While it’s great to head to the store and stock up on all the healthy, natural food you enjoy cooking and eating, there’s nothing better than growing it yourself. There are countless benefits to growing your own stuff at home. The most obvious, of course, is that you actually know exactly what you’re eating; free from chemicals, preservatives and other nasties. But there are other plus points, too. Gardening, it’s said, is good for your physical and mental health. So why wouldn’t you? With the challenge planted, here are 10 IDEAL grow-your-own herbs and vegetables.

BASIL

Basil is a great addition to any garden. It’s small, grows quickly and can be re-harvested continuously, eliminating the need to constantly buy more. If it’s held in a greenhouse, the aroma is simply bliss; so much so, you can save on that flight to Italy and just get all nostalgic in the hot box instead. From pasta to pesto, this summery herb is perfect for a variety of dishes.

SUGAR SNAP PEAS

Yep, we know the word ‘sugar’ rings alarm bells for any health-conscious consumer. But the word has only been bestowed on these wondrous peas due to their inherent sweetness. An excellent addition to any veggie dish, snap peas also make for a great snack on their own as they’re edible in their  ; marvellous eaten raw or grilled on the barbie with a little flaky sea salt. They contain a healthy dose of Vitamin C and fibre, making them a great way of getting your daily nutrition intake up. Snap peas grow better in the winter, as they don’t fare too well in warm, dry weather, so plan your planting accordingly.

BEETROOT

Whoever doesn’t like vegetables simply because they aren’t sweet enough needs to be introduced to the wonderful flavor and countless health benefits of beetroot. This earthy vegetable is high in fibre, folate and Vitamin B. They also contain betanin, which helps boost your immune system. Baby beets are perfect for raw salads, while matured ones can be cooked for an even larger variety of dishes; perfect with lamb, goat’s cheese and mint, we think.

CUCUMBERS

Cucumbers are a salad essential and a perfect addition to many meals and dishes. Over 90% of a cucumber is water, making them a surprisingly good way to increase your daily water intake. They’ll need some rich soil and a healthy dose of fertilizer to grow, but regular harvests will increase your production significantly.

THYME

Whether you want to add some flavour to your Sunday’s roast chicken or incorporate the deep aromatic quality into your stew, thyme is an excellent choice that’s easy to grow as long as there’s sufficient sunlight. Thyme is a surprisingly good pairing for fruit as well, adding some extra flavor to pears and apples. It’s great in desserts, too! Try whipping some leaves into your meringue next time. You won’t be disappointed.

GREEN BEANS

Green beans are both delicious and impressively high in nutrients. You can find everything from Vitamin A, C and K to fibre, manganese, folate, iron and potassium in a one. That’s a whole lot of natural goodness – more than what many artificial vitamin supplements can provide.

To get the most out of your green beans’ fresh and crunchy flavor, be sure to plant them where they can receive plenty of sunlight. Some dry soil is all you need to keep harvesting them every few weeks throughout the summer. Don’t overcook boil them whatever you do; their pleasure lies in that great snap and burst of fresh, grassy flavour.

RADISHES

These versatile veggies are big on flavour and low on calories. As a matter of fact, a whole radish contains nothing more than a single calorie! What’s more, they’re pretty as a picture, and one of the latest Instagram crazes.  Spring varieties take less than a month to be harvested and can be grown in containers indoors or out in your garden. In the summertime, hotter soil produces a peppery, spicy flavour, perfect for those who prefer an extra kick from their veggies.

CARROTS

While they may not actually help you see in the dark, carrots are an excellent addition to any dish when they’re cooked and arguably even tastier as a raw snack on their own. The generous amounts of Vitamin A found in carrots make them perfect for a strong immune system and healthy skin.

They’re also pretty easy to grow. While they take a bit more time than most vegetables on this list, all carrots need is some fertile sandy loam and they’ll be ready to go.

LETTUCE

If you’re short on space and prefer the idea of container gardening, lettuce is an excellent vegetable to grow. It’s highly versatile and an essential for green salads, burgers and sandwiches. Lettuce grows best during colder seasons and can be harvested within a few weeks.

Contrary to general assumptions about the lack of health benefits in leaves, there’s actually plenty of goodness lurking in lettuce. Your body will enjoy the boost of folate, as well as Vitamins A, C and K. Grow them right, and all they’ll need is a good splash of water to be enjoyed. They’re that great!

ANYTHING YOU LIKE

Let’s face it; you can try growing anything at home. Sometimes, it’s more about the journey than the destination, after all!

