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Recent Articles

Chainsaw: Preventing Injuries During a Cleanup following a Storm

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Preventing injuries by using a chainsaw
With Storm Ciara causing havoc over the weekend, many of us have suffered serious property damage, from fallen down trees to blown down fences. The clean up operation has begun across gardens and properties around the UK.   Here at MowDirect we want to help and ensure garden machinery is used safely whilst getting everything back…Continued

Will Santa Be Able To Get Your Mower Down The Chimney?

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Feider TR4870 Variable-Speed Petrol Rear-Roller Lawnmower

Dick Roberts

Norfolk journalist and countryman, now retired from daily newspaper life but still commentating and writing. Keen gardener, when dodgy back allows, and devout researcher of local ales and French wines. Married with two children who have flown the nest, but return regularly to empty the fridge. Living in listed country cottage which gets more expensive by the year to maintain. Retired but still writing regular columns and pieces for web sites.

Latest posts by Dick Roberts (see all)

The problem with buying someone a lawnmower for Christmas ( and it does make a brilliant present ) is that the old man with the white beard has a devil of a job getting it down the chimney. But as he always manages to get the gift under the tree with a bit of his … Continued

Ho, Ho, Ho! Christmas Crackers for the Garden

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Feider 4-in-1 Self Propelled Petrol Lawnmower with Electric Start

Dick Roberts

Norfolk journalist and countryman, now retired from daily newspaper life but still commentating and writing. Keen gardener, when dodgy back allows, and devout researcher of local ales and French wines. Married with two children who have flown the nest, but return regularly to empty the fridge. Living in listed country cottage which gets more expensive by the year to maintain. Retired but still writing regular columns and pieces for web sites.

Latest posts by Dick Roberts (see all)

There’s an art to buying presents for Christmas. And most of us haven’t got it and need a shove in the right direction to buy something worthwhile and welcome. That’s not a gift which is either taken back as soon as decently possible or posted on Ebay within a couple of days. So here are … Continued

Two gifts from MowDirect to delight any gardener, and Rudolph !

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Dick Roberts

Norfolk journalist and countryman, now retired from daily newspaper life but still commentating and writing. Keen gardener, when dodgy back allows, and devout researcher of local ales and French wines. Married with two children who have flown the nest, but return regularly to empty the fridge. Living in listed country cottage which gets more expensive by the year to maintain. Retired but still writing regular columns and pieces for web sites.

Latest posts by Dick Roberts (see all)

It’s hard work being a reindeer at this time of December. That sleigh seems to get heavier by the year and it’s not a lot of fun pulling it, let alone flying. So that’s why we reindeer welcome the gifts of a lawn or garden tractor just as much as those receiving it. For we … Continued

Take back control in the garden – here are ten top strimmers and brushcutters for summer

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Dick Roberts

Norfolk journalist and countryman, now retired from daily newspaper life but still commentating and writing. Keen gardener, when dodgy back allows, and devout researcher of local ales and French wines. Married with two children who have flown the nest, but return regularly to empty the fridge. Living in listed country cottage which gets more expensive by the year to maintain. Retired but still writing regular columns and pieces for web sites.

Latest posts by Dick Roberts (see all)

While families pray for hours of unbroken sunshine for summer barbecues and country strolls, gardeners would like a bit of rain now and then for the flowers and vegetables, and especially the lawn. With no immediate prospect of black clouds on the horizon, apart from political ones, rougher patches of vegetation seem to keep growing … Continued

Top hedge trimmers from Tanaka with next-day delivery

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Dick Roberts

Norfolk journalist and countryman, now retired from daily newspaper life but still commentating and writing. Keen gardener, when dodgy back allows, and devout researcher of local ales and French wines. Married with two children who have flown the nest, but return regularly to empty the fridge. Living in listed country cottage which gets more expensive by the year to maintain. Retired but still writing regular columns and pieces for web sites.

