Simon Laycock and Maureen Chapman have transformed the jungle-like space outside their house into an unusual garden centre.

WHEN Simon Laycock and Maureen Chapman moved into a 17th century long house in Helmsley, they planned on doing no more than open another craft shop, similar to the one they already ran successfully in York. Then they saw the garden...

It runs 150ft from the back of the shop, all of it with a wonderful view of the ruins of Helmsley castle nicely framed at the bottom.

"It's the ultimate garden folly and one that we don't have to maintain," says Simon.

For 12 years they had run Craft Basics in Gillygate, York, but with no room to expand, they looked further afield and opened the second shop in Helmsley, where they sell a wide and interesting range of needlework and tapestry supplies.

"The garden was a jungle when we moved in, but Maureen loves plants. A friend designed the garden and it just seemed to go from there," explains Simon.

Now the path winds tantalisingly through unusual plants and the garden is filled with sundials, birdbaths, hammocks, troughs and pots, plaques and statues. There are deckchairs, a summer house, gazebo... Not so much a garden centre, more like an idiosyncratic and slightly crowded private garden.

On a splendid, sunny summer afternoon, customers drift through the shop and out through the back.

"We like people to enjoy it, and they seem to," says Simon.

A few years ago they gave up the York shop - "three children and two shops in different towns aren't a good combination" - to concentrate on The Tapestry Garden.

Inside the shop they have a huge choice of tapestries, including the firescreens, footstools to put them on, and all sorts of kits for beginners to the skilled enthusiast.

"Many men are taking up tapestry now," says Simon, "And they like the really complex kits."

They also have plenty of other craft supplies, some garden goodies, plus flax linen clothing, knitwear and some pottery. They also have time to help and advise customers. Or just chat.

"When we were just crafts we saw our customers mainly in the autumn and winter, but now we have the garden as well, we see them all the year round. Much nicer."

* The Tapestry Garden, 2 Castlegate, Helmsley. Tel: (01439) 771300 or visit the website at www.tapestrygarden.co.uk

l Saturday, September 18, is the annual Tapestry Garden Party, which includes 15 per cent off all stock. 10am-6pm.

Endowment mortgage warning

THE time for claiming about the mis-selling of endowments could soon be running out and many hundreds of people who could be entitled to money - often running into thousands of pounds - have yet to claim. If you think you might be affected, then contact the Financial Services Authority 0845 606 1234 to find out what to do next. Or try the Consumers' Association website at www.endowmentaction.co.uk.

You could be missing out on a great deal of money.

THE Post Office has re-introduced savings stamps to help people cope with any household bill that can be paid at the Post Office.

The stamps start at £5, and Post Office Chief Executive David Mills has suggested they are for people who are "not that clever".

He has a point. If you pay £5 for your stamp, the Post Office has your money but you get no interest on it. Meanwhile if you go along to somewhere like Abbey or Tesco, you can open a savings account with that £5 and earn interest while you're saving to pay the bills.

It was the sort of thing that generations of people used to do with their Post Office Savings Account - the one that the Post Office abolished.

Which only goes to show that when it comes to attracting small savers, they are the ones who are not that clever.