GARDENING is not just for people with lots of outdoor space.

By planting upwards, you create a living wall that makes the most of a patio or balcony.

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Here’s how to create a vertical garden on a budget. . .

PALLET PLANTS: One or two wooden pallets will work wonders in creating your dream garden and it’s quite easy to get your hands on them for free.

Just ask on Facebook or other local community groups and you can usually find a few that are no longer wanted. Just sand away any rougher bits.

To plant directly onto the pallet you’ll need a staple gun and garden supplies – from £7 at B&Q. Stretch the fabric around the back, bottom end and sides of the pallet and staple it in place, leaving the top end and front slats open for watering.

While the pallet rests on the ground with its back, fill it with potting soil via the slats, leaving enough space for plants.

For shady walls, try planting flowers such as viola and violets. For sunnier spots, try petunias. You can also add different types of grasses to create more greenery.

After planting, tip the pallet on its side. If you have small children or the pallet seems unstable, try attaching it to the wall with screws.

EATING WALL: Vertical gardens can also work well for growing vegetables and herbs. But it is best not to plant directly into the pallet because of chemicals that may have been used to treat the wood.

Instead, attach pots to the slats of the pallet if it’s on its side – and grow from there.

To attach pots, wrap metal wire around the pots and then around the wood.

Upcycle jars, plastic pots and other containers to make pots and save on buying new ones.

You can also give your pallet and pots a lick of colorful paint.
Basil, strawberries, thyme, coriander, lettuce leaves and peppers are among the food crops that can be grown in the pots.

• All prices on the page are correct at the time of going to press. Offers and offers subject to availability.

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A HOME decor expert shared how she transformed her balcony into a gathering spot with affordable Walmart purchases.

Her home renovation even included a budget-friendly lemonade bar.

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Alexandra (@alexandrareynolds_) shared her interior design ideas in a TikTok video.

“Turned my boring apartment balcony into an outdoor oasis with affordable finds from Walmart,” she said.

She grabbed $30 steel trash cans, $15 bins, $12 plates and $20 pillows from the home section of Walmart to store her belongings.

For her balcony’s main focal point, she chose a $598 sectional rug and a matching rattan rug for rest and relaxation.

An $80 Better Homes & Gardens bar cart and a $23 drink dispenser were parts of her DIY lemonade bar.

Once home, she assembled the sectional and placed it in a corner, overlooking her balcony.

Next to her resting place she placed the cart, filled with containers for lemonade cups, ice, sparkling water and the drink dispenser filled with lemonade.

Others have also given their patios a complete makeover with affordable finds.

Kristya DIY expert, took on the project after growing tired of her opinions.

“This side of the patio needed a makeover and honestly, I was tired of staring at our air conditioning units,” she said.

In addition to a makeover, she explained that she desperately needed some privacy.

“I gave my porch a DIY patio makeover and added this privacy wall – provides so much shade and changed the whole patio design,” she said.

With a quick trip to Home Depot, she grabbed wooden slats to assemble her wall.

She sanded the wood and gave the slats a quick paint job.

Kristy couldn’t have been happier with the end result once the wall was up.

“This louvered wall provides so much shade on this side of the patio,” she said.

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Hay fever sufferers are already bracing themselves after Britain received its first pollen warning for 2024, weeks earlier than normal.

Usually the season of sniffing, sore eyes and runny noses begins at the end of March, when the weather begins to warm up, with the result that plants begin to produce pollen.

However, experts claim that the recent spring-like weather has caused a surge in plant growth, causing an early release of alder pollen.

It comes as Brits are also starting to spend more time in the garden as we prepare for spring and warmer weather.

To make sure hay fever doesn’t hold you back, Brian Davenport, co-founder of The Solar Center, has listed the five plants you shouldn’t have in your garden if you suffer from allergies.

1. RAAEGRAS

The first plant banned from the experts’ list is ryegrass, one of the most common grass species in Britain.

It is popular for its durability, easy germination and ability to thrive in cold and wet climates.

But Davenport explained that it’s not an ideal option for allergy sufferers because it is wind-pollinated — meaning pollen is loosened by the wind and spread through the air, eventually landing on our skin, in our nose and mouth and causes allergies.

He added: ‘Grass pollen is the most irritating pollen type for hay fever sufferers, and an estimated 90 per cent of people with the allergy are affected.

‘Unfortunately, ryegrass is common on British lawns, so it is difficult to remove it from your garden if it is already present. If it’s seriously bothering you, it may be time to consider artificial grass.

‘Otherwise, the easiest way to minimize symptoms is to mow your lawn, which will prevent flowering and minimize pollen production.’

