Aldi’s sell-out solar hot air balloon lights are back in stores – plus two quirky new designs I think will be future bestsellers

Aldi’s sell-out solar hot air balloon lights are back in stores – plus two quirky new designs I think will be future bestsellers

Stop what you’re doing and listen up, because the viral Aldi solar hot air balloon lights from last year are back in stock, and they have two new funky designs in tow. Aldi is providing everything you need to give your garden a maximalist edge this summer.

Aldi has been nailing garden lighting trends this year, with their whimsical designs a treat for the eyes. Investing in stunning garden lighting is non-negotiable if you want both a stylish and functional outdoor space.

As always, Aldi is providing affordable options for garden lighting, so you can keep up to date with the latest trends, without breaking the bank.

Costing just £6.99, it’s easy to see why Aldi’s Solar Hot Air Balloon Light is so popular. Available in four vibrant colours, green, red, blue, or purple, these cute little lights add a pop of playful colour to your garden lighting ideas.

The lights feature a realistic flickering flame, creating a whimsical fairytale look. Fairytale-inspired gardens and nostalgiacore are all having a moment this year, and these cute hot air balloon lights play into these playful looks.

These stunning lamps can easily be hung onto hooks in your garden, or even your trees and larger shrubs, to give your garden borders a beautiful glow in the evenings.

Aldi sloth and monkey solar lights

(Image credit: Aldi)

Alternatively, the new Aldi Solar Hanging Monkey or Sloth Lights (£9.99) make a quirky and playful addition to any garden. If you want something that will catch your guests’ eyes, these statement solar lamps are an excellent choice.

Immediately, the monkey solar light caught my eye, reminding me of Rockett St George’s statement animal lamps, such as the Quirky Gold Lion Lamp (£95) or even Dunelm’s Odisha Monkey Ceiling Lamp (£49). This style of lamp is full of character and perfect for showing off your personality at home.

Now both the balloon, sloth and monkey lights are currently on sale, and if last year is anything to go by – where the hot air balloon solar lights quickly sold out – they won’t be on the shelves for long.

If you have missed out on these stunning statement lights at your local store, here are a few more affordable alternatives.

Alternatives

I’m a big fan of statement outdoor lighting as it can really make your garden your own. What do you think?

TOPICS

Style and Comfort: Elevate Your Outdoor Space With Luxury Throw Pillows

Style and Comfort: Elevate Your Outdoor Space With Luxury Throw Pillows

Whatever your outdoor sanctuary looks like, you know it’s the finishing touches that really make the space. And there’s nothing that will polish off your outdoor lounge, patio, or deck like the perfect outdoor throw pillows. Whether you’re creating a zen garden spot or giving your poolside seating a new look, Serena & Lily outdoor throw pillows are the outdoor pillow trifecta of style, durability, and comfort.

Throw Pillow Power In Outdoor Spaces

Credit: Envato

Most people think about furniture or plantings when planning and designing their outdoor spaces. But it’s often the smaller touches that pack the most punch. Outdoor throw pillows inject color, texture, and personality that change a functional outdoor seating area into a stylish and inviting destination.

And, in comparison to their indoor cousins, outdoor pillows have a much tougher job. You can’t just like how they look; they must also resist fading in the sun, repel rain, and dry quickly. That’s why it’s important to invest in the best quality you can find. Serena & Lily outdoor throw pillows are durability tested and UV resistant, but as always, they look nothing but stunning!

Versatility Meets Durability

One of the great things about outdoor throw pillows is that you can change them in and out with the seasons, use them to draw attention to a piece of architecture, or simply shift them to match your mood or setting. This luxury brand’s options include crisp coastal stripes, vibrant patterns, and tactile neutrals that complement a range of outdoor furniture aesthetics and themes.

Breathable outdoor throw pillows are a combination of durable, weatherproof materials, responsive inserts that are quick to dry, and UV-resistant fabrics that inhibit fading and hold up for many seasons of use. They can take a turn in the sun, serve you well in summer showers, and prepare your home for guests at any time.