News just in for 2019. Interior designers this year will be casting their eyes backwards, extolling the virtues of the simple, chic style of the 1950s and 60s. If that’s left you with questions like: What is ‘Sputnik’ lighting? And what do mid-century sideboards look like?; then you’ve come to the right place; our 5 IDEAL of mid-century interior design.

SCANDINAVIAN FURNITURE

For a relatively small corner of Europe, Scandinavia has had an enormous influence on the global interior design market. And that extends well beyond Ikea. Its furniture is renowned for an exemplary quality, sleek, inimitable design and beautiful finish, so if you’re looking to update your home with a slice of Scandi mid-century style, look no further than a Scandinavian armchair or coffee table. Assured elegance, indeed.

ATOMIC STYLE

Atomic style spanned from the 1940s to the 1960s. Born directly out of the ‘Space Age’, it looked to space exploration and futurism for inspiration, and the results have become an enduring symbol of the era’s interior design ‘look’. When you start to examine items of Atomic design, the link between the style and its penchant for all things ‘space’ becomes pretty clear – stars and galaxies even made their way into the prints of the era, and the shapes of furniture are all decidedly futuristic. A classic example of Atomic furniture is the retro, brightly coloured woven chair on metal, hairpin-style legs. ‘Sputnik’ style lighting also came out of the Atomic age – it refers to chandelier style light fixtures in a modernist, quirky shape.

SIDEBOARDS

A mid-century sideboard is a beautiful thing to behold. Generally crafted out of smooth, glossy teak, they can be very long, and they’re always slender, space saving storage solutions. Nowadays, they make fantastic media stations or drinks cabinets. Look for models by G Plan, a manufacturer that created some of the most desirable sideboards in existence, in a whole host of different sizes and finishes.

DAYBEDS

Another stalwart of the mmid-centuryhome is the daybed. Perfected by Lucian Ercolani for his British brand, Ercol, the daybed was also manufactured by many Scandinavian furniture craftsmen. It generally takes the shape of a two or three-seater sofa and can easily be transformed into a single or double bed, depending on the model you choose. They make fabulous additions to sitting rooms, nurseries and guest bedrooms, providing the much-needed extra sleep space that comes with welcoming guests for family occasions such as Christmas and birthdays.

BOLD GEOMETRIC PRINTS

The upholstery of the 1950s and 60s was adventurous and interesting. Making use of the fantastic range of popular colours and shapes, print designers created an amazing array of fabrics. Nowadays, interior decorators are choosing to use these prints on everything from cushions and curtains to wallpaper and rugs. You can reupholster your existing furniture to give it a mid-century edge – simply look for exact reproductions from some of the higher-end companies on the market, or opt for an updated take on original styles on the high street.

FORMS FOLLOWS FUNCTION

This is the mantra of mid-century modern designers – what it means is that mid-century furniture lacks unnecessary ornamentation. Every part of a piece of furniture from the mid-century era is necessary and functional, so if you’re looking to give your home a mid-century facelift, do away with unimportant flourishes and keep your furniture pared back and robust – that ensures it remains effortlessly stylish.

When you think of beach island holidays, you might think of the beautiful shores of the Caribbean or South East Asia. But with budgets tightening and annual leave now a luxury not a given, island getaways less well known are becoming more sought after. Indeed, you don’t need to be in the air for twelve hours or be rubbing shoulders only with other Brits to reach white sands and warm sun. Somewhere less travelled, then, is the perfect answer. So, consider these; our 5 IDEAL unique island holiday ideas.

CORSICA

The southern-most part of France, and therefore the sunniest and hottest, Corsica still remains largely unspoilt by modernity’s worst inclinations. The island has it all; an untouched quality, cities with amenities, great food, wine and festivities….the list goes on. What’s more, there’s plenty of opportunity to be as active or as chilled out as you please, with more than half the island covered in mountain opening up plenty of scope for hiking, and gorgeous beaches if reclining is more your thing.

TENERIFE

Sandy beaches are one of the biggest attractions of an island holiday, there’s no doubt about it, and according to research by Opodo (see below infographic) people spend on average 3 hours a day sunbathing on their trip. That’s an eighth of the day, so it might as well be spent on golden sands with clear blue sea just a pepple’s skim away. A holiday to Tenerife could be an option for those that want a short haul island break with those much sought after terms met. If you’re looking to get away early in the year, consider the pre-lent festival of Carnaval de Santa Cruz, a riotous, colourful event perhaps only second to Rio’s Carnaval in international repute.

