Sometimes it seems ridiculously hard to find what seems like the simplest of products without having to go down the hugely expensive “bespoke” route - you know, getting a blacksmith to fashion you plant supports from old horsehoes, that kind of thing.
Am I looking in the wrong place? Going to the wrong garden centres?
There’s got to be something wrong here – as gardening editor I get sent press releases and catalogues by the dozen about new products. But could I find a 6ft by 4ft square-latticed, decent quality wooden trellis that wouldn’t cost a fortune to deliver? Nope. Had to settle for a 6ft by 3ft one. What about a non-hideous, non-"nostalgic" hosepipe holder? Eventually, after a plea on Twitter, I found this one from brilliant Dutch firm DeWiltfang. I liked it so much I got two!
And do I really have to schlep to Ikea every time I want a reasonably cheap and modern pot for a houseplant? (or for that matter, a houseplant full stop: they’re definitely out of fashion right now, as I’ve said before).
I have, however, just defeated one of my demons – a wire trellis system that works with fencing featuring concrete posts and doesn’t cost hundreds of pounds – it comes from Rivelin Glen (I love you guys, and I don’t even know you...).
Is it just me, or are you struggling to source something for your garden? Do share ...
I know what you mean. I find fence people aree pretty good for that sort of thing rather can garden centres or online garden suppliers. Our local fencing people do it in a variety of sizes and delivery cheaply.
I tend to give up quite quickly when I cant find something and look for an alternative
Posted by: PatientGarden | September 01, 2011 at 06:55 PM
T'was ever thus and goes with the whole drift of gardens and gardening in UK - our gardens generally look as if we got no taste so we get treated as if we have no taste.
Have been often driven to making something myself for lack of anything better (and affordable). So we could claim it promotes creativity, which is one of those V Good Things. But really it makes me spit.
XXXXXXX
Posted by: Anne Wareham | September 02, 2011 at 05:25 PM
Thanks for the link to Rivelin. I've got concrete post fences and so far have just been screwing eye hooks into the fence panel. These are a great discovery. I think what frustrates me most about my local garden centres is that even though they are all different companies, some of them even independents, the choice of product is exactly the same. I have started using mail order more. I completely agree about pots for house plants, it's the only reason I go to Ikea. Garden furniture is my bug bear at the moment. We have been in our garden for 4 years and are still yet to purchase anything to sit on. Trying to find something we can leave out over winter, that has been environmentally sourced and doesn't require another mortgage has proved difficult.
Posted by: Wellywoman.wordpress.com | October 12, 2011 at 04:41 PM