2. DAISIES

Despite their delicate appearance, pods are one of the worst plants for hay fever sufferers due to wind pollination.

The expert reveals: ‘Like ryegrass, daisy pollen becomes airborne and can become a major source of irritation and classic hay fever symptoms such as watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing, itching and coughing.’

He warns that chamomile flowers are in the same family and can have exactly the same effect.

We advise that it is best to remove any stages from your lawn and not plant them in flower beds or hanging baskets.

3. Ragweed

Third on the expert’s list of plants to avoid is ragweed, one of the most allergenic plants on this list.

Making itself a problem for allergy sufferers, ragweed can grow just a few inches or more than a meter in height and produce up to a billion strands of pollen during its lifespan.

Davenport says: ‘Like the other plants mentioned, ragweed pollen is very lightweight, so it can be easily moved in the wind and wreak havoc on allergy-affected immune systems, so removal from your garden is essential.

‘The easiest way to get rid of it is to spray the bunches with herbicide in early summer while they are still growing.’

He suggests, “You can also pull out the ragweed by hand. Gather as much of the root as possible in a gloved hand and pull hard, then dig up the remaining roots with a hoe to prevent regrowth.

‘It’s incredibly difficult to remove every bit of ragweed when there’s a lot of it in your outdoor space, but removing as much as possible can reduce the irritation.’

4. SUNFLOWERS

Sunflowers are a favorite in British gardens and easily brighten up dull spaces. But unfortunately, they do pose a problem for people with allergies.

The head of a sunflower is filled with pollen, which can be loosened by even the slightest breeze. The larger they are, the more pollen they will spread.

But that is not such a big problem, the garden expert explains.

‘Fear not, because sunflower lovers can simply choose to plant pollen-free sunflower varieties.

‘For example, the ‘Firecracker’ sunflowers are a dwarf species that only grows to a height of 90 cm.

“It is relatively much smaller than common sunflowers, which can grow to over six feet, but it has an orange-yellow color, similar to a classic sunflower,” Davenport suggests.

5. CHRYSANTHEMUMS

Finally, if you want to add some color to your garden this spring, you may want to use a few chrysanthemums if you have hay fever.

Despite their beauty, they have airborne pollen grains that can cause severe irritation due to the concentration of pollen between multiple flower heads.

The expert advises: ‘If you have chrysanthemums in your garden, you can exchange them for roses and peonies. The pollen of roses is too large to travel through the air and peonies are more likely to be pollinated by insects than by the wind.

‘Ultimately, there are plenty of plant-based alternatives that are safe for hay fever patients and that are just as beautiful as the allergenic plants mentioned.’

The advice comes just after Gardeners’ World star Monty Don released crucial advice, warning people to wait when it comes to one specific spring gardening task.

The British horticulturist and broadcaster, 68, advised his fans on his monthly blog about one thing they absolutely ‘shouldn’t’ do until ‘at least June’.

In the section entitled ‘Bulbs’ he wrote: ‘Do NOT cut back, tie off or tidy up the leaves of flower bulbs, but allow them to die naturally as next year’s flower is created by the photosynthesis of the foliage.’

The royal family celebrated its first lesbian wedding after King George V's great-granddaughter married her Australian girlfriend in a fun outdoor ceremony in New South Wales, Australia.

Aristocrat Ellen Lascelles, 39, made history when she tied the knot this week with Channtel McPherson, better known as 'Chan', in a ceremony in Byron Bay Hinterland, making the couple the first all-female wedding couple in the royal diaspora .

Ellen, the niece of David Lascelles, 8th and current Earl of Harewood, exchanged vows with her boyfriend and sealed their union with a kiss in front of a beautiful handmade celebration banner that read 'Here Come The Brides'.

The newlyweds, who live Down Under, will become a blended family of five as Ellen has a son, Jack, and daughter, Penny, with her Australian ex-boyfriend, while Chan, a design company owner, has a daughter. Raf.

When Ellen's grandparents, the Earl and Countess of Harewood, married, the reception was held at St James's Palace and attended by George VI and his wife, Queen Elizabeth.

However, Ellen Lascelles opted for a very different wedding, outdoors in the Australian gem with an Elysium of rolling green hills, breathtaking vistas, lush rainforest and waterfalls.

“Channtel and I surrounded ourselves with almost all of our favorite people in the world and had the funniest, hottest, most loving day I could ever imagine,” said Ellen, the eldest daughter of David Lascelles' youngest brother, Jeremy.

Ellen's son, Jack, wrote 'an astonishing acknowledgment of his country' to express his gratitude and respect for the Arakwal people, whose land in the Bundjalung, Ellen said, 'we were fortunate to marry on'.

