The much anticipated and all-new Dobbies Garden World in Aberdeen threw open its doors for the very first time on Friday.

The new store has created 70 new jobs.

The site at Lang Stracht, replacing the existing store near Hazelhead Park, cost £11.6 million to create and has brought 70 new jobs to the local community.

San Francisco-based artist Clark Sorensen caused great interest with his flower-inspired urinals, which are an intriguing feature of the men’s toilets at the new store. Customers can choose between an orchid, an arum lily, a pitcher plant or a more conventional design if they prefer.

Clark Sorensen designed the eye-catching urinals for the new Dobbies store

James Barnes, chief executive of Dobbies, is excited about the trailblazing store and believes it illustrates Dobbies’ commitment to the green issues: “The Aberdeen store is a concept for a new generation of garden centres in the UK and the benchmark from which we will launch all future stores.

“Opening our Aberdeen garden centre is a step towards our future vision to create stores which are carbon neutral.”

The Rose dress was designed by Amanda Montague from Aberdeen's Gray's School of Art.

A fun-filled opening ceremony also featured a model wearing a dress created from roses, paying tribute to the fact the store has been built on the former site of the city’s famous Cockers Roses business.

Dobbies indoor plant advisor Jimmy McRae, 55, who has worked on the site for 40 years, commented: “I’m so proud to be able to help open the new store. I know our customers in Aberdeen will love our new garden centre.”

Enter the chicken house at your own risk – that’s the sign that Michelle Cordell might need after it emerged that her feisty cockerel Dude led three companion hens into battle against an intruding fox. The result? One dead fox and four victorious featherweights.

Foxes beware. The chickens are fighting back.

Cordell, of Basildon, Essex, became aware of the unlikely coop coup when she discovered the vanquished fox in the chicken house during a routine egg collection.

“I was so shocked,” she explained to the Metro website. “When I went to the chicken coup they were all fine but, when I went to the other side, the fox was lying there dead.”

Striking a blow of revenge for chicken-kind against their historic enemy, it seems that Dude, along with hens Izzy, Pongo and the aptly named Pecky, knocked over a table which hit and dazed the young fox who was then mercilessly pecked to death.

Cordell described the scene of devastation that greeted her in the chicken house: “[The fox] had little blood marks on its legs that looked like they had been pecked. It had not been dead long. The fox was not a cub but it was only a young one and Dude and Izzy are big birds.”

The owner had lost a cockerel and a hen at the hands of a fox before Christmas, but it is not known if the culprit from that incident was the victim of the latest battle. However, a vigilante-style revenge attack cannot be ruled out.

Cordell sounded a warning for any fox considering tit-for-tat justice: “I reared Dude from a little chick and he has become very protective over the others. Now he is a murderer.”

No doubt Dude would reject that label and claim he was merely acting in self-defence. But one thing’s for sure: he’s cock o’ the walk now.

Kate Gardner is The Manic Gardener, and her amazing blog is dedicated to the art of organic horticulture. As the name of the site suggests, subjects covered are a little manic, but the blog is a joy to explore.

Organic gardening galore at The Manic Gardener

In fact, variety is The Manic Gardener’s beauty and attraction. As I write this, the blog’s home page includes posts about gardening books, polygamy in Mali, local fauna, the weather and Kate’s knee surgery.

It’s joyfully mad and contains a lot of useful and varied information on organic gardening. Kate draws from an interesting variety of sources that range from her local organic garden centre guru to the U.S department of agriculture. The Manic Gardener shares an amazing breadth of knowledge and includes posts for all, from the technical benefits of Phytoremediation to the dietary benefits of Dandelions.

If you read nothing else on this blog be sure to browse through the 50 Organic Gardening tips and tricks, as it provides an easy to digest guide to organic gardening. Beware, even the most studious of gardeners will find Kate’s personal blog posts hard to resist. So why not indulge in her reports on Abdoulaye, the Mali science student that lives with Kate and is studying “techniques for detecting and preventing potato diseases”.

The Manic Gardener is as Kate describes “an organic gardening blog with twisted roots”, but they are twisted roots well worth unearthing, which is why it’s Dobbies Gardening Blog of the Week.

Carrots and Kids follows fledgling gardener Deb on her countryside adventure, as she invites us into her world, sharing stories, useful tips and stunning photography along the way.

Deb loves to grow things, whether that be flowers, vegetables or children (hence the name of the blog). She puts her passion for horticulture to great use, both at home and on her allotment, as well as running a school gardening club.

Carrots & Kids - Beautiful pictures and a great read

“My blog is, I guess, about how to fit in gardening with everything else that people, and probably mums in particular, have to do. It’s so easy to come bottom of your list of priorities when you have children but if you nudge yourself a little higher up that list via gardening then everyone benefits.

