| Christmas
Presents
1st
December 2005
"Any
ideas of what you would like for Christmas?”
“Not a clue, there is nothing that I need.”
We have all asked the question and given the
answer. We tend to buy what we need when it
is needed so at Christmas there is a struggle
to find something that will be appreciated.
I have come up with a few ideas for practical
presents that may be worth considering.
 They
are suitable for amateur and dedicated gardener
alike and at the same time I am throwing out
a hint.Wheelbarrows
don’t seem to last as long as they used
to. Granted they are lighter but less robust.
A new one with go-fast stripes may be just what
is needed.
On the other hand a good pair of secateurs will
last forever and one pair is sufficient for
most needs so buy him/her a folding pruning
saw.
 They
are incredibly useful for cutting the thick
branches that the secateurs can’t manage
and will be in constant demand in the garden.
Purchase a trug and fill it with small items.
(So much more useful than hanging up a sock)!
Include tree ties and pads, plant labels, a
ball of garden twine, sharpening stone and some
hormone rooting powder.
Knee pads are so much easier to use than a kneeling
stool. Once you strap them on you can kneel
at anytime without having to transport a kneeling
frame around the garden.
 For
the gardener who has everything then go bulky
and wrap up a bale of barley straw. Essential
for keeping a pond clear of algae it has many
other uses such as frost protection for plants
and mulching strawberry fruit to keep them clean.
Adding a layer to the top of the compost heap
will keep the heat in. Wrapping it for placing
under the Christmas tree could prove difficult.
Then there are all the other bulky but essential
garden products. Landscape fabric, horticultural
fleece and bubble wrap are very expensive by
the square metre in a store or garden centre.
Buy them by the roll at a fraction of the price
in builders’supply stores .A few bales
of peat, a bag or two of horticultural compost,
cutting or potting compost would make me very
happy.
They may not be “up market” or exciting
but these presents will be appreciated and will
be put to good use.
See
also:
Christmas
present ideas (2007)
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