Serena & Lily has long been a go-to source for a polished yet relaxed look, and their outdoor line is no exception. Each item, including their outdoor throw pillows, is created with an eye toward enduring style and includes pieces that can help continue a sophisticated look outdoors.

Designing Your Outdoor Oasis

Outdoor garden patio with comfy seating
Credit: Deposit Photos

An outdoor space can serve so many purposes — entertaining guests, having a cocktail after work, or working from home. Regardless of the end goal, adding some throw pillows can make your outdoor space even more comfortable and feel a bit more purposefully put together, too.

Choose a bunch of different sizes and shapes for an interesting layered look. Mix and match a solid with a pattern or two to make things more playful. But, if too much design has the opposite effect on you, pick one or two patterns and stick with all solids.

Also, don’t forget to mix and match them along with your other outside essentials like a good rug, side table, lanterns, and planters to complete the aesthetic. After all, every balcony could be an oasis with just a few good accents.

Investing in the Right Luxury Throw Pillows

Whether you’re planning to host summer soirées or you simply want a more serene coffee spot on the porch, updating your outdoor accessories is an effortless way to elevate your space.

With Serena & Lily outdoor throw cushions and throw pillows, you can bring the same care, style, and comfort to your outside rooms as you do to your interior spaces — because they all should feel thoughtfully designed and beautifully furnished.

0

<!–
–>

This hosepipe ban loophole for lawns could rescue your garden this summer – what you need to know about the rules

This hosepipe ban loophole for lawns could rescue your garden this summer – what you need to know about the rules

Even more hosepipe bans have just been announced across England, but we’ve spotted one loophole – and it’s to do with new lawns.

If you’re familiar with hosepipe ban rules, you’ll know there are a few exceptions – and if you’ve just had new turf laid, or you’ve sown a new lawn, you can use a hose despite the restrictions. There are a few caveats, though – and you can only use a hosepipe to water your lawn for a set window, even if it’s brand-new.

Here’s what you need to know – because each water company uses slightly different wording.

Neat green grass lawn behind house with rattan seating area on gravel

(Image credit: Future PLC/Polly Eltes Photography)

New turf

Figuring out when to lay turf is one thing, but if you’ve timed it so that it clashes with the newly announced hosepipe bans under Yorkshire Water, Thames Water and South East Water, you’re probably worrying that all your efforts will go to waste.

Well, don’t fret – there’s a hosepipe ban loophole that allows you to water your freshly-laid turf for up to 28 days. Exact rules vary by region, though.

‘Under the terms of the hosepipe restrictions, you can water newly laid turf for 28 days with a hosepipe,’ says Yorkshire Water on its website.

Thames Water is a little more specific with their wording around this hosepipe ban loophole, advising customers that, ‘You can only use a hose or sprinkler if the laying, sowing or planting was completed by a business as a service.’

Large green grass lawn in front of house surrounded by stone brick edging in garden

(Image credit: Future PLC/Brent Darby Photography Limited)

If your turf fits the bill, the same 28-day rule applies ‘from the day of planting, sowing or turf laying’. You just need to make sure you’re only using your hosepipe to water the new turf, and nowhere else in the garden.

South East Water is even more particular about this hosepipe ban loophole, specifying that you can use a hosepipe for ‘watering of new lawns at domestic premises, where this cannot reasonably be undertaken with a watering can and the turf was laid before the on set of the ban, for a period of 4 weeks after being laid.’ You’ll also need to avoid daily peak hours, which cover 8am to 10pm and 5pm to 9pm.

Green grass lawn with wood chip path and bungalow

(Image credit: Future PLC/Douglas Gibb Photography)

Beyond those 28 days, there are other ways to look after your lawn during a hosepipe ban – you’ll just need to make sure you’re not using a hosepipe, but a watering can or correctly configured drip watering system are great alternatives.