I really want to emphasise that you don’t need to have done courses or be knowledgeable before you start. I remember thinking that there was such a lot to learn about gardening that it put me off for years. But really, all you have to do is just do it.

People are so frightened of plants dying and some will, but lots won’t. Really I just want to inspire others like me who have limited time, knowledge and money.”

Not only is Deb’s blog a brilliant read, it’s also presented beautifully throughout, with a simple layout juxtaposed with a selection of eye-catching images.

So if you’re looking for a well written, vibrant gardening blog, you won’t find any better than Carrots and Kids, which is exactly why it’s Dobbies Gardening Blog of the Week!

The US is the home of barbecue

We had some excellent feedback on last week’s post ‘37 Great Gardening Blogs‘, so we’ve decided to put together another collection, this time with a more specific theme – barbecues.

Those long summer nights might seem a long way away right now, but there’s no harm in getting a few pointers in advance from the people in the know.

Here’s a list of 20 brilliant barbecue blogs from the US:

1. Patio Daddio BBQ – Musings of barbecue, cooking and life – served hot, fresh and saucy by John Dawson, an active member of the Kansas City Barbeque Society.

2. All Things Barbecue – Rod & Sheri Gray began competing in BBQ competitions back in 2001 They cater, teach, and promote barbeque as America’s cuisine and this is their amazing blog.

3. BBQ Blog – Learn about anything and everything to do with barbecues from the ‘BBQ Guy’ himself, Brian Pearcy; writer of more than 725 articles about bbq cooking and winner of numerous awards for his famous spice rubs.

4. Slap Yo Daddy BBQ Blog – The online journal of a two-person competition BBQ team from Diamond Bar, California. A great blog about people who really love barbecue.

5. I QUE – Stories about experimental cooking and another blogger who hits the BBQ competition trail.

6. Nibble Me This – Blogger Chris admits that he’s had no culinary training at all. He just loves to barbecue! This fantastic blog is jam-packed with all kinds of clever tips and delicious recipes.

7. Full Custom Gospel BBQ – A blog dedicated to praising those that have mastered the art of barbecue, visiting and reviewing restaurants throughout Texas. You’ll also find some useful tips about what makes good BBQ.

8. Fat Johnny’s Front Porch – Blogger Johnny invites you to ‘pull up a chair and sit yerself in the shade fer a spell’ as he tells you about his life in Topeka, Kansas, which involves grilling all kinds of delicious food over charcoals.

9. Carolina Sauce Company – The Carolina Sauce Company wants to put an end to boring food by offering the best zesty, full-flavored and fiery barbecue sauces from North Carolina. This is their blog all about their authentic sauces.

10. Q Haven BBQ Blog – Ted Lorson’s stories from the world of competition BBQ. A superb blog from a dedicated barbecue enthusiast.

11. LiveFire – Food explored in areas of traditional barbecuing and grilling. An inventive BBQ blog with lots of stunning photography on show.

12. BigMista’s BBQ Blog – Keep up to date with the goings on of barbecue vendors and husband-and-wife team, Neil and Phyllis Strawder. There’s some great stories to read about and even the odd bit of advice shared.

13. You Gonna Eat That? – Professor Salt, who is part of the ‘Four Q’ Barbecue team, shares his thoughts on food and all things barbecue.

14. Soul Fusion Kitchen – Recipes, cooking tips and much more from barbecue enthusiast Sylvie. Some really good stuff on this blog and definitely worth a read.

15. Only BBQ Ribs – A blog dedicated entirely to reviewing BBQ restaurants on their pork spare ribs. If you’re thinking of grilling your own, you’ll pick up some valuable pointers on this useful little blog.

16. Sizzle on the Grill – Barbecue expert CB shares his wealth of grilling knowledge with the world and if you’ve got a specific question, you can even ask  him directly. A brilliant blog and an excellent read.

17. Don O.’s Texas BBQ Blog – Don loves barbecue and always wanted to spend some vacation time sampling the best BBQ joints in Texas. A few years ago, he (along with his friend Scott) started doing just that and have been doing it every year since. This blog shares the stories behind their “Calories and Cholesterol Tours”.

18. Man Up: Tales of Texas BBQ – Texas is the home of great barbecue and the author of this excellent blog covers the whole state, sharing all kinds of BBQ related tales.

19. Barbecue Grills Plus – The goal of this superb blog, authored by Oregon-based Thom Richards, is to discover and pass on really simple BBQ recipes.