SANTORINI

Sun, sea, Santorini. It’s not a triplet of words quite yet in the popular lexicon, but if the influencers, travel bloggers and location lovers have their way, it soon will be. There’s more to this group of islands than that view though, with plenty of activity fit to fill an itinerary. We’ve given five ideas over here, so give it a look.

BORA BORA

According to the previously mentioned infographic, delicious food is a reason why 57% of people to choose an island holiday, and 78% enjoy tasting the local cuisine. What the other 22% are eating, we’re not sure. Islands, of course, are renowned for their fresh seafood. If you’re looking for a unique way island cuisine which utilises the sea’s bounty, Bora Bora could be just for you. 

Their staple is raw fish with coconut milk, akin to ceviche, but you don’t need to stop there. Polynesian seafood is a rich and varied tapestry. Make sure you also try something cooked inside an ahima’a, a traditional oven dug into the ground and lined with hot stones. A suckling pig lifted from one of these, glistening, tender, crisp and moist, is certainly reason alone to hope on a plane here. 

PHU QUOC, VIETNAM

Great news; you can now fly direct from London to Phu Quoc Island, South Vietnam. And trust us, you want to be booking those flights before the whole world discovers this tropical paradise. First, the cuisine; light, delicate and as fresh as you like, with an emphasis on seafood, particularly squid which is abundant in the island’s surrounding waters. Peppercorns also grow with abandon here, and their fish sauce is reputed to be the best in the world. That’s dinner sorted, then. And if you’re looking for somewhere to rest your weary bones post-feast, the island has a great range of accommodation to suit all budgets. And finally, the beaches. Put quite simply; blissful.

Here’s a surprising statistic; it’s anticipated that road accidents will become the seventh leading cause of death in the world by 2030. In fact, each year, there are in the region of 1.2 million people killed on roads worldwide, with 50 million suffering injuries. That’s a lot of people getting hurt in human hands.

Something to give us hope, however, is how inventors and car manufacturers are harnessing the power of technology in an attempt to lessen these shocking stats. One only has to cast a glance into the past to see the positive impact of innovation; the seatbelt, the airbag…..both inventions – outliers, even – which have gone on to be obligatory in cars and vital in lessening accident fatalities.

Good stuff indeed. So, with the help of Lookers, who offer a wide range of cars such as the used Ford Mustang, here are 5 IDEAL inventions which will keep our roads safer.

LANE-KEEP ASSIST

It’s been reported that five per cent of all documented crashes are due to drivers merging with fast-moving traffic or attempting to switch lanes. That’s one in twenty. That’s why this simple technology can be so effective. The lane-keep assist device monitors the lane lines and alerts you when you begin to veer away from the centre. This, in theory, should enable a driver to react and eliminate the chance of causing an accident.

SAFETY EXIT ASSIST

We’ve all seen the road rage videos or read the horror stories of collisions caused to oncoming bikes by overzealous exits from cars. Well, the safety ext exist works by temporarily disabling rear doors when vehicles or bicycles are approaching. It was first revealed in Hyundai’s Sante Fe SUV, and is being utilised in many other vehicles. Used as an extension to the blind spot monitor, this tool is expected to be extremely popular with those who have young children, where safety and security takes on a whole new level of importance.

AUTOMATIC CRASH RESPONSE

Paramedics rejoice! The EU voted for eCall systems to be made mandatory in all new cars from March 2018; a ringing endorsement if ever there was one. It works by sending an advisor the precise details of a car’s location, as well as a description of the vehicle. There will also be an emergency call service available via an SOS button, which will connect you to a service advisor to help. This may not necessarily be a safety feature, but will definitely save lives over time.

BRAKING SYSTEMS

By using sensor inputs, in the form of lasers, radar or video data, cars using braking systems will automatically come to a standstill if it detects an object blocking your vehicle’s path – if you are travelling faster than said object, that is.

While it may sound like unnecessary meddling, and some drivers will worry that it will affect their sense of driving with personality, this feature is becoming extremely popular and in fact doesn’t affect how you handle your car. Instead, it’s designed to safeguard against distracted driving and, while you’d hopefully never need to call upon it, it’s a great safety back-up to be utilised if needed.