She added: “And Penny and Raff were just a couple of little dream girls dressed in white.”

Ahead of the historic wedding, Ellen had joyfully informed friends of their engagement by posting the news online.

“On New Year's Day, Chan asked me to marry him and turned an incredible 2022 into an even more incredible 2023,” Ellen said.

“Two proposals in one day, plus a cat ring to seal the deal until we make a real engagement ring,” adds event manager Ellen.

A playful character, she has described herself as a 'left-handed free spirit and full-time dreamer' and elsewhere as a 'sunny vegan snack queen'.

She and her equally glamorous younger sister, Amy, once dressed up in fake tiaras and offered fitness classes that culminated in her lifting a 20-pound dumbbell (“the weight of an average royal corgi”) before Prince William's wedding and Kate Middleton.

But Ellen was completely serious about Chan's proposal, saying she's “floating on a love cloud.”

To prove the point, she posted a photo of herself with Chan – formerly manager of Bang-On T-shirts – looking radiant as they enjoy beach time together.

It is not the first same-sex marriage within the wider royal family. That milestone was celebrated by Lord Ivar Mountbatten – great-nephew of Lord ('Dickie') Mountbatten.

In 2018, seven years after divorcing Penny Thompson, with whom he has three daughters, Ivar married James Coyle, a cabin services director in Glasgow.

Ivar and Penny remained close friends, and the former royal husband even gave it away at his wedding.

ONE of Britain's biggest outdoor retailers has announced it will close a branch less than a year after opening on the high street.

Go Outdoors, which has almost 100 locations across the UK, has confirmed it will close a store in North Staffordshire.

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Go Outdoors is a go-to store for travelers and sports enthusiasts, the retail giant sells everything from camping gear to fishing gear.

The Go Outdoors quick store, which opened on Newcastle-under-Lyme High Street last year, will close its doors for good on April 6.

Local media reports announcing that the sale boards were closing went up last week, announcing that all inventories had been reduced by at least 30%.

The city has been hit by several store closures, losing all its WHSmith, Millets, Wilko and Clarks since early 2023.

Locals took to Facebook after hearing the news, with many claiming it was devastating to the area.

One user said: “This is not good news for Newcastle city centre.”

“I need to take a look,” someone else said.

A third user claimed: “If it really goes ahead there will be another big blow to the city.”

What happens to the main street?

Several other retailers have struggled to make ends meet in recent years.

Energy costs have risen and more consumers than ever are choosing to order online instead of going to the store.

This leaves some retailers struggling with budgets and having no choice but to close stores to cut costs.

Struggling fashion brand Superdry has said it is exploring various “cost-saving options” as it considers a major restructuring including store closures and job cuts.

Boots revealed it would close 300 stores over the next year as part of plans to develop its brand.

Major banks have also announced the closure of several branches.

Barclays will begin pulling down the shutters at fourteen locations in England, three in Wales and three in Scotland from April.

Even thrift stores are having a hard time Oxfam confirmed last year that it would close eight of its UK stores.

But some stores are bucking the trend and opening new locations.

Primark said it will open five new stores, with one coming within weeks.

Frasers Group has announced it will take over the former John Lewis site in the Queensgate Shopping Centre, Peterborough, to open another new concept store.

B&M will open six new locations in early 2024, including in former Wilko stores that it took over.

WHSmith has said it plans to open 15 new stores in Britain, but these will not be on the high street.

Avon plans to open stores in Britain for the first time in its more than 100-year history.

Costco plans to open 14 new locations in Britain over the next two years, while Greggs will add 160 locations this year.

See the full list of stores opening on the high street in our overview.

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A major outdoor retailer is closing one of its branches for the final time today, as more and more iconic stores across the UK continue to disappear.

Regatta announced late last month that it would close its store in Chatham's Dockside Outlet Centre, Kent.

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The infamous 'Closing Down Sale' signs were visible in store windows for weeks.

A spokesperson for the retailer told The Sun: “Regatta has not taken the decision to close its store in Chatham's Dockside Outlet Center lightly.

“The closure follows challenging footfall in the center and coincides with the expiry of the store's lease.”

Shoppers and residents have been devastated by the news of another store closing and have taken to Facebook to express their disappointment.

One customer wrote: 'Many more units will close soon.

While another added: “There won't be anything left here soon.”

A third commented: “Another bites the dust.”

Regatta, which specializes in the sale of outdoor equipment, has many renowned branches in the United Kingdom.

The closure of the Kent branch comes after several outdoor retailers, including Go Outdoors and Trespass, closed their stores last month.

Due to high inflation and rising energy prices, British high streets and iconic stores are closed more often than ever.