20. BBQ Illuminati – A humorous take on the world of competition barbecue from cooking team ‘R2-BQ’.

We’d be interested to hear from you if you know of any UK based barbecue blogs. Or alternatively, if you think there’s a glaring omission from our list of US blogs, please do get in touch. We can be contacted directly via the contact form.

Dobbies - Sharing amazing gardening blogs

Dobbies love telling people about the amazing gardening blogs we find. Take a look at our Gardening Blogs section to see the brilliant sites we’ve already discovered.

But there’s still thousands of gardening blogs we’ve yet to read, so we’ll continue to highlight the best ones we come across.

Here’s a list of 37 we’ve recently found:

1. A Way to Garden – Visit what the New York Times describes as ‘the best gardening blog they’ve ever seen’, written by former Martha Stewart Living editor Margaret Roach.

2. Helen’s Blog – Musings, tips and gardening advice from Helen Yemm, former television presenter turned lecturer and columnist for the Daily Telegraph’s Saturday Gardening Supplement.

3. Victoria’s Backyard – Voted ‘Best UK Blog’ at the Blotanical Awards and quite simply a must-read for all gardeners.

4. GardenHistoryGirl – A fantastic blog all about garden history. The author herself has a degree on the subject and the articles added are of the very highest standard.

5. We’re Going to Need a Bigger Pot – Written by a full-time lecturer in biology and a part-time PhD student in vertebrate palaeontology.  These two passions were combined in a garden containing largely plants that existed in the Mesozoic era. This is a blog about that garden’s story.

6. May Dreams Gardens – Eccentric US horticulturist Carol blogs about the goings on in her Zone 5 garden in Arizona.

7. Each Little World – The author of this excellent little blog describes herself as an artist by training, a journalist by trade and a gardener by choice.

8. Bay Area Tendrils Garden Travel – US-based blogger, sharing thoughts and pictures of the beautiful gardens in their local area.

9. BG Garden Blog – Author Bren enjoys spending extra time growing, caring and taking photos of life in the garden. She shares all in this excellent blog.

10. Go Away, I’m Gardening! – A fascinating blog, written by a Texas-based gardener and focusing mainly on native and adapted plants from the area.

11. Carrots and Kids – Although this blog isn’t exclusively about gardening, it’s thoroughly entertaining and offers good insights into maintaining a vegetable allotment.

12. Greentapestry – Gardening galore on this blog. From visiting public gardens to working in her greenhouse, this retired teacher loves to share her horticultural experiences.

13. Lost in Landscape – Musings of an artist, loosed in a San Diego garden. Lots of excellent photography and a great read.

14. North Coast Gardening – Superb blog from a landscaper based in the redwoods of Northern California.

15. Allotment Heaven – A popular online diary about the goings-on in a Hampshire-based allotment.

16. Gwirrel’s Garden – Author Liz gardens organically and where possible gardens for nature with most, if not all plants being brought in to attract wildlife. Lots of photography and very interesting indeed.

17. The Good Life – Share the journey as Leeds-based gardener Jo attempts growing edibles on her allotment.

18. Name That Plant – Brilliant blog from a landscape designer, writer and photographer living in the Pacific Northwest.

19. InterLeafings – US gardener Laura has had a lifelong love affair with plants, gardens and all the creatures in them. This is her blog.

20. Welsh Hills Again – A blog about the goings on in two acres of land in the Welsh countryside and a great read.

21. Veg Plot – The journal of a keen gardener and proud allotment owner.

22. Frugilegus – Describes itself as ‘a little chronicle of my adventures with mud and things that grow’, which doesn’t do this lovely blog justice.

23. BLISS – The interesting blog of a dutch based writer, garden & interior designer and translator. Some posts are actually written in two lanuguages.

24. Idaho Small Goat Garden – The online journal of an Idaho-based farm, which always has lots of interesting tales to share.

25. Gardening While Intoxicated – Elizabeth Licata is an avid Buffalo-based gardener, who also blogs for Garden Rant. This is her personal blog, which is jam-packed with green fingered goodness.

26. Take it Outside – The blog of US-based landscape design expert Mike Brown. A great mix of funny stories and great insights.

27. Kitchen Garden – Another UK-based allotment addict and another excellent blog. Well worth a read.

28. Prairie Rose’s Garden -Rose admits that she’s a late bloomer when it comes to gardening, but now she’s retired, she fully intends to make up for lost time. All of her adventures are recorded on this fantastic blog.

29. Rus in Urbis – Stories about trying to live a country-life in London and a very good read.

30. Shedworking – The only daily updated guide to the lifestyles of shedworkers and those who work in shedlike atmospheres.

