I came across a post on Linkedin recently promoting a piece of software that would automatically write articles on any chosen subject with material gathered by it from Google and other online sources.

Ultimately its' main purpose seems to be to make websites more visible to Google, in order to improve search engine optimisation. For example I could start a search to produce an article on rose arches, I could specify its’ length…

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I went up to Burnley on Thursday to collect a machine I bought at auction, the liquidators of B Rourke had sold the machine to pay their creditors.

Rourkes’ had been in business since 1961, its’ closure resulted in the loss of thirty-seven jobs. The only time I spoke to Brian Rourke was by telephone and the exchange was to say the least acrimonious. That being said, I have nothing but admiration for what he achieved, he started a business in a chicken shed…

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Photo by kind permission of Barakura English Garden

 

Last year we were approached by a Japanese garden writer working in the UK, to supply a gazebo and rose…

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I have been looking round locally with the intention of taking evening classes to gain a history A level. There doesn’t seem to be any available, anywhere, no one seems to be running them. Has history gone out of fashion, is there a lack of interest or is it just a lack of funds?

I know history seems a bit of an odd choice of subject for someone who works with his hands but I work with history all the time. The anvils I use are probably over a hundred years old, one that I own…

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I went to Glee yesterday, had it been open Sunday that would have suited me better. Last year it took me thereabouts the whole day to get round it all, this year saw me round in about three and a half hours.

I don't know if it was smaller this year or not but it seems to me it was.



Apart from researching some products to add to my seriousgardener website, (small light, and easily posted) I had a nose round at the… Continue

Over Twenty years ago I was thumped hard with account charges by my then current bank Lloyds, for dropping below £100 credit balance, on the first occasion it had gone down to £99.99, the next time the charges from the first occasion knocked the balance below £100. My wife and I decided to move our account to the Nationwide building society, it was brilliant and I reccomended it to any one who would listen. We have used some Nationwide accounts for businesses but though not ideal things have… Continue

I was researching arch designs on google images and I came across this Antique arch.

It is described thus:

Antique heavy wrought iron garden rose arch in scroll design, with traces of old green paint, English, circa 1940. Rare form to give added interest to garden paths, providing support for rose vines etc. Has extended length to anchor arch in ground. 94 inches high, 40 1/2 inches wide, 17inches deep. When installed in… Continue

I have started reading a book called Ogilvy on Marketing by David Ogilvy, David Ogilvy was considered, I am told to be one of the leading men in his field and a great source of inspiration to the world of marketing. One of the first adverts shown in the book as an example, was for a Rolls Royce with the headline “At 60 miles an hour the loudest noise in this new Rolls-Royce is the ticking of the clock”. At the time of the advert a new roller cost $13500 and had a warranty of 36 months. I… Continue

When travelling to work most days a week I pass two of our standard scrolled arches in a front garden close to the road. They have been there for at least sixteen years.

Last week I had been out delivering and was passing that particular house on the way back to the workshop, the lady of the house was in the garden watering some of her plants.

I stopped the van and introduced myself, asked… Continue

I have lived and worked near, in and around the fens all my life. The battle to reclaim the land from the waters has had a fascination for me ever since I have known about it. In reality to describe it as a battle is to diminish what has really been a war, at times the waters have taken back with ease, that which was won with much hard physical work.

The most honest evaluation is probably that which has been taken is held; mammoth and innovative engineering maintain the status quo.

I… Continue

I have been thinking about the change in communications, (does it hurt? well a bit), the papers well certainly the Sundays are less about news and as much about froth, the colour supplements out weigh the paper itself . Weekly free papers we receive have moved considerably away from news content and are substantialy advertising vehicles.



Are we consuming our news nearly entirely away from the print media, both locally and nationally, has the print media given up on objective balanced… Continue

I don’t watch many gardening programmes, I used to watch Ground Force from time to time often for all the wrong reasons, the free movement of Charlie Dimmocks assets were definitely an interesting phenomenon for me, even as a man who is not normally a bust fan. I also watch programmes covering the flower and garden shows, where I have made something that has been incorporated into a show garden.

The biggest perceived problem it seems to me of those who work professionally within the garden… Continue

Trying to access how The Hard Landscaping Show went for us, it's the first time I have exhibited at a two day trade show at some distance from base, although I have exhibited at local three day garden shows and one day trade shows. With all these shows, it is what proceeds it that takes most time and effort. We had two new products we wanted to launch at the show so I had to get them out of the design studio in the head… Continue

I manage a company manufacturing decorative iron garden products in the main plant supports of various kinds arches, obelisks, gazebos etc. ( http://www.seriousgardener.co.uk/ ).
Are there any lanscaping or garden products in my line of country that any of you need that you can't get else where? perhaps something available in Victorian times or earlier that is no longer made.
I would be interested to hear of anything.