Q. I want to use a wood preserver on my garden fencing before painting with Cuprinol Garden Shades. Which one should I use? Don't apply in temperatures below 5°C, in damp conditions or if rain is likely before the product has dried. Low air temperature and or high humidity may prolong the overall drying time of the product.

During the Spring, I was invited to a Cuprinol event (the wood care partner of Dulux) as they were showcasing their Garden Shades range in the stunning location of the Bourne and Hollingsworth Buildings in London. The mood you want to create – light, bright shades feel airy and calm, while bold saturated shades are dramatic and inviting. Neutral natural wood tones create a relaxed vibe. The greenish-gray beige tone pairs well with bushes, plants, and wood structures in gardens of any style. Cuprinol Olive Garden Against neutral house exteriors or stone, the olive green creates a noticeable contrast for definition. Amazing what a bit of garden paint can do! Cuprinol Natural Stone– Image: @visitnumber7Apply in dry conditions, above 5 degrees Celsius and when bad weather is not forecast, minimum of 2 coats required. The final colour will vary depending on the surface and number of coats. If adhesion is inadequate on previous coatings, lightly sand before application. Make sure wood has been pre treated with appropriate wood preserver to prevent wood and decay. Olive Garden– If you don’t want to stray too far away from the wood shades of a fence, Olive Garden could work. The natural olive green tone perfectly captures the colors seen in nature. It has an earthy, organic look.

My love of color and pattern was completely missing from our garden. It was like my taste and style stopped at the bifold doors and I was always apologizing to guests when they came over, saying I liked the garden neat and tidy (devoid of character) and was going to let it grow wild (which was obviously a code word for I’m lazy!) A. It's important that you use a wood preservative that doesn't contain wax, oil or silicone as these will prevent the paint from penetrating and adhering to the wood. Wood preservers that are advertised as being waterproof and resistant to weathering often contain wax, oil, silicone or a combination of these. Thankfully, I only needed to apply one coat as it applied really well and easily. We have concrete bollards holding up the fence panels and I did consider painting them as well, but in the end, I went with painting a pattern onto them with Iris to create a bit of a feature. Apply second coat as above. The second coat must be applied the same day as the first. If the first coat is left to dry overnight then the second coat will not adhere to the surface correctlyA. Absolutely! Cuprinol Garden Shades is suitable for any garden structure including summerhouses and log cabins. If it's a bare wood structure, new or old, its probably worth treating it with a wax free wood preservative first to protect the wood from mould, algae and fungi. Allow this to fully dry before painting. Its important than any preservative used is wax free otherwise the paint may not adhere to the structure. The soft white tone complements just about any garden style, from traditional to modern. It won’t clash. A beautiful shade of green allows for bright colours to be used in the garden. Cuprinol Willow Shake contents of the tin thoroughly before decanting into Cuprinol Spray and Brush sprayer (not suitable for use with the Cuprinol Power Sprayer)