31. The Balcony Garden – Award winning blog about container gardening from author Sue Swift.

32. The Bike Garden – The enthralling online diary of a Texas based gardener and the adventures he encounters.

33. The Garden Monkey – A lighthearted blog about the funnier side of gardening.

34. The Inelegant Gardener – Another blisteringly funny and well-written blog about the ups and downs of gardening in the UK.

35. The Manic Gardener – An organic gardening blog by a ‘wannabe Westerner, a city girl in search of greener pastures’. Packed full of great articles and well worth a visit.

36. This is My Patch – Join Louise on her adventure as she attempts to recreate Eden in her own back garden in West Sussex.

37. Tiny Farm Blog – A blog about organic micro-farming in Ontario Canada. A great read and always interesting subject matter.

We love telling the world about gardening blogs, so if you know of one that we should feature, please feel free to contact us and let us know.

Lucy Summers is an award-winning garden designer and Greenfingers Guides is the name of both her blog and the excellent series of horticultural books she produces.

Learn how to construct your dream garden with Greenfingers Guides

Although the blog is still very much in it’s infancy, it’s certainly worth paying Greenfingers a visit as there’s already some excellent articles to read, such as a mini-guide to Tulips and advice on winter digging.

The blog also represents a chance to connect with Lucy directly and make the most of her undoubted expertise. She says “Gardening is a practical and fun thing to do and by checking out all my useful advice I am going to help you to create your dream garden”.

I expect Lucy’s blog to continue to blossom and become an invaluable resource, jam-packed with information and useful ideas from a respected industry expert.

And for that reason, Greenfingers Guides is our Gardening Blog of the Week.

Rattan Furniture

Desser rattan furniture is widely regarded as some of the best wicker furniture money can buy and many of their pieces are suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.

Desser Jakarta Pulut Rattan 3 Seater Sofa

Often used as conservatory or patio furniture, Desser’s products have become synonymous with quality, durability and excellent value.

Dobbies are proud to stock a wide selection of Desser products including rattan chairs, sofas (pictured), foot stools and many other excellent pieces. You can view our entire range of Desser furniture by clicking here.

About Desser

Desser is a well established brand that’s been supplying Britain with quality rattan, cane and wicker conservatory furniture since 1919.

The origins of the company are particularly fascinating and date back to the First World War, when a young British soldier by the name of Isaac Desser was serving in Belgium. Desser became acquainted with a local craftsman who was producing various types of attractive basketware.

Seeing an opportunity, Desser began to import the products to Britain on his return from the war and the rest as they say, is history.

Currently based in Cheetham, the company continues to flourish and is the country’s leading importer and distributer of cane furniture and wickerware.

Interesting Fact

Many people get confused when they hear the word ‘rattan’ in association with wicker furniture. To clear up any confusion, ‘rattan’ is one of the plants that wicker furniture is made with. The term ‘wicker’ itself refers to the process of weaving the rattan vines to create the furniture.

Matthew Appleby’s Gardening Blog is a thoroughly entertaining read, which always generates great interest amongst the gardening community.

Writing for Horticultural Week, Matthew certainly takes a lighthearted approach to his articles, which he describes as “offering an insider’s view of the world of horticulture”.

Matthew Appleby - Offering insights into the horticultural world

Sometimes controversial, always witty and often painfully honest with his frank opinions, Matthew always gets people talking (or commenting to be more precise).

It seems that nearly every article Matthew writes, he receives a mixture of critical, inquisitive and positive responses, but what’s nice is that he takes the time to respond to all of them and joins in with the ongoing conversation.

I think it’s fair to say that the blog often strays from focusing purely on gardening, but the tangents Matthew takes are funny and entertaining, somehow always managing to find his way back to the world of horticulture.

With such an engaging writing-style it’s hardly surprising that Matthew has now taken his horticultural views to a wider audience, with his regular column in the Telegraph.

And as if that wasn’t enough, Matthew Appleby’s Gardening Blog is now Dobbies Gardening Blog of the Week.

The Tiny Farm Blog is a daily photo journal recording the happenings on a small organic farm in Ontario Canada.

Tiny Farm Blog - A daily photo journal

Starting back in 2002 with very little experience and a tiny farm, the author of the blog now runs his vegetable plot full-time and has moved to a much larger farm. It’s quite a story and this fine blog charts much of that progress.

It’s very interesting to read about what goes on inside a working vegetable farm and as you might expect, there are lots of interesting stories and useful advice shared in every entry.

What’s particularly useful is seeing how the farm copes with the varying weather conditions through the different seasons. And again, there’s lots to learn from his experiences.

So whether you want to learn about winter vegetable farming, how to deal with pests, maintaing a greenhouse or any other conceivable subject, the Tiny Farm Blog probably has the information you need.

And even if it doesn’t, it’s still a brilliant read so make sure you pay it a visit.