Garden digest: April

Plants and animals in harmony

In a circle-of-life kind of way, the innovative Ozarium is genius in its simplicity – the perfect symbiosis between the plant and animal worlds.

This portable mini eco-system works like a natural aquarium – the fish are fed and produce waste rich in ammonia, which is then converted by bacteria into nitrites, which is in turn converted into nitrates.

The water from the aquarium is pumped to the plants, which absorb the nitrates necessary for their growth and thus purify the water in the vegetable aquarium. Easy!

Ideal for ecologically-minded children, available from citizenfarm.fr, from €59.

Ore inspiring

One of the more outré garden trends predicted by style experts in France (and spotted at last year’s Chelsea Flower Show) for 2018 is the use of reclaimed industrial offcuts. So that old, rusty corrugated sheet behind the shed needs to be wiped down and used more prominently – it will work wonders on your borders.

Equally on trend are mechanical spare parts – so head to your local brocante immediately for a rummage.

Light and sound on show

Biossun are 100% eco-designed, 100% French gazebos and bioclimatic patios that strike the perfect balance between your outdoor spaces, the comfort of those seated there, and climatic conditions.

This is achieved by regulating the temperature of the patio while protecting you from either the sun’s rays or bad weather using motor-driven, adjustable blades that swivel through 175°.

When it rains, a built-in weather station closes the blades made in primary aluminium (a completely recyclable material) to keep you dry.

Prices vary according to the size of your patio. See www.biossun.com for more.

Get inspired

A great way to find new ideas for your garden is to visit festivals and garden shows around France.

One of the most celebrated festivals for innovative garden design takes place at Chaumont-sur-Loire (Loir-et-Cher). This year’s event kicks off on April 24, when 30 new gardens will be unveiled under the theme ‘Garden of thought’. www.domaine-chaumont.fr

Elsewhere, on May 1 in Brest, Finistère, there will be a Plant Day in a beautiful wooded setting, along the Stangalar valley. At the gates of the Botanical Garden, sixty exhibitors will be selling plants. archeauxplantes.jimdo.com/fêtes-des-plantes

And in Pleurtuit, Ille-et-Vilaine, the annual Expo-Jardin takes place over the weekend of May 26-27. www.pleurtuit.com