There is nothing quite so bottom-reddeningly shameful for the long-term, committed humbug traditionalist as finding that there is a point to the new and modern..... it's like being Prince Charles and discovering you actually appreciate the Gherkin or Tower 42... being Oz Clarke and finding you've just drunk and enjoyed a bottle of White Lightening.... but it happens - and usually because the traditional just drives you away... such is my 'Road to Damascus' moment with modern, 'lifestyle' garden centres.By 'lifestyle', I am differentiating between the proper, honest nursery which also sells gloves (handy, that!) and the temple to modern consumerism which stocks plants, garden furniture, garden statuary, gloves, sun shades, pseudo-ethnic nik-naks, and the entire range of ephemera produced by Sia, including the Christmas and Halloween ornaments (Halloween ornaments???!!! - it's just one day which has been imported from the States like Bill Bryson.... come on Brit folks, this is the grumpy country that threw loads of tea into a harbour because you taxed them without allowing them seats in Parliament.... you know "Taxation without representation" and "Hell no, we wanna vote!", etc.,... why are you importing their holidays and humourous writers???? Mind you, voter turnout is on the slide... maybe you've all got a reason to soak some PG Tips in the Thames.... it would be a statement ... and possibly a Guiness Book of World Records event....)Anyway, back to the business in hand.... Lifestyle Garden Centres.... I'm converted.... I want one beamed slap bang into the centre of Halifax... I want it right on my doorstep, coach park and all.... "Why?", you might ask... well, as luck would have it, I'm getting on in years....As never before, I find myself in need of those specifically female-orientated emoluments which you need to retain a young, fresh and vital visage (or, more correctly, to cover an old, haggard and tired one).... and I'm down to the very last thimble full of Estee Lauder green gak that my Mom sends me from the States... "No problem", I think, "I'll just nip into the shop and get some." BUT, it's not that easy.... there's a test... and the lady giving the test is mean, and her face doesn't move... at all, seriously... NOT AT ALL! She's like a really well made-up corpse - that speaks! Even her voice is strangely unhuman, like her vocal cords have been botoxed.... She asks if I have oily, dry or combination skin.... I don't know, there's certainly a difference between the kind of skin I have on my elbows and my knees and the kind which is on my face... does that mean I have combination skin? If it does, then doesn't EVERYONE in the world have combination skin? Why would anyone offer alternatives? Who wants oily skin? Or dry skin? Then, sensing that I'm floundering, I'm asked (by way of backwards snub) if I want something to 'mask the redness on my nasal area' - she thinks I have a red nose.... am I Santa Claus now???? Or Rudolph? Is she implying I have a drinking problem???? Weak-willed as ever, I feign an interrupting BlackBerry and escape before the web has closed....I try Boots, but noticing all the 'stuff' is behind a counter manned by another clone woman, I buy a bottle of water and scarper quick style.....There is only one salvation... the 'Lifestyle' garden centre... which sells cosmetics and creams.... on shelves... next to the jams and chutneys.... there's no one there to quiz you on your knowledge of epidemiology... you just pick it up and pay for it.... that's all, simple, unobtrusive and reasonably comfortable.... you just have to make sure that the jar you've selected is face cream and not jam... which seems a reasonably easy test.... and while there was a slight mix-up with some lemon curd, my skin did smell simply lovely for the day!
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Tim Bucknall posted a discussion
What do people find is the best lawn turf?  I use Rolawn Medallion.  Sometimes it's excellent, sometimes less so (in particular it can contain AMG).  What have people found consistently good?Cheers
4 hours ago
Andrew Coates replied to Andrew Coates's discussion Hadn’t prepared for this
"Morning Peter.thankyou for your reply. The op delay was out of my hands unfortunately,admin in the hospitals had got lost,that's from last June unfortunately.so,moving forward, I'm not ,I'm still on a waiting list to see the surgeon,so in the…"
4 hours ago
John F replied to Peter sellers's discussion Stihl hsa40 review
"Seems good value Peter having Two batteries .
Suffering from bouts of tennis elbow it would have being ideal at the time , The lightest I could find was the Gtech weighing around 2.14 kg with battery in which enabled me to carry on working .
