Just a few ideas so far, more to follow:

Best gardening gloves: Traidcraft fairtrade rubber/fabric gardening gloves, about £4. My favourite kind, they keep your hands clean, dry, and stop thorns fairly well. If in Stroud, buy from Oxfam or Stroud Valleys Project, or if you can’t get to an Oxfam shop, buy online from my friend Helen’s fair trade shop.

Best gardening book:  How to create an eco garden by John Walker.  £15, hardback, 2012.  Best book on the subject that I’ve seen.  Good for beginners and experienced gardeners.  Beautifully illustrated.  Order from Stroud Bookshop  (01453 756646) – they’ll have it for you next day.   If you don’t have a local bookshop where you live, you could buy it from Alibris.

Uncle Peter’s hand trowel – from the Country Market stall at the Shambles Market, Stroud, Friday mornings, about £12.   Copper and stainless steel hand-made narrow hand trowel, very useful and comfortable.

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