Discover the CLEVER STUFF set to transform your outside living this year
2024 SPECIAL
Enjoying the good life outside just got a whole lot easier thanks to these ground-breaking products. From taking the bore out of garden chores to upping the ante when it comes to alfresco entertaining, plus being kinder to our environment, they’re set to change the way we enjoy our outdoor spaces. Yes, some come with hefty pricetags but rest assured, once demand increases and other manufacturers adopt the tech, the ideas will filter down through the market, bringing the costs down with them.
SELF-WATERING STRAWBERRY POT
The trick to a bumper strawberry harvest is to keep the plants watered just-enough but never-too-much. And this self-watering planter sorts that Goldilocks moisture level with zero hassle, with a water reservoir so the plants can take up just as much water as they need. It’s easy to top up through the front opening and means no water is wasted. Made from recycled plastics, the tall legs also keep your prize crop away from pesky slugs and other nibblers. Elho Green Basics Strawberry Pot, £22.99, available from January 1, elho.com.
REUSABLE SOWING CELLS
Love to grow your own? The Germie is a compact, reusable kit designed to provide optimal conditions for seed development, encouraging good root growth and allowing easy extraction without damaging your baby plants. Made from locally sourced recycled plastic and fully recyclable, it’s guaranteed for 10 years and available in three sizes. Germie M – Medium Seed Germinator for 25 Plants, £19.95 buygermie.co.uk
SELF-CLEANING BARBECUE
This next-gen electric barbecue has a nifty auto-clean function so your grill is always spick and span. Thanks to the power of pyrolysis, fat or burnt matter is quickly incinerated by direct heat to leave the grill spotless. Powered by electricity, we can’t only imagine how easy a quick alfresco fry-up would be with TRU-Infrared technology that ensures a constant cooking temperature across the grill, as well as retaining moisture within the food, and a smart dial for accurate temperature control. Smart-E BBQ, £799.99 charbroil.co.uk
SOLAR-HEATED OUTDOOR SHOWER
As our gardens and homes increasingly become part of the same hybrid living space, we’re seeing lots of outdoor versions of traditionally indoor stuff. This freestanding design captures the sun’s energy in the sleek base and simply connects to a hose for free warm water. Hozelock Outdoor Solar Shower, £199.99 garden4less.co.uk
BIODEGRADABLE WOOL POTS
Made sustainably from waste wool, these pots are strong, easy to store and, best of all, plants love them too – the wool naturally repels slugs and snails and encourages water to condense at the roots. And if you want to pop the plant in the ground, pot and all, it’ll
