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Recent Articles

Christmas Is Coming – Get Your Top Gardening Gifts Here

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Yup. It's here. It's December, it's cold, and even a grumpy Scrooge clone like me is starting to be able to hear the seasonal sounds of Slade, Wizzard and George Michael without scowling and kicking the radiogram whilst pointing out, at a loud volume to anyone who is listening, that 'Fairytale of New York' is…Continued

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

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)

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

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)

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

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)

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

Two great lawnmowers, exclusive to MowDirect, with free delivery to your door

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Herkules 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)

Everyone likes a bargain and here are two great lawnmowers, exclusive to MowDirect to get your gardens ready for high summer. First is the Mowers MowMaster 43PD 3-in-1 Self-Propelled Petrol Lawnmower, made for small to medium-sized lawns with a 43cm cutting width. It lets you chose between collecting the cut grass – there is a 40-litre … Continued

Top mowers for the small to medium sized lawn, plus a robot to do the work for you

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Hayter Spirit 41 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)

Most gardeners don’t want a big mower made to deal with acres of grass. Most of us want a simple mower, easy to start and use which will give our lawns front and back a neat, cared-for appearance. So this week’s top ten will feature mowers made for lawns under 1000m2. All are from industry … Continued

Powerful brushcutting machines to sort out the thickest vegetation

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DR4 Premier Wheeled Trimmer Mower

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 one of the great mysteries that has been baffling gardeners for generations. Why do weeds grow more quickly than flowers and vegetables? Currently banks of thick weeds are flourishing on verges and around the edges of gardens spoiling the overall look of the garden. There is a range of machines from USA company DR … Continued