Plant of the month - Beautiful Dianthus

You may know this months Plant of the Month as its more common name - the carnation. So pretty and so easy to grow too! They're super hardy, love the sun and are drought AND frost resistant. Perfect for old Canberra town.

A great weed suppressor and very low maintenance, they require no special pruning or spraying. You can literally forget about them, just like the one in my garden! Best thing is they don't become a pesky weed themselves, unlike many other perennials can.

But mostly, they are just BEAUTIFUL. We've got some stunning deep red ones available at Bliss right now as well as pretty Candy Floss pink.

Del Sol Recycled Glassware

Hi, our name is Bliss Garden & Giftware and it's been 6 month since our last blog post....

But we're back!

And we've got goodies. Today's post is all about our latest range of glassware from one of our fave brands Ecology.

The Del Sol range is made from 100% recycled glass - maintaining the Ecology philosophy of reducing the environmental impact of products and packaging wherever possible in daily life.

The beautiful chunky tumblers come in tall and short for $7.95 and $6.95 respectively. Also in the range are the stunning serving bowls ($39.95) and round platters ($49.95). 

Can one ever have too many handbags?

Ah, the age old question... Well we don't have a definitive answer but we do have some pretty lovely new handbags for your perusal. They'll most likely have you drooling all over your keyboard so get a napkin ready asap.





The latest collection from Melbourne designers b.sirius have dropped and have been SO popular we have already ordered a second delivery. The new range features lush greens, warm winter browns, deep reds and the ever classic black in designs to suit all uses. Big totes, clutches, wallets, over shoulder handbags and even a very spiffy organiser that also doubles as an iPad cover.

Also new in are some fab new pieces from NZ design house Citta that include some pretty rad cosmetic bags (starting at $14.95) and yummy Coin Purses ($29.95). The 'Eva' Yellow Handbag is to die for ($99.95) and the super lush Kenmei Apple Tote ($94.95) is just plain NICE! Drool away folks.

Visit us at Pialligo to see for yourself or check out our online store for these and other goodies.

Heavenly Wood Block Stamps

One of our exciting discoveries late last year were these beautiful wood block stamps hand carved by artisans in India. They are designed and imported to Australia by Dhruva from Heavenly Abode in Byron Bay. Our first lot of stamps sold out very quickly and we have now restocked with more beauties. Come and discover them too!

They are perfect for stamping on paper, card and fabric. Or maybe you're a potter? They work a treat embossing pottery.

Starting at just $4.95 for these teeny weeny ones (below), they are available in several assorted designs like birdies and flowers.

How about these ones? They're around 4-6cm in size and just $9.95 each.

Or maybe you just want to hang this one on your wall?

Asheef and Kumar are some of the masters that carve Heavenly Abode's block stamps.

Orange!

Apricot, cantaloupe, carrot, coral, peach, red-yellow, salmon, tangerine... Whatever you call it one of our favourite colours this season at Bliss is ORANGE. Guaranteed to brighten even the dreariest of days it matches with many neutrals for a pop of colour. We wandered the shop yesterday snapping all things orange and thought we'd share them with you. What do you think?

Anna Chandler doormats from $49.95, Glazed Ball Pots from $69, Anna Chandler Tea Towels $12.95, Lightweight Scarves $29.95, Bohemian Clay Vases from $59.95, Urban Rituelle Soap in Mango $3.95, Ceramic Rose Doorknobs $12.95, Handpainted Ceramic Bowls from $19.95, Embroidered Throw Cushions from $59.95.

Easy DIY Water Features

One of our favourites at Bliss this summer are our DIY (plug in and go) water features. Available in several sizes and colours they are super easy to assemble and will suit a great range of gardens or courtyards.

Some regular customers of ours in Ainslie very kindly let us take some pics of their Kos Jar fountain which they purchased not long ago. It looks AMAZING! Placed against the stunning rendered wall it has complimented the existing wall fountain perfectly.

We have a great range of sizes, colours and styles in the nursery this summer so if this looks like the kind of garden you want then come and see us.


Here's Iain's tips for a quick and successful installation.

• Place base on flat surface.
• Sit Urn into the base.
• Slip hose onto pump – no clips or screws needed.
• Make sure the top of the Urn is level. Even when you get the base level the inside of the base may not be. Usually you can get the urn level by spinning it around in the base until you find level.
• Fill base with water. The urn itself doesn’t fill with water.
• Pump plugs into normal power plug.
• Sometimes the pump is a little over enthusiastic when first switched on. You may need to turn it down using the volume dial on the pump.