Product Ideas

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(Header picture above - Alex Daley & Alice Devaney - 'Inside Out' RHS Tatton Park 2005)

What’s new in the gardening marketplace?

One very useful gadget came my way recently - a Brother P-touch GL-100 electronic garden labeller. (pictured below) Have you ever put plants/bulbs in pots and then put them away for the winter and forgotten what was in them? Well this handy little machine is the answer. It fits comfortably in the hand and runs on batteries (not included) and means you can take it into the potting shed, greenhouse or wherever you might be in the garden.

Using Brother's TZ tape, which comes in six, nine and twelve millimeter sizes, the GL-100 provides one of the hardest-wearing labels on the market. This really is a neat little gadget and has loads of applications both inside and outside in the garden. It has a suggested retail price of £34.99. Information on the GL-100 and other Brother labelers can be found at www.brother.co.uk

Dubarry of Ireland is launching a brand new men's boot (pictured right).   This is the first time that the world famous Irish footwear manufacturer has designed a boot specifically for men.  The Wexford is a knee-high boot, with full length outside zip, hand crafted from water resistant Dry Fast-Dry SoftTM breathable leathers.  With a push button strap fastener at the top of the zip to hold it in place when closed, the Wexford is both sturdy and practical, even in deep mud.

The Wexford features an insulated GORE-TEX® lining that wicks moisture away from the foot ensuring the wearer remains dry and comfortable whatever the weather conditions. RRP: £265 available in sizes 7-12 including half sizes. For stockiest visit www.dubarry.com or telephone Dubarry on 00 353 90 9642348

Eazi-Tool (pictured below) have a new range of lightweight gardening tools which includes an Eazi-Fork, Eazi-Spade and Eazi-Weeda. The Eazi-Fork is ideal for difficult to dig soils and features strong stainless steel tines with a unique stirrup foot hole and easy to hold Y-dee handle with soft grip for added comfort. The lightweight lawn/borders edger, The Eazi-Edger, features polished stainless steel head, fixed to a strong aluminium shaft.

All of the Eazi-Tool products feature an innovative alternative to the traditional foot bar, all items in the range use a cast aluminium stirrup foot hole with slip resistant grippers.

The foot can be placed in the middle of the stirrup making it easier to balance and safer to use compared to a traditional fork or spade where your foot may simply slide off the tool head. For further information log onto www.eazitools.co.uk

An enterprising Scottish award-winning whisky merchant, Duncan Taylor & Co, based in Aberdeenshire, has come up with a unique way of beating the drought. Thousands of empty whisky barrels, once used to store the finest Scotch whisky, could now be called out of retirement to collect another of nature's nectar - water - which could turn out to be just as rare if the drought continues.

Garden-lovers, especially south of the boarder, can store precious rain water in beautiful oak casks and who knows Britain's gardens may even benefit from whisky flavoured water! Log on to www.dtcscotch.com for more information and stockist details.

Finally, a word about Hedgehogs. - Hedgehogs  hibernate from November until early spring and before then they  need to be fattening themselves up for their long winter sleep. Gardeners have traditionally offered them bread and milk, but this can give them upset stomachs.

It's best to feed them a specially designed feed, like the new Hedgehog Niblets from Growing Success.  They have been specially formulated to give Hedgehogs their recommended daily intake of nutrients and the mix is packed full of peanut flour, suet, fruit and cereal.  Ideal to supplement their natural diet of slugs, beetles and other insects.

Hedgehog Niblets cost £3.49 for a large pouch. - Growing  Success Wildlife Feeds are available from leading garden  centres,  DIY stores, online at www.rosemarysgardenshop.co.uk or by calling 0870 7591702.

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