I was looking for a piece of rope to make a tree swing and of course like most things you can get one ready made. Ok it does cost £9.99, which is more than a length of rope from Urchin. But at least it can be easily hung on a branch and has a ready - made foot rest, only problem being it doesn't say what weight it takes and our family may be Sleight by surname but not by size.

Posted by Carole

We've just acquired an allotment share, in other words Ross has read the half hour gardener book and is suitably fired up for growing. So we need some of these plant labels from the enticing website The Lazy Environmentalist. These labels come in packs of 5 for £6 and are made from casualty oak trees, what a great new lease of life. In fact the site has a lazy feel, not many products, but those that are featured are well selected and beautifully presented.

Posted by Carole

Well the suns out, so grab yourself this fresh lime and raspberry
picnic set reduced from £25 to £12.50 from Crocus. They also have lots of reduced furniture and some fantastic architectural sail shades. Given the current food prices, you might want to use thier expert section to get advice on what to plant this Autmn.

Posted by Carole

Well this has to be a first, a rustic hosepipe holder from the very practical useful stuff company. Their site is packed with great gardening gifts and some well priced picnic ware, should the summer ever happen. This £12.50 creation is a great antidote to the green plastic holder which currently graces every garden.

Posted by Carole

Now this is a stylish child's cow print tent. Its technically called a Gelert Quickdraw and for £31.49 it .. 'Pitches in a couple of seconds, has pre-attached guy lines, is made out of shell polyester / PU coating...has 1 door, 2 air vents, is 110 cms (H), (W)105, (D)225 and weighs 2 KG'. Phewwww, you can get all of this and more from Argos and it comes in a leopard print too.

Posted by Carole

If you're in need of a bit of privacy, then this willow screening from Gone Gardening is not a bad place to start. It comes in 3 by 1/ 2 metre panels and is reduced from £32.99 to £24.99. They also have some finely woven reed and bamboo screens, which are also on sale. In fact it's the most useful looking gardening sale I've seen in a while, you may find there are a number of things you actually need.

Posted by Carole

Woolworths is not an obvious place to think of when it comes to hard garden landscaping. But they have a fairly decent range of tools, decking, pergolas and hard core, like this Dandys beach pebbles for £142.99 a tonne. Yes it's a natural product, but there are no clues as to where it has come from - let's just hope it's not a beach near you.

Posted by Carole

The Cyan brochure has fallen out every magazine I've picked up recently, so felt obliged to feature them. Plus they have a sale on, so this teak bench would normally cost £259 but could be yours for £159.99 -plus will be delivered fully assembled. There's a lot of competition in this field - but the wood is sustainably sourced and the crafmanship quality is pretty high. Put it this way it won't fall apart after 5 minutes or collapse under the burden of a heavy relative.

Posted by Carole

I'm not surprisd that this Barn lamp is on the Best Sellers list at The Garden Trading company. This £26.50 light is based on lamps that were used on outbuildings and stables to facilitate checking on animals at night or early morning tack. It comes in a range of colours and the indoor or outdoor versions are CE approved and are IP rated. While you're there check out the votive lights and hooks - all practical and well designed.

Posted by Carole

If you can think beyond your credit card damage and fuzzy post New Year head- then take a look at the Garden Furniture 4u website. This unattractively named Bogor garden set is reduced from £199 to £149. It's made from acacia hardwood and includes the table, 2 benches and 2 chairs. At this price I doubt it can have too ethical a background.

Posted by Carole

John Lewis has got a lot of items reduced by over 50%, which is great if you've got a long shopping list. These outdoor Relay garden chairs are crisp, white and foldable and reduced from £15 to £7.50. Lots of other bargains to be had and for once I will buying none of them. Somehow news of the need of new plumbing and leccy has dampened my urge to spend.

Posted by Carole

If I had a tree which could accomodate this elegant circular bench then this would be the one for me. The Cotswold Company has a 20% discount on all purchases made by December 20th and while you're there, you can preview their New Year sale.

Posted by Carole

I think there is something quite reflective and romantic about garden benches, maybe because they signify sitting still for 5 minutes. This elegant Billyoh is made from FSC approved eucalyptus and is reduced from £199 to £119.99 at Simply Furniture, which is exactly that. If the Winter is as mild as they predict then you could consider their table and chair sets -lots and lots of styles and prices.