It's…"
6 hours ago
Peter sellers posted a discussion
Thought others may find this of use - suffering from health issues so bought Stihl HSA 40 battery hedge trimmer came as a kit with two AS2 batteries and charger for £174 inc vat ,weighs  just over 2kg which was the main factor.Being used to Echo…
7 hours ago
Peter sellers replied to Peter sellers's discussion Cordless hedge cutter
"Update - well took myself off to dealers to try the aforementioned Stihl HLA 40 and found it to be totally unbalanced front end heavy with the rubber sleeve for your supporting arm too far away from the trigger basically a design disaster. We know…"
10 hours ago
Andrew Coates and Max alam are now friends
22 hours ago
Fusion Media posted a blog post
KAR UK has announced the launch of its brand-new K-Series Hose Reel Trolley – a robust, British-built solution designed to meet the demands of modern turf care and industrial washdown applications.Handmade in the UK by a local manufacturing partner…
yesterday
Billybop replied to Peter sellers's discussion Cordless hedge cutter
"quite fancy that Stihl 150B looks good but £700 would only use it very occasionally on the jobs I have already (due to lack of time had to cut down on existing work and not really taking on new jobs) Had the HLA135 for a few seasons now which is a…"
yesterday
Sam Bainbridge replied to Peter sellers's discussion Cordless hedge cutter
"I use a tripod ladder with a stihl hs87t 40inch bar. Makes a far superior job than long reach I hate those bloody things horrible to use"
Sunday
Graham Taylor replied to Andrew Coates's discussion Hadn’t prepared for this
"That really is very sad to have to stop the work you must enjoy.  I'd be really upset and I'm 72!   Don't like to sound pessimistic but would it be an  idea to just pack up the gardening work for something less physically draining?  Might be wrong…"
Saturday
simon caine replied to Peter sellers's discussion Cordless hedge cutter
"I use the Sthil combi unit with the henchmen harness it's a excellent combination you can hedge cut all day with no fatigue "
Saturday
John F replied to Andrew Coates's discussion Hadn’t prepared for this
"Hi Andrew 
A simple approach would be to find the right domestic properties where you can job share and invoice the customer separately .
You are probably looking at the larger gated properties where you can multi task but allocate your individual…"
Saturday
Fusion Media posted a blog post
At Centurion Club in St Albans, course manager Andy Garland knows every inch of the golf course because he helped build it from the ground up. Today, as the club continues to host some of the biggest events in professional golf, Andy relies on…
Friday
Fusion Media posted a blog post
GroundsFest is delighted to announce an expanded partnership with the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI), which will see the organisation again become the exclusive sponsor of The Landscape Zone at GroundsFest 2026.The strengthened…
Friday
Richard Taylor posted a blog post
You’re invited to the biggest one-day “Live-and-Running” Ground Care and Turf Machinery show in the country on Wednesday 24th June in Buckinghamshire.See and compare machinery from over 40 manufacturers of mowers, turf care equipment, hand-held kit,…
Friday
Peter sellers replied to Peter sellers's discussion Cordless hedge cutter
"Telescopic, cordless Tim its only for light work. Probably end up with Stihl HLA 40 it does not have the motor at the handle end but only weighs 3.5kg with battery so may be ok. Apart from the Stihl 150  that Billybop suggested I can't see anything,…"
Thursday
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Turf

What do people find is the best lawn turf?  I use Rolawn Medallion.  Sometimes it's excellent, sometimes less so (in particular it can contain AMG).  What have people found consistently good?Cheers

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0 Replies
Views: 7

Stihl hsa40 review

Thought others may find this of use - suffering from health issues so bought Stihl HSA 40 battery hedge trimmer came as a kit with two AS2 batteries and charger for £174 inc vat ,weighs  just over 2kg which was the main factor.Being used to Echo…

Read more…
1 Reply · Reply by John F 6 hours ago
Views: 21

Cordless hedge cutter

Looking for cordless hedge cutter with the motor at the battery/handle end and telescopic . Find the ones with the motor at the blade end unbalanced, and before anyone says it - no the battery does not counter balance it well.  Not bothered on brand.

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8 Replies · Reply by Peter sellers 10 hours ago
Views: 318