It feels only right that I should mention the climate in my blog. Usually that would be a full and frank discussion on just how much rain has fallen in the last month and whether last year was similar. But the financial climate is taking my attention away from the weather reports. Which is quite a feat.

As a garden is a place to enjoy, to look over every morning with that first cup of coffee, and a place to go to forget daily worries, it's such a shame that many may be overlooked because of the money struggles people are having. But gardens don't need much spent on them to look good. Careful use of time can give shrubs and hedges a really good, neat look which will last for months and help the structure of the plot. And there are cheaper ways of injecting colour into borders and beds. Plugs and seeds take a little more patience and watering but cost a fraction of what you would pay for perennials and flowering shrubs. And with a few more coppers, a careful choice of plants which flower through the seasons and need less care can give more flower power for your pound.