A load of balls

Ross Clark is raving in the Times about the relentless march of decking, patio heaters and multicoloured pebbles. I have a lot of sympathy with his argument that it's ridiculous to find garden centres selling all kinds of expensive gewgaws, such as chimeneas and pottery frogs, but lacking a decent range of lawnmowers. My dream garden would feature a small copse of silver birch trees, an expanse of raised veg beds, a chicken coop, an orchard, a sunny corner with a camomile seat ... the list goes on. But giant coloured balls on sticks? I think not.

Comments

[Sister Dresser-Rapier]

And I thought I was being snobbish for hating the plethora of garden crap! So much resin and plastic....I have no objections to thoughtfully chosen pots or the occasional piece of statuary, but the whole point of a garden is that it is beautiful on its own, this incredulous miracle of nature's perfection. No human messing about required...

[Jake]

I can cope with seeing decking and pebbles in other people's gardens but not with those dayglow plastic butterflies that some tasteless individuals seem to like putting up on their outside walls!

[sean atherton]

NEVER IN THE HISTORY OF GARDENING WAS SO MUCH EXPENCIVE CRAP PRODUCED BY SO FEW COMPANYS , WITH ENDLESS TV PROGS TELL YOU TO USES THIS AND DECKING THAT , STONES HERE AND REPORDUCION OLD CONCRETE PAVING , WATER THINGS MADE OUT OF RE USED RUBBER , GETING IN SOME CLOWN WHO GIVES YOU A PRICE THATS OUT OF THIS WORLD , WHO TELLS HES A REGISTERD LAND SCAPE GARDENER SO THE BUILDERS MERCHANT WHO HE BUYS ALL THIS CRAP FROM SAYS, 2000 POUNDS WORTH OF REPRODUCION CONCRETE PAVING SLABS THAT HE GET AT 25% OFF LIST PRICE BUT HE DOES NOT TELL YOU THAT , AND AT THE END OFF ALL THIS YOU END UP WITH A TOTAL MESS THAT LOOKS BLOODY STUPID , A BIG YELLOW POINTED STAR IN THE MIDDEL OF THE REPO FLAGS, DECKING , THAT JUST MADE OUT OF WOOD NO GOOD FOR ANYTHING , TRECTED WITH A BIT OF GREEN WATER SO THEY TELL YOU IT LAST 1000 YEARS , L HAVE SEEN LOADS OF THIS TYPE OF GARDAN AFTER POOR SODS HAVE PAID THOUANDS AND THOUANDS ON THEM AND 99% ARE TOTAL CRAP