aspiring poultry keeper. It’s also a compendium of wisdom about the humble chicken that explains, among many other things, which breeds are most productive, why some hens lay double-yolkers, and how we have the Second World War to thank for our ability to tell newly hatched male and female chicks apart. Not to mention a considered discussion of where the first chicken (or egg) came from.

Fascinating and entertaining by turns, this is a book that will prove invaluable to the aspiring keeper and remind chicken aficionados why they became hooked in the first place.

Reduced price on products today at Harrod Horticultural

Joseph Bentley Young Apprentice Hand Fork was £3.95 now £0.95
The Joseph Bentley Gardeners Apprentice Range Is Designed To Appeal To And Enthuse The Younger Gardener. The Traditional Carbon Steel Childrens Gardening Tools Are The Perfect Aid For Children To Learn About Making A Beautiful Garden.this Range Of High Quality Joseph Bentley Young Apprentice Childrens Tools From The Much Heralded Joseph Bentley Collection Will Appeal To All Children Over The Age Of 6 Who Have Developed The Gardening Bug.the Compact Size And Lightness Of The Joseph Bentley Childrens Tools, Combined With The Practicality And Strength Of Carbon Steel Will Give Them Their First Proper Tools And Ones They Will Always Remember. please Note: Only The Hand Fork Now Availableall Joseph Bentley Young Apprentice Childrens Tool Blades Are Manufactured To The Highest Standard With Carbon Steel Heads With A Smooth Metallic Carbon Steel Finishyoung Apprentice Hand Fork Measures 20cm, Has Three Carbon Steel Tines, The Perfect Hand Fork For De-weeding And Cultivating The Soil Around Plants

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Van Meuwen reduced the price on these items today

Hydrangea Standard – 1 hydrangea standard in 2 litre pot was £29.99 now £14.99
Give your garden a wow factor with a stylish mini standard hydrangea. Flattened lace-cap flowerheads create a ball of colour from July to September against a background of glossy dark green leaves. This sturdy plant will be perfect as a focal point in your garden. Your Hydrangea Standard will be a lucky dip selection from blue, pink, white or red. May vary from those illustrated. Supplied in a 2 Litre Pot (stem height 20cm)Please note: as with all hydrangeas, flower colour can vary according to the pH of the soil.Useful links:How to grow HydrangeasHow to plant trees and shrubs

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Van Meuwen just added these new products

Bumper Shrub Collection – 12 bare root plants – 1 of each variety £24.88
Shrubs are important for giving shape and structure to your garden and with this bumper collection of 12 flowering varieties you can have year-round interest. With a range of flower, foliage and stem colours this collection will work perfectly when planted together for a longseason shrubbery, or alternatively dotted aroung your garden to add interest to perennial displays and seasonal bedding. Each variety will also work well in containers on the patio. Supplied as bare root plants.

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John Lewis has these new items today

John Lewis 16kg Baseweight, Black £25.00
This sturdy baseweight holds your parasol in place allowing you to relax outdoors all summer, whatever the weather. Made from concrete with a sharp black finish, the baseweight complements a variety of outdoor settings. Please note: Not all of our Furniture ranges are on display at every branch. Please phone your nearest John Lewis to check before you visit. 0% APR Representative: If you buy this product in our shops, it’s eligible for Interest Free Credit , which is available when you spend £1000 or more on selected home products. Terms and conditions apply: find out more

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Price reduction at Tooled Up

Karcher 300mm FR 30 Plastic Hard Surface Cleaner for HD & HDS Pressure Washers was £259.95 now £153.95
This professional standard hard surface cleaner is designed for attachment to your Karcher HD or HDS hot water/steam pressure washer. The FR 30 cleans powerfully & is easy to use; the force of your pressure washer´s outflow causes it to float above l…

New lines at Gardens and Homes Direct

Premium 2 – 4 Seater Round Patio Set Cover £34.99
Designed specifically to protect smaller patio and bistro sets from the elements: Our Premium 2 – 4 Seater Round Patio Set Cover is made from specially treated Polyethylene to protect against snow, frost, rain, dew, pollution and birds. Weathergard treatment means this premium furniture cover is 100% water proof. Features: Weathergard treated for 100% waterproofing. Solid brass rust-proof eyelets with securing pull cords and toggles. Heavy duty double stitched poly-threaded woven polyethylene. Handy zip-up storage pouch. UV stabilised fabric for long life with integral ventilation panel to guard against mildew and mould. Deep green colour blends with garden surroundings: Washable. Dimensions: Height 80cm/32in Diameter 163cm/64in

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GreenFingers reduced the price on this item today

Gazebo Leg Weights – Set of 4 was £24.99 now £19.99
No more worries on windy days with these easy to assemble Gazebo Leg Weights! They are manufactured from heavy duty weather resistant plastic which have easy in and out screws that can be fitted in seconds with no tools required. There is nothing worse than worrying whether or not your gazebo will blow away in windy conditions but now you can confidently place your gazebo wherever you wish such as the edge of your patio or in the middle of your lawn. Comprising two halves that screw together you may fill the leg weights with either sand or water and they are easily emptied for storage when not in use.Lightweight yet sturdyCaps on both sides of weight for easy fillingSuitable for round or square poles with a maximum diameter of 25mmApprox Weight when filled with Sand: 11kg eachApprox Weight when filled with Water: 8kg eachApproximately 26.5cm high