Latest posts by Dick Roberts (see all)

Nothing shows off a well-maintained garden like a neatly-trimmed hedge and some are starting to look quite untidy. (You know who you are – Ed.) We always urge you to check there are no birds still raising their young before you start, but in many parts of the country, the young are fledged and flown. … Continued

Ten top wheeled trimers, field, brush and scythe mowers made to cut down the thickest scrub

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Dick Roberts

Norfolk journalist and countryman, now retired from daily newspaper life but still commentating and writing. Keen gardener, when dodgy back allows, and devout researcher of local ales and French wines. Married with two children who have flown the nest, but return regularly to empty the fridge. Living in listed country cottage which gets more expensive by the year to maintain. Retired but still writing regular columns and pieces for web sites.

Latest posts by Dick Roberts (see all)

Depressing isn’t it? Already past the longest day so the evenings from now on will be shorter and all we have to look forward to is bitter winter snow and ice. But for now the sun blazes down on most of the country and while lawns don’t need trimming so often verges and rougher parts … Continued

Battery power makes essential gardening jobs less tiring – and no petrol fumes

By

Dick Roberts

Norfolk journalist and countryman, now retired from daily newspaper life but still commentating and writing. Keen gardener, when dodgy back allows, and devout researcher of local ales and French wines. Married with two children who have flown the nest, but return regularly to empty the fridge. Living in listed country cottage which gets more expensive by the year to maintain. Retired but still writing regular columns and pieces for web sites.

Latest posts by Dick Roberts (see all)

Battery power has gone a long way in the last ten years or so and is starting to revolutionise garden machinery. It’s possible that in years to come the trip to the garage with a petrol can will become a thing of the past as technology improves – there is even a ride-on lawn tractor … Continued

Time to tackle the nettles and thistles before they take over

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MD Tondu Wheeled Trimmer

Dick Roberts

Norfolk journalist and countryman, now retired from daily newspaper life but still commentating and writing. Keen gardener, when dodgy back allows, and devout researcher of local ales and French wines. Married with two children who have flown the nest, but return regularly to empty the fridge. Living in listed country cottage which gets more expensive by the year to maintain. Retired but still writing regular columns and pieces for web sites.

Latest posts by Dick Roberts (see all)

Depending on where you are in the country, the grass is growing more slowly but still needs regular mowing. Would the same could be said for nettles and weeds, for these bane of every gardener’s life seem to thrive whatever the conditions. And if you have a small orchard or paddock they need trimming if … Continued

Ten top hedge trimmers – there’s one for every garden big or small

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Dick Roberts

Norfolk journalist and countryman, now retired from daily newspaper life but still commentating and writing. Keen gardener, when dodgy back allows, and devout researcher of local ales and French wines. Married with two children who have flown the nest, but return regularly to empty the fridge. Living in listed country cottage which gets more expensive by the year to maintain. Retired but still writing regular columns and pieces for web sites.

Latest posts by Dick Roberts (see all)

Time to trim the hedges of their Spring growth, for nothing shows off a garden large or small as well as a neat hedge or even a piece of elaborate topiary. But before trimming please check there are no nesting birds still sitting on their eggs of tending their young. Many young have now flown … Continued

Two machines to make cutting hedge tops a much easier job

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Mitox hedge cutter

Dick Roberts

Norfolk journalist and countryman, now retired from daily newspaper life but still commentating and writing. Keen gardener, when dodgy back allows, and devout researcher of local ales and French wines. Married with two children who have flown the nest, but return regularly to empty the fridge. Living in listed country cottage which gets more expensive by the year to maintain. Retired but still writing regular columns and pieces for web sites.

Latest posts by Dick Roberts (see all)

Hedges have grown at a terrific speed lately and you can give them their first trim of the year after making sure there are no nesting birds. Hedge cutting is relatively simple these days with the huge range of trimmer available, but the tops always prove a problem. Teetering on top of a ladder while … Continued