The Center for Retail Research recently revealed that more than 10,000 stores and almost 120,000 retail jobs will be lost by 2023.

Last Christmas saw the biggest drop in retail sales since January 2021, when the country was still under Covid-19 restrictions.

These sales declines have hit UK retailers hard, a trend that is being exacerbated as consumers increasingly turn to online shopping.

SHOPPERS are in shock after a major outdoor retailer with 60 UK branches is preparing to close one of its locations for good.

Regatta has announced that it will close its store at the Dockside Outlet Center in Chatham, Kent, on February 3.

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A spokesperson for the retailer, which sells everything from waterproof jackets to trousers and shoes, confirmed the closure to The Sun.

They said: “Regatta has not taken the decision to close its store in Chatham's Dockside Outlet Center lightly.

“The closure follows challenging footfall in the center and coincides with the expiry of the store's lease.”

The spokesperson added that staff were given notice of the closure within a notice period.

The news of the closure was received with shock by local residents and shoppers.

One said: “There won't be anything here soon,” while a second said: “Many more units will close soon.”

A third commented: “Another one bites the dust” and a fourth simply added: “Shame!”

It comes after a number of other outdoor clothing retailers announced store closures in recent months.

Last week, Go Outdoors said it would permanently close one of its Express stores in Warrington, Cheshire.

The retailer did not say when the store would close, but signs at the front of the store indicated it wouldn't be open much longer.

It comes after a Go Outdoors branch in Oxford closed for the last time in December.

Meanwhile, Trespass, which has more than 300 UK stores, yesterday pulled the plug on its stores in Blackburn, Lancashire, in a shock to locals.

The retailer announced in July last year that it would close six branches in the coming months.

In December, Millets, known for its outdoor clothing, footwear and equipment, announced it was pulling down the shutters of a Wokingham store following a closure sale.

It came after the retailer closed branches Inverness and Mansfield.

The high street has been hit hard in recent years as consumers increasingly focus on online stores and away from physical stores.

Soaring inflation in 2023 also caused households to cut back on spending as retailers faced high energy and labor costs.

Recent data from the Center for Retail Research shows that more than 10,000 stores will close for the last time in 2023, while 120,000 employees in the sector will lose their jobs.

Some notable brands went bankrupt, including Wilko, Paperchase and M&Co.

Meanwhile, pharmacy chain Boots announced it would consolidate its branch portfolio from 2,200 to 1,900 in June.

However, the retailer said it would only close stores in areas where there was more than one location.

But it's not all bad news for the high street, as a number of retailers have expanded their portfolios.

In addition, B&M will open 17 new locations in January and February, including in former Wilko stores.

Asda also plans to open 21 new locations before the end of the month.

Major brand WHSmith recently announced plans to also open 15 new stores in the UK.

Wilko has also since relaunched across the high street, while Paperchase has opened hundreds of concession stores in Tesco superstores.

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By Kinta Walsh-cotton for Daily Mail Australia

Published: 07:14 EST, January 28, 2024 | Updated: 07:14 EST, January 28, 2024

A MAJOR high street brand will pull the plug on one of its stores today – as locals mourn the “shock” closure.

Outdoor clothing retailer Trespass will today pull down the shutters on its outlet in Blackburn, Lancashire.

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The chain, which sells a variety of its own brand of jackets, clothing, socks, shoes, boots and outdoor equipment, closed some of its more than 300 stores last year.

Trespass had no plans to move staff to other nearby stores. This is reported by the Lancashire Telegraph.

Many customers have now taken to social media to share their disappointment with the decision.

“Oh no, I used to come here a lot,” said one user.

A second chimed in: “I'm just shocked.

“I can't believe how many store closures are happening in Lancashire.”

The company announced in July last year that it would close six branches.

More main street closures

Many retail chains will close their branches in 2024 and some will leave the shopping streets completely in 2023.

Rising costs and a lack of customers have made it difficult for even the largest retailers to survive.

Perhaps the biggest shock of last year was the bankruptcy of the popular discount chain Wilko.

It disappeared from the high street after no buyer was found to take over the entire company.

The Range purchased the Wilko brand name and website and has since opened three concept stores in Plymouth, Exeter and Luton.

Stationary chain Paperchase also went bankrupt in 2023, but has since resurfaced in certain Tesco branches.

Other retailers such as Boots, Poundland and Jack Wills all closed branches in 2023.

According to the British Retail Consortium, 6,000 stores have closed since 2018.

Even more changes are in store in 2024, as a number of major retailers look to shake up their portfolios.

Major retailers such as Boots, Costa Next and Sports Direct will close a number of locations.

We've got the full list of stores closing in 2024, including branches of Argos and WHSmith.