The “Micro” Mat measures 37x50cm the perfect size for all sorts of situations and locations. Here’s just a few:

• Festival/camping essential to keep tents mud free – the perfect “glam-ping” accessory

• Caravanning – perfect doorway size, because Turtle Mats deserve   a holiday too!

• Pet mats – for food and drink bowls

• Kneeling mats – appealing to the gardener in us to avoid muddy knees

• Car foot-well mats

So go take a peek (you can nip straight there by clicking on the picture) and now for the best bit….they’re only £14.95 each and until the end of July we’re offering free postage* when you quote offer code MM88.

* free delivery offer is available to UK mainland addresses only, postage saving for Micro Mat orders is £4.95, postage saving for Micro Mat orders with Turtle Vac is £7.50.

No longer is spring hiding its modesty behind early morning frosts and hazy showers, now it is out in all its splendor; our gardens and their visitors are testament to that.  We have an abundance of colour from poeticus daffodils proudly and fragrantly showing us their wares to the blossom in its final farewell for the year, leaving in its wake a confetti-like trail of petals.

Our “Turtle Towers” visitors are still setting up camp around our feeders. We have desperately been trying to snap a few shots of our resident yellow hammer but he seems to be a little camera shy! The Jackdaws in all their foreboding menace are however strutting around the feeders like Mike Jagger at his finest and have been since about the beginning of the month. Also spotted: finches, sparrows and tits. No return however of the woodpecker.

Of course, how could we forget April also means spiders – whether you love them or loathe them you’ll find them basking on some sunny wall. When dealing with our eight-legged friends we tend to follow the old English rhyme:

“If you wish to live and thrive, let a spider run alive.”

We’ve been propagating like crazy– white Black Eyed Susan (Thunbergia alata Alba) for which we are having mixed success with only 50% germinating, the ubiquitous sweet peas, Cosmos and other annuals; as well as veg a plenty.

Finally, there’s some rain forecast for this weekend (typically just in time for the bank holiday!) so if you plan to be out in the garden come rain or shine like us, then don’t forget your Turtle Mat at the back door for those muddy wellies!

The Turtle Mat garden, although quietly coming to life, is seeing some impressive bird activity already. Amongst our usual winter visitors – finches, robins and blue tits, we have spotted yellow hammers and a great spotted woodpecker, so twitching here is almost a full time job!

We’ll try to keep you up-to-date on our visitors in future posts, with a few snaps if they’ll stay put long enough.

We missed the opportunity to plant bulbs in autumn so the garden isn’t as colourful as it could be – we’re reliant on several different coloured Cornus for a bit of zing.

We’re thinking daffies for next year so if any of you have any favourite varieties you could recommend – please let us know by commenting on this post.

At home, us “turtles” are having a little more success with bulbs – Susan’s snowdrops are beautiful, and Becca’s late daffodils (all white) are creeping through, which she can’t quite believe having planted them so late.

I know we might be slightly biased but our Turtle Mats have really worked hard this autumn/winter, especially with the heavy Cotswold mud. Another quick tip from us – older Turtle Mats make great weed suppressors as well as protection for tender exotics (such as palms) over winter – again tufty-side in.

Here’s our favourite link at the on all things spring: http://www.wildaboutgardens.org

People who are nearing the end of remodeling their bathrooms might begin thinking about small details that are important in such space. More specifically, they might begin thinking about what type of bathroom mats to buy. They might have a friend who will ask them: “Why are you thinking so hard about this? Aren’t all bathroom mats the same?” Although this is a common belief, the fact is that all bathroom mats are not created equally. Some are far superior and longer lasting than others. 

A bathroom mat should have two main components: It should be washable and durable. Some bathroom mats literally fall apart when you wash them or the carpet fibers become brittle and break off. Others attain a strange, often overpowering odor after a short amount of time in the environment of a humid bathroom, even after washing. Those who have owned many mats know that some of them lack these important characteristics and they therefore are not worth the money.

When remodeling or redesigning your bathroom, make sure you don’t let this small detail go unattended. Do some research and make sure that the bathroom mat you buy is going to be durable and washable. The ambiance of a beautiful bathroom can quickly be destroyed by the smell emitted by your old mat. Choose a mat that is going to be soft in touch, the right color for your space and pleasant to look at. Your bathroom mat should not be a burden to you. It should be easy to upkeep and a breeze to wash and dry.

Remember, all bathroom mats are not created equally! That’s why you should try to use Turtle Mat dirt trapper mats and feel the diference.

Bathrooms have come a long way in terms of décor and style. Gone are the days when a bathroom cabinet was little more than a square box with a small cabinet used for storage, a predictable white sink and a small amount of counter space. Today’s bathroom décor offers variety, elegance and style.

Perhaps the most popular trend in bathroom options is the above-counter sink. Sometimes referred to as vessel sinks, these bowls sit atop or are only slightly recessed in the vanity. They provide a more contemporary look to your bathroom. Sinks can now be found in a multitude of materials, such as brass, glass and of course, ceramic. They’re beautiful alternatives to the traditional white recessed sinks.

Your choices in hardware have emerged as well. With many faucets and handles available today, it’s easy to find an original look to compliment your sink and vanity style. Another idea many consider is the option of two sinks. If you have the room, the inclusion of two sinks adds even more personality and functionality to your bathroom area.

Cabinets are another way to style and originality to a bathroom. Many are freestanding footed pieces of furniture that are available in countless finishes. Not only do cabinets hide the sink plumbing, but they’re excellent storage spaces below the sink. With more people choosing mirrors that lay flush on a wall versus traditional medicine cabinets, selecting a cabinet to house toiletries, cleaning supplies and other items is important.

One the latest trends in contemporary bathroom/ shower design are the wet rooms, which can give a real touch of luxury to a property. The downside is that the attention to detail, especially waterproofing, has to be spot on if you are not going to create a maintenance headache for yourself in the future.

The idea with a wet room is that the whole shower room or bathroom is designed to accept having water thrown all over it, so there is no need for shower curtains or screens. This allows a clean and minimalist design, which is just right for many modern apartments.

With tubs that are being made far deeper than their predecessors along with showers that are now designed with multiple heads, the new trends clearly are lending to a more spa-like experience. Classic or contemporary, modern or traditional, the new look of a bathroom provides options that weren’t available as recently as ten years ago.

If you would like to change your bathroom by redesigning the floor please take a look at range of Turtle Mat Bath Mats.

Making your home environmentally friendly can be a truly motivating process. Not only you will be helping to save the planet from pollution, but you’ll be also making savings for your budget by using less energy.

You might want to start by something extremely simple. Make it a house rule that everybody turns out all lights anytime they leave a room. You can also do something as simple as getting up earlier everyday – this will prevent using the artificial light and also save money and energy.

You could also replace your light bulbs with the environmentally friendly light bulbs. This shouldn’t be an overnight process, as throwing away current bulbs will only increase waste. Instead, make it a gradual process of replacing the bulbs with their environment friendly versions.

Continue with the simple things. Imagine your trash can. Downsize it. Alongside the trash can, place the recycling bins. Use one for glass. Another can be used for compost – organic items like the old food that can be placed outside in the garden.  Other bins can be used for aluminum cans and recyclable paper.

By implementing the strategies listed above, you are on a good way to at least reduce the negative impact of your home on the environment and save it for yourself and and your children.

Using Turtle Mat Door Mats you are helping the environment. Please take a look at Turtle Mat Eco Policy.