GreenFingers just added this new product

Chapelwood Fun Bird Feeder – Blue Tit £5.99
A novel wild bird feeder this Chapelwood Blue Tit Fun Feeder is designed to add colour to your garden as well as attract a wide variety of wild birds. It is also a great way to get your children involved in caring for birds. Ideal for use with sunflowers hearts black sunflowers and peanuts it is made from steel with a side fill mechanism to ensure that the feeder remains closed when hanging. This high capacity feeder is perfect for placing on a tree branch or hanging bracket.With disappearing habitats and climatic changes the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) both recommend the year-round feeding of garden birds to maintain a healthy and viable flock of native species. Feeding requirements are greater in late autumn and winter when natural resources are in shorter supply and high energy levels are also needed during spring when birds are busy breeding and raising young. Once you have established a feeding regime – don

King’s Cross based organisations collaborate to create a family fun citizen project that will help monitor local bee numbers

Bee trail technologists make inventive use of physical web beacon prototype technology to enable community activism

The Honey Club, a partnership between King’s Cross-based youth charity Global Generation, Urban Bess and Wolff Olins, launches the 2016 King’s Cross (KX) Bee Trail App.

This citizen science project brought to life as an app-led walking tour of King’s Cross is designed to raise awareness of this fast-changing area of London; in particular the bees living there and the food and shelter they need.

There are eight stops along the KX Bee Trail, each marked with a Honey Club sign that’s powered by innovative technology. At each of the stops a beacon unlocks a new part of the app and accesses a new activity. At some locations participants are invited to learn something new about bees, at others they can take part in a bee count.

Activities unlock vouchers to some of London’s most exciting restaurants: the German Gymnasium, The Lighterman, Dishoom, The Grain Store, Caravan, The Greek Larder, Rotunda, and The Skip Garden Kitchen.

Multiple studies* show that bee numbers and their distribution are in decline globally, which will have serious implications for food production and our ecological system.

Nicole Van den Eijnde from Global Generation says: “Getting up close with bees in the middle of the city is a great way for young people to understand that we are part of an interconnected world. They move from being afraid of bees to realising how important they are and as a result this makes them want to give something back.”

More about the Bee Trail

The trail now starts at the German Gymnasium near the bird cage sculpture** on King’s Boulevard and ends a short walk away at The Skip Garden; factoring in time for the activities, it should take no more than 60 minutes to complete.

Anyone can follow the trail, track the bees, and discover hidden worlds at the heart of one of the world’s busiest cities. And by counting bees at points along the trail they will be contributing to the collection of important data. This year, as part of the expanded trail, there is new content that explains different forage and bee facts, and new vouchers to enjoy from restaurant partners.

Alison Benjamin, co-founder of Urban Bees comments, “The data will help the Honey Club to add to local information about the diversity and abundance of different bee species in King’s Cross, and to educate people about the forage they need to thrive. The data in the long term could show us if our efforts to raise awareness and provide more food are having a positive impact on bee populations.”

“The King’s Cross Bee Trail App is a wonderful and engaging way of communicating the importance of bees and their role in pollinating the food we eat here in the city,” adds Wolfgang Buttress, artist and creator of award-winning bee-powered sculpture The Hive, currently installed at Kew Gardens.

The App

An earlier version of the app was successfully piloted in August 2015. People who downloaded the app did more than 300 bee counts at three locations. The most common bees spotted were honeybees, followed by buff-tailed bumblebee and the common carder bee. In total more than 1,100 bees were counted. The information was shared with Greenspace Information for Greater London***, the capital’s environmental records centre.

From idea to reality the app took technologists at creative consultancy Wolff Olins six weeks to develop.

The App uses the physical web beacon technology, to push content to your smart device via Bluetooth; enhancing app-users’ physical experience of the trail with digitally provided information and perks.

Caroline Goodwin, from Wolff Olins’ tech team comments, “Many applications of beacon technology, in retail, casinos etc., can be pretty invasive and irritating – no one likes to receive push notification about offers they’re not interested in! We have used beacon technology to enhance users’ experience and make a positive impact in society. We see a big opportunity to use this tech in similarly positive ways in other contexts; museums, county councils and property developments for example.”

The Bee Trail app is available to download for iPhone or Android phones atwww.beetrail.co.uk.

About The Honey Club

The Honey Club is a partnership of Global Generation, Urban Bees and Wolff Olins with a mission to create a bee caring community in urban spaces – from rooftop to garden, hive to street, business to people.

We’re a team of designers, technologists, community activists, young people, journalists, beekeepers and gardeners who are working creatively to take on one big, sticky problem: the lack of nectar and pollen from blooming plants for bees to forage in urban environments like our home in King’s Cross.

The Honey Club is supported by members like Eurostar; interested businesses should email contact@honeyclub.org to join.

For more information go to www.honeyclub.org and keep up to date via Twitter andFacebook.