Keep Basket Logs at www.japanese-home-gardens.com

This original cast-iron fireplace needed work to look as good as it does. It was stripped to reveal the lustrous metal, then blue tiles were fitted either side. The hearth is laid with large slate tiles that match the surround and there's space to keep basket logs a basket of logs conveniently to hand.

More permanent installations require their own housings and these types are characterised by the basket strainer. Here, a suitably strengthened wire mesh or perforated plate shaped into a basket is placed inside a sealed housing through which the feed stream flows under pressure. In simplex systems the flow continues until the strainer is clogged with the unwanted solids. At this point the flow is interrupted and the basket is manually changed.

You can also make up a single riser from two or more slimmer logs stacked on top of each other. As an alternative to using round logs you can obtain old railroad ties sold specifically for use in garden construction. Fix the railroad tiess with stakes, as for logs, to create a more formal yet still rustic flight. Turning the flight within the slope is easily done by simply fanning out the logs or ties. When using wooden steps, be wary of the treads becoming slippery after rainfall. A good way of keep basket logsing a gripping surface is to staple chicken wire on top of the wood. keep basket logsing the steps clear of moss and lichen will also reduce the risk of a slip.