Green grass lawn in front of house with tree and border plants

(Image credit: Future PLC/Clive Nichols Photography)

Fresh grass seed

If you’ve just learned how to overseed your lawn, Yorkshire Water and Thames Water state that this hosepipe ban loophole extends to freshly-sown grass seed as well (in Thames Water’s case, if it was sown by a business as a service).

‘You can water your grass seed for the first 28 days with a hosepipe,’ says Yorkshire Water. ‘After that, you’ll need to use a watering can. Please use the hosepipe sparingly and try to use it for a short amount of time.’

Planted border surrounding grass lawn in garden

(Image credit: Future PLC/Polly Eltes Photography)

That said, though, there are plenty of other ways to water your garden during a hosepipe ban that don’t require a hosepipe – and water companies are encouraging us to seek other alternatives wherever possible.

‘We would hope that anyone who needs to [use a hosepipe to water new turf] would respect the spirit of the restrictions and consider how you can use water wisely whilst doing so,’ Yorkshire Water says.


This hosepipe ban loophole can save our freshly laid lawns, as long as they meet the criteria. If you’re unsure, it’s always best to double-check with your water company first, just to be on the safe side.

Hosepipe bans have been issued for 7 million UK homes – these are all the affected areas

Hosepipe bans have been issued for 7 million UK homes – these are all the affected areas

The first hosepipe bans are coming into effect across the UK, following a third heatwave. These are the areas currently affected and how they apply to you.

You may have been wondering what is a hosepipe ban and the short answer is: it’s a ban on using a hosepipe connected to a mains water supply at your property. These typically come into effect after extended periods of low rainfall and are essentially a drought-prevention measure.

Right now, seven million Brits, that’s around 10% of the population, are facing hosepipe ban restrictions, with Yorkshire Water’s coming into effect last Friday (11 July). Both South East Water and Thames Water are implementing bans in the coming days. If you’ve been wondering, ‘Have I got a hosepipe ban?’, this is everything you need to know.

Yorkshire Water

Yorkshire Water was the first utility company to implement a hosepipe ban this year, with the ban affecting 5.5 million customers across the region.

Garden fork on lawn next to border with flowering plants

(Image credit: Getty Images / Photos by R A Kearton)

This follows the driest spring in the UK since 1893, with Yorkshire Water reporting they hadn’t seen their reservoir levels increase since the last week of January. The ban, also known as a temporary usage ban, affects those who have their freshwater supplies from Yorkshire Water. If Yorkshire Water deals with your wastewater but not your freshwater supply, the ban does not apply to you.

The hosepipe ban prevents customers from using a hosepipe to water their garden or plants, cleaning, cars, patios, their home, windows and pathways, filling a paddling pool, hot tub, plunge pool or swimming pool and filling or maintaining a domestic pond or ornamental fountain.

If you’re wondering how to look after your lawn during a hosepipe ban, you can still carry out the aforementioned activities if you use a bucket or watering can, or use water that has not been sourced from mains water, such as a water butt.

South East Water

The second water to implement a ban will be South East Water. Coming into effect on 18 July (this Friday), 1.4 million people across Kent and Sussex are likely to be affected. The company will also monitor the situation in the parts of Hampshire, Berkshire and Surrey that it supplies.

Sunny garden with terracotta pots, pastel furnishings and black iron garden furniture.

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole)

‘Demand for drinking water in Kent and Sussex has reached record levels since May – with the ongoing warm and dry weather, we’re all using far more water than usual,’ the company said in a statement.

‘This situation has left us with no choice but to restrict the use of hose pipes and sprinklers, so we can help our reservoirs and underground water storage recover.’

South East Water implemented the same ban in the summers of 2022 and 2023.

Thames Water

Coming into effect next Tuesday (22 July), Thames Water’s temporary usage ban is going to affect much of Swindon, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Wiltshire. The restriction will affect 1.1 million people with postcodes beginning OX, GL, SN, RG4, RG8 and RG9.

A neat, green lawn bordered by a pergola and flower beds.

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole)

‘This has been a challenging spring and summer with big spikes in customer demand during hot dry days and very little rainfall to replenish local supplies in the Thames Valley,’ said Nevil Muncaster, strategic water resources director at Thames Water.