If you've enjoyed this entry, then please vote for Housebible in the 'Homes' section of the Bt Online Awards. by this Sunday. Make us bloggers happy this Christmas.

Posted by Carole

So far my shabby straw bird box has attracted zero interest from our feathered friends. But how could they resist this contemporary and stylish terracotta birdball for £29.95 at the Worm who turned website. If that doesn't appeal to them, then how about an outdoor wreath made from apples or a metal feeder which you skewer fruit to - lovely site and lots of inspirational Christmas ideas.

Posted by Carole

Garden Boutique is a great name for this website as it has a very individual and selective feel. Plus it's the first time I've seen such a great galvanised planter for such a reasonale price -£85 for all 75 x 20 x 20cm -there are other sizes available. They also have some stunning garden trellis which I'll have to put on the site, meanwhile enjoy a thoroughly delightful outdoor browse.

Posted by Carole

If you're stuck for stocking fillers or uninspired by Christmas shopping, log onto Fab Stuff. Annetta Snider and Julia Scott have sourced an eclectic range of him, her and the pet products at a wide range of prices. These 5
seed sticks have the delights of sweet william and alpine strawberry seeds attached to them. Just pop them in the soil and watch your £2.95 flourish into something beautiful. You could also sign up to receive their fabfreebies, goods which you can user test for free and then recommend to friends for a commission - not a bad idea.

Posted by Carole

As water butts go, this must be the most attractive looking one around. It holds 36 litres, costs £60 and is also available in a subtle cream. The Garden Trading company also have an extensive range of enamelled products, a great herb dryer fo £20 and a charming seed box, which would make a great gift. All Lisa Stickley fans will also be pleased to hear that they've opened a shop with the textile designer in Clapham.

Posted by Carole

What a fantastic and very green idea from Crocus to take the pain out of gathering up your falling Autumn leaves.
This loose weave jute leaf sack can hold thousands of fallen leaves and is a snip with one sack for £2.99 and ten for £20. The real joy is once the leaf sack is filled, do what the name says; simply Love 'Em and leave 'Em in a corner of the garden. The leaves and the leaf sack will biodegrade and there you have it, no sack, no leaves just lots of lovely compost!

Posted by Jane

I like the concept of these hanging baskets from Plants Plus. This Winter Gold hanging basket set contains some colouful mixed pansies set against the golden green foliage of Oreganum, and the variagted contrasts of Hedera and Salvia Tricolour. The £15.99 also includes a 12" hanging basket with a grass rope and fern flat bottomed hexagonal basket. It's half the price of a bouquet and will last a lot longer, a good surprise to receive when the post gets back up to speed.

Now I need to buy this nifty pressure washer from Homebase. The kids are currently sliding off our steps in a ski-like fashion, so for £34.99 I could do a quick 1800 watt pressure wash with my 6 metre hose and save myself broken limbs and £5 -not bad for a half term purchase. Might just postpone the deed until all those trick 'n' treaters have slid off our front steps..hee hee hee....

Posted by Carole

Well this pocket garden would make a great small gift or thoughtful alternative to a card in the post. You can get hot chililes, lavender, organic garlic chives or coriander for £3.95 from John Lewis. Do let me know if they actually grow as all miniature plants have previously died on me.

Posted by Carole

Ok so you know the name Wickes and may have even browsed through the brochure popped through your door. But take a closer look and you'll find solid 6 by 6 foot panels like this dipped close panel for £24.99. Plus some basic decking and paving kits, don't think of them as the trades people shop -consider it yours.

Posted by Carole

If they had the right price at my local Woolies for this nifty garden set, then I would have had to buy it. Who could resist a reduction of £19.99 to £4.98? As that Autumn chill is in the air, this could make leaf collecting a pleasure, not a chore for the kids.

Posted by Carole

Now's the time to grab a bargain for outdoors as some of the reductions are big enough to warrant purchases with next summer in mind. This pine potting table from Greenfingers is usually £39 and is now £19.50. Really worth checking out the barbecues and garden furniture. Who knows we could end up with that mythical Indian summer, so you may get to use it before Autumn winds in.

