Best Garden Gifts - Top Five

Why stop at five? Good question, but actually having a limit on the number of things I could write about forced me to really look at the most important ones. I tend to be a bit like a kid in a sweet shop when it comes to gardening, so much so that I'm not allowed to the garden centre alone, and certainly not with my hot little hand on a debit card! The last time I went (earlier in the Autumn) I was accompanied by my partner (who supervised the money) and Son, who pushed the trolley; even then, I was only allowed to look at sale items. secretly I think they accompanied me mob- handed in case I needed restraining.

I'm writing this in November, so firstly, there's not alot of gardening to be done, the weather is at its Dartmoor best, a mixture of low cloud, fog, rain and just above freezing, Secondly there's the C-Word to consider - Christmas. It's looming on the horizon, and as one of my passions is gardening I couldn't resist sharing some of the things I have enjoyed receiving as a gift. I have sneaked in the tiniest thing I would like to receive and will be encouraging my family to READ THIS HUB!

I had to think long and hard over this, and really put practicality over my heart. The Number one item, which has really saved me time, and hence made me money when working on a client's garden is:

The Tool Belt

I can't tell you how much time I used to waste wandering about whatever garden I was working on, patting myself down and muttering 'what've I done with the secateurs'. It has also stopped me from throwing small tools away with the compost. The belt I really covet is a beautiful, soft, leather one, which would probably last a lifetime, but hey, the little green nylon one I bought for around £10 does the trick too!  It was VERY useful today whilst I was up an apple tree in a gale force wind, trying to prune the darned thing.

This item is almost a necessity, but not quite.  It's certainly made a big difference to my comfort whilst gardening.  It's the:

Wellie Warmer 

The ones I like come in a range of colours and are made of fleece, which seems to be more insulating than just thick socks.  You can even buy fleece that's recycled from plastic bottles.  I think it's essential to have at least two pairs (one on and one in the wash) not least because they come in all sorts of funky colours now.  It's not a fashion item - honest!

Third on the list, is practical, cheap and saves you money.  It's also great for the environment, and I find it enjoyable to use, It's the

Paper Potting Tool 

This little wooden tool, enables you to find peace and quiet in the greenhouse or garden shed under the guise of making little pots for your seedlings.  It does actually save time and money, and the beauty of it is that once you've pricked out your seedling into the papet pot, and it's grown on ready for planting out, you just plant the whole pot, thus not disturbing your plant's root system.

I also use toilet roll inners at home, though I think my garden clients might balk at those.

OK, this one is more about style than practicality, but I've wanted one for ages. It's the:

Seed Storage Container

Currently all my seed packets are in a plastic crate, which works OK, but could be better. A proper container like this protects the seeds from damp and dust, stops them from falling all over the place and getting in a muddle, and allows you to label and organise them.

 This little gift is incredibly practical, looks good and won't break the bank, It's the:

Garden String Container

These make great little gifts, as they stop your string from becoming tangled, and you're more likely to know exactly where the stuff is.  I must admit I made one of these, which works just as well, but doesn't have the nice writing on the side.

I made mine from an empty Tate and Lyle Golden Syrup tin, by punching a hole in the lid with a bradawl, then tapping it with a hammer a couple of times to smooth and flatten any jagged points.  It sits on my kitchen windowsill, ready for use, and actually I think it looks pretty good.

So these are my top five garden gifts (until I find more that is)

1. The Tool Belt

2. Wellie Warmers

3. Paper Pot Maker

4. Seed Packet Container

5. Garden String Container