‘Given the continued warm, dry weather, we do not anticipate that the situation will improve any time soon, so we have to take action now.’

If you’re not supplied by Yorkshire Water, South East Water or the postcodes stated by Thames Water, this ban does not apply to you. However, I recommend keeping an eye on updates from your water company, as more are expected to follow suit.

Whether your water company decides to impose a hosepipe ban depends on three things: local reservoir water levels, customer demand, and low amounts of rainfall. In the meantime, looking for ways to save water will help you get ready for any further hot weather or droughts this summer.

Garden experts reveal how to achieve Wimbledon’s luscious lawn at home – all you need is this £16 product that ‘makes water wetter’

Garden experts reveal how to achieve Wimbledon’s luscious lawn at home – all you need is this £16 product that ‘makes water wetter’

If you’ve been wondering how Wimbledon have been keeping its grass so pristine in such hot weather, then you’ve landed in the right place as it has been revealed the Wimbledon team use a wetting agent that ‘makes water wetter’, and you can also pick up a version, such as this Premium Wetting Agent (£15.99 at Amazon) for happier, healthier lawn.

There’s no denying that scorching weather can ruin your lawn ideas, leaving you with ugly brown patches. But don’t worry, you can revive a dry lawn, and a wetting agent is something the pros use to do this.

As reported by The Guardian, Neil Stubley, Wimbledon’s head of courts and horticulture, revealed that groundskeepers use a special wetting agent that helps grass absorb moisture more easily. While I haven’t been able to track down exactly what wetting agent the team uses (I’m sure this will remain top secret), I have asked the pros to explain how to use a wetting agent at home. This is what they said.

Garden with large lawn, pathway and trees around borders

(Image credit: Future PLC / Claire Lloyd Davies)

What is a wetting agent?

Now, a wetting agent doesn’t exactly ‘make water wetter’ (as Neil stated in the press), what they do is help water soak more effectively into the soil, preventing it from running off or forming puddles.

a garden with a large, perfectly kept lawn and lots of prairie-style flower planting in the borders

(Image credit: Future/Colin Poole)

‘Wetting agents specifically for lawns work by reducing surface tension in soil water so that water is able to penetrate and spread across the soil more efficiently, which improves how available it is to plants and can reduce water usage. They do not reduce the need for watering, but instead make it easier for water to penetrate the soil and for the soil to hold onto it,’ explains Richard Barker, commercial director of LBS Horticulture.

‘Applying a wetting agent before a heatwave can help to prepare your lawn for the lower amount of moisture that will be available. It can also help to improve the water absorption of the soil and help water to be distributed more evenly.’

For the healthiest lawn, you should use a wetting agent alongside best lawn care practices such as scarifying and aerating your lawn in the spring and autumn and keeping on top of mowing, watering and reseeding in the summer.

outdoor seating area beside a lawn with a corten steel round water feature, bench seating, wild grasses and a firepit

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole)

Should you use a wetting agent in summer?

It’s important to note that wetting agents are typically used for professional lawns, such as golf greens, which have finer grass, but this doesn’t mean you can’t use them at home. And they’re easy to use too, all you need to do is spray the formula over your lawn and let the product do the rest.

Small grass lawn in country garden with flowering border and willow tree

(Image credit: Future PLC/Polly Eltes Photography)

‘I do recommend using a wetting agent during hot spells, especially if your lawn is showing signs of water repellence or you notice water running off. It’s a smart way to make the most of limited water and keep your grass in better shape,’ says Luke Newnes, new build gardening specialist, gardening content creator and member of the Interior Squad at Hillarys.

‘Wetting agents can be especially useful during a hosepipe ban, as they help any water you do use, from a watering can, go much further. It’s a practical tool to help your lawn survive dry spells when watering is restricted.’

A wetting agent can give your lawn an extra boost in extreme temperatures, keeping it happy, healthy and well-hydrated.

TOPICS