Posted by Carole

If you're looking for a unique and often personalised gift, then head for the Not on the High Street site. Tons of inspired ideas and well crafted, individual products. This luxurious sandy alpaca throw is Peruvian cashmere at it's finest. It costs £59.50 and is sourced from Las Mantas who donate one per cent of all sales to environmental charities via 1% For The Planet. So now you own a picnic rug for the summer and a cosy blanket for the colder months, ideal given the current weather mayhem.

Posted by Carole

I'm not sure where I've had my head buried, but am I the only one who hasn't been to one of Wyevale's 100 garden centres? This crowd have been around since 1967 and practically started the whole plant in a plastic container to take away idea. This deep crimson Primula Pulverulenta comes in a 2 litre pot and costs £6.99. They currently have a 1/3 off selected specimen plants which I failed to find on their site - did find lots of helpful tips and great herbs though.

Posted by Carole

This isn't in the big Heals summer sale. But then you could afford to splash out £20 on this galvanised herb set. Given the fact that the slugs have feasted on my herb attempts outdoors, then maybe keeping them under my watchful eye will aid their survival.

Posted by Carole

La Redoute is not your obvious outdoor gardening shop -but with their Summer sale currently in full swing, maybe I can tempt you to take a peek. This stylish Asmara coffee table could be used in or outdoors. It's made from solid acacia and finished with a grey alkyde resin - cost £105. Now it's just a case of getting all the bits to go with the table.

Posted by Carole

Well if you want a good one-stop outdoor shop, then Crocus is a pretty good all-rounder. Lots of planting advice, gadgets, gizmos and furniture like this Warwick garden set. For some reason this is not to everyone's taste as it's reduced by a whopping £400 to £399.99, plus you get a parasol and base worth over £80 thrown in. I don't know about you but I rather like it -maybe I'm just a bit square.

Posted by Carole

I'm definately a decking person rather than a patio one. I'm also into the smooth non-hardwoods rather than the ridged variety. So this pack of 60 smooth or grooved green treated deck boards measuring 480 by 14cm from B & Q, fulfills the brief perfectly. Plus they cost £595.95, as they currently have a 15% reduction on a lot of their products. Be prepared to do the odd power wash - but otherwise enjoy a new outdoor space.

Posted by Carole

Well I really shouldn't be telling you about Tesco's online as they're taking over the world. But this £19 hardwood deckchair in this fetching green butterfly fabric can-not be ignored. Looking at this miserable weather I'll be using mine to watch the tv today.

Posted by Carole

Well typically the weather forecast is scary for the next few days, so why not head off and grab a bargain to cheer yourself up. This brown Palermo resin table is yours for £79.99 from Homebase who have lots of special offers to tempt you over the Bank Holiday weekend. Now all we need is for the weather to continue to be kind to us.

Posted by Carole

I've been pretty wet about buying a rain catcher, mad given the amount of stuff falling from the sky over the last few days. So this 150 litre Sankey beehive butt will do just the job and look pretty non-plastic at the same time. It's reduced from £59.99 to £54.99 and is available from Capital Gardens who have a good range of garden products and butts.

Posted by Carole

I've been promised that it's going to get hot again by next Wednesday -not that I'm not grateful for a huge dollop of rain. So when you head outdoors make sure you're armed with this enchanting bamboo food cover for only £10.95 from Graham & Green. While you're there take a peak at their colourful melamine goods - very colourful and chic.

Posted by Carole

I'm the last person to ask advice about bbq's having never done the outdoor cooking thing despite owning two! But I do like the idea of this bucket one from Urchin for 21.99. Maybe I like the image too, you know camper vans and al fresco living - perhaps this will be the year we finally get our shiny bbq out of it's wrapping.

Posted by Carole

At last I've found a replacement apple house to show you. What's more it's from that honest looking man who greets you as you log onto the Baileys site. It's £12.50 and 100% recycled - this site makes me want to ditch the plastic and get wooden. Fantastic site.

Posted by Carole

I still get a small thrill when our garden lights pop on. So with all this sun around at the moment, log onto your local Woolies site and bag these elegant solar lights. These steely 10 are reduced from £79.99 to £39.99, the latter making more sense. As it's a £4.95 delivery charge for as much as you like, then look at this fun grass print table reduced from £29.99 to £14.99 - what we would lovingly refer to as a Clare table.