DRIVER DROWSINESS DETECTION

While the precise number of sleep-related accidents are hard to document, researchers believe that driver fatigue is a major factor in up to 20% of incidents. Studies have also found that drivers who travel for over two hours start to lose concentration and react slower to hazards. Fatigue detection, also known as driver drowsiness detection, works by monitoring steering movements and advising drivers when breaks are required. Great news for those who drive regularly in the midnight hour.

Shopping habits, it’s fair to say, have really changed in the last decade. Where once the only option a shopper had was to head to the local shop and take out their actual, physical purse, now ways to spend our pounds are seemingly endless. Daunting and confusing to most, perhaps, but young people are embracing this change.

Indeed, the teenage generation move and groove on different platforms to their parents; think social network influence such as Instagram, streaming platforms and reviews from platforms like YouTube; this is the generation that grew up with the internet as it is today, and they’re a savvy, sharp bunch. Much to their credit, too, this is ‘generation woke’, and as such brands are having to shape their marketing to appeal to the open minded, inclusive ideal which is the norm for the younger generation. With that in mind, here are 6 IDEAL progressive brands for teens.

NIKE

Like Doritos, Nike scored very well in Google’s study, with teenagers ranking it the same level of “cool” as Apple, and outdoing the likes of Coca-Cola, Starbucks, and Twitter. And that’s down to more than just the Air Max.

The brand, like Doritos, has not shied away from supporting movements that teenagers value. For example, their classic “Just Do It” campaign recently featured Colin Kaepernick, the American Footballer who started the “Take a Knee” protest against racial and social injustices by kneeling during the national anthem. Nike continued to show their support for sports stars who were standing up against racial injustices with their latest campaign, featuring Raheem Sterling. This willingness to be vocal in their defence of equality has a huge value to teenagers in particular, who have a greater appreciation not only for what a brand sells, but what it stands for.

LIL-LETS

For young girls, starting their period is an important time in their life, but for many, it can be an anxious one too. Lil-lets, however, have created their own teen range which is perfect for breaking the stigma around periods.

This brand has created period starter kits with age in mind, making sure that everything is designed to reflect what appeals to young girls; using pastel colours and love-heart sketches on the packaging. The discreet design reinforces the idea that periods don’t have to be a scary thing to encounter and will allow young girls to carry products around without feeling embarrassed when the time comes. Specialised products for those that suffer from irregular periods are also available.  

RIVER ISLAND

In partnership with anti-bullying charity, Ditch The Label, River Island launched its ‘Labels Are For Clothes’ campaign to champion self-expression and reject stereotypes. Bravo, we say. For its 30th birthday (and sprouting their first few grey hairs, we reckon) the fashion store created advertisements that featured a range of body types and abilities, to heighten inclusivity.

Promoting its AW18 collection, this is arguably their most diverse campaign yet and uses people from different backgrounds — including those with disabilities and down syndrome. For young people in particular, shopping at high street brands like this is a part of growing up and to see that different people being represented on a national scale will be reassuring.

CLEARASIL

Skincare is something of a battleground for many teenagers, but there are a few tried-and-true brands that generation after generation head back to. Clearasil is one of those; the go-to name in facial scrubs for the acne-prone.

A bold move, then, for the brand to release a campaign admitting they “didn’t know teens”. The campaign consisted of a series of videos in which employees of Clearasil presented themselves as being woefully out of touch with teen culture. The employees admit that they while they know teen acne, they don’t know teens. The campaign’s success lay in the sense of honesty, which teenagers would connect with, rather than attempting to present themselves as “cool”. A risk which paid off, we think.

DORITOS

A recent Google study of 13-17 year olds placed Doritos higher than the likes of Apple and even Instagram in terms of “coolness”. So how have they done it?

One key way for brands to appeal to teenagers is to support the movements they support. Doritos nailed this by showing their support for LGBT campaigns with their limited-edition rainbow-coloured snack. To get one of these colourful packs, a donation had to be made to the It Gets Better Project. Naturally, this resonated hugely with open minded consumers, which the younger generation most certainly are, and the limited-edition Doritos quickly sold out.

The key takeaway here is that Doritos showed support for a world concern that teenagers today value, without claiming to be the entire solution.

DOVE

Toiletries company Dove are firm believers in encouraging young people to reach their full potential and has launched the Self-Esteem Project, which has made a difference to 40 million lives since 2004 through educational programmes. Their research discovered that nine out of ten girls with low self-esteem put their own health at risk by not seeing doctors or missing out on meals, and aimed to do something about that. The brand offers free parent, teacher and youth leader resources to help adults talk to a young person who may lack in confidence.