This is not strictly about my garden though it is taking up quite a bit of my time at the moment. I am organising the first ever Gloucestershire Tool Amnesty in conjunction with the Conservation Foundation and eight gardening clubs including our own, the Cheltenham Horticultural Society. I have mentioned this before so I won’t go over it again here. I just wanted to record how my garage looks at the moment as I collect tools from various generous donors, societies and the garden centre collection points I have set up.

This is just the beginning. I have still got the donations from six other clubs to come and the proceeds of the various summer shows and August meetings. It looks like my hopes and expectations are going to be met thanks to a lot of very generous people clearing out their sheds for us.

The fun part is seeing what is handed in. Three pronged forks, individually numbered spades, scythes of all shapes and sizes, shears by the dozen, cultivators, hoes and rakes, it has been a revelation. One thing has become clear…they don’t make them like they used to! The strength and quality of the ‘old’ tools are far superior than their modern equivalents. 

It’s hard to believe now, but apparently they are going to look like this when the inmates in the workshops of HM Prison Bristol have refurbished them and they get handed over to schools and community projects.

I look forward to being part of a great team effort that helps inspire, motivate and equip the next generation of young gardeners.