Posted by Carole

ELC has funked up and shed it's slightly worthy air for a more caring, sharing one. This Pink rake and hoe trolley comes with a hoe, trowel, 2 rakes, dibber and watering can. Plus a rather fetching trolley to hold the gardening tools - shames my current bucket holder. It costs £10 and is aimed 3-8 year olds, but most ages would muck in where water and mud are present. Lots of Easter items also on sale - could make an alternative gift to chocolate.

Posted by Carole

My mom's just been to stay armed with a pair of secateurs, so now the garden is in need of some new foliage. That's where Crocus comes into play, straight forward hand held gardening advice for a novice like me. They've thoughtfully put together an April planting section which includes this fluffy yellow Mimosa and a clear guide as to how to aid it's survival. A 3 litre pot costs £13.95, do I trust myself to take on this new charge?

Posted by Carole

As a child I spent hours in our playhouse in the garden, it was constructed from a random selection of abandoned doors and panels dad found on a building site. So it's nothing like this super deluxe Tower Playhouse with it's swanky verandah. It's available from B & Q for £286.46, a saving of £52,54 with it's current 15% saving on selected items. This could keep your kids very busy entertaining the neighbourhood this Summer.

Posted by Carole

The idea of these vibrant garden sails really appeals to me . They'll keep me from going a mottled red colour and be aesthetically pleasing to live with. These Coolaroo shade sails would dramatically change the look and feel of our garden. Even better, the whole range is currently reduced, so prices start from £39.95. I do love a bargain. You can get every size and colour at the fairly posh Forsyth4 site. Now just a few months to wait for the sunshine to appear.

Posted by Carole

If you fancy 25% off Garden Furniture at the Danish superstore Ilva, then all you have to do is to register on their site at Ilva E-Voucher. But hurry, because it's only valid before 4th March 2007. We'd also recommend signing up for their newsletter as well as Ilva have been very generous on the e-vouchers this year.

Their garden furniture range is dominated by modern, clean wood and metal designs, but we were particularly impressed by this Amari Sofa for the garden, made out of plastic weave for easy, wipe down care. Normally priced at £320, with this e-voucher you could pick up an £80 saving, making it a very palatable £240.

Posted by Ross

If like me you have lots of seed packets purchased in a momentary 'Good Life' moment, then get yourself this Jiffy Propogator . I've read the instructions and as far as I can see it's pop it on your windowsill, water and hey presto - abundant plants for £4.95 from Harrod Horticultural. This site looks pretty grown-up, so maybe I will reap the benefits this time.

Posted by Carole

I love this natural hazel fencing, which would also make an effective garden divider. It measures 170cm tall by 180 wide and costs £68.95 per panel ,or you could order 3 and get one free. Even if these are not what you fancy, you're bound to find something to your taste on the vast Crocus site.

Posted by Carole

I used to be very snobbish about artificial flowers, but given the fact that they now can look pretty real and the big fairtrade question - I may have to to rethink my position. This Phalaenopsis Orchids Bowl
looks and sounds credible for £15 from Marks and Spencers - sounds fair to me.

Posted by Carole

I overdosed on rhubarb as a child, unlike my hubby who gets quite emotional at the promise of a rhubarb tart. So if I was kind, I would purchase this rhubarb forcer from those knowledgeable people at Greenfingers . It's currently reduced from £59 to £49 and can apparently work miracles on chicory, asparagus and other things too. Gardener’s World reckoned it was one of their best buys for this year - I might save it's purchase till a big apology/grovel is required.

Posted by Carole

Planters fall into my cushion thinking - need a change - so buy a selection of these and the whole room is transformed. These zinc planters have the look of stainless steel and a price to match my pocket. They're available from John Lewis in 4 sizes and prices, from £10 to £30. Once you've purchased your tall sweeping grasses, then you've got the look.

Posted by Carole

Now your garden space is considered a 'room' (according to all those housey mags), feel free to furnish it with these terracotta balls. They're avaible from one of my favourite stores - Woolworths, for a reduced price of £4.99 from £9.99. Now all you've got to decide is what size you want and how to arrange them.

Posted by Carole