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

It's on a day like this that you think it's time to give those herbs another go. Ross has armed us with hundreds of packets of seeds including some asparagus bulbs which will possibly bear fruit in 3 years time. So if you want to avoid disappointment, then log onto Green Garden Herbs and read their top ten desirables. This gorgeous French tarragon starts life as a packet of foil fresh seeds for £1.50 per pack including p &p. If you're in North Yorkshire then make sure you make a detour to their 5 acre nursery where they grow over 400 varieties of aromatic, culinary, medicinal and ornamental herbs.

Posted by Carole

Now there's no excuse to kill your plants with over-watering thanks to these new self-watering wet pots from Garden Boutique. You get 3 pots for £19.95, then simply pour water in and let nature take it in as and when needed. Perfect for those of you who are away a lot or like me have a penchant for killing herbs. Garden Designer Alice Bowe has a great range of well chosen garden products from cute vintage table vases to reclaimed garden furniture. And if you can't find it on her site then give Alice or Daisy a call and they'll find it for you - now there's a challenge.

Posted by Carole

It's time to forget the weather forecasts, grab your trowel and secateurs and get planting. Of course all the major diy outlets have discounts this weekend and Homebase is no exception. There's up to 20% off most purchases, making this striking £5.99 red Yarrow an essential purchase.

Posted by Carole

I've decided to ditch the card this Valentine's day and get something a little more permanenet. No, not a dog but this Spring flowering magnolia from Market Net It can represent the blossoming of our love and hopefully provide a screen from the neighbours for £58.50. This site is worth looking at for examples of great mushy cheesiness with the odd good idea thrown in.

Posted by Carole

Well so far only my wrapping paper and tags have been ethical, so I need to get shopping at the Ethical Superstore for this £7.99 paper potter. A perfect way to use your old newspapers to make seedling pots which are bio-degradable. Tons of ideas for high impact, low energy gifts.

Posted by Carole

I've always fancied a set of bay trees or a splendid piece of topiary to sit in front of our house. But given that our party balloons were stolen from the front door, have resisted the urge so far. Now we've moved house, I may give in and purchase two wonderful bay trees from Seagrave Nurseries from £25 upwards. This nursery specialises in plants and trees on the large scale and would make a great and permanent Christmas gift for now and the future. If you've enjoyed this entry then please vote for our Housebible website under the Home category at BT Online Awards. Your vote will make us very happy and keep us blogging.

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

What a great idea, create a series of gifts which combine something for the garden with an edible or gluggable companion. Glut has a package for every occasion, this sloe gin case contains a bottle of Plymouth's finest with 3 sloe plants and some recipes to inspire. Apparently this is how we will shop in the future, just assemble what you think I need - so not a bad place to start.

Posted by Carole

I'm not sure this floral William Morris trowel and cultivator will go down well with all you serious gardeners out there. But hey for £20 this makes a perfect Christmas gift from John Lewis. With free delivery why not add an orchid or herb planters to your shopping list.

Posted by Carole

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.

This is definately the Harrods version of the humble greenhouse from Gabriel Ash. It's made from solid western red cedar with toughened safety glass and coldframes which can be positioned on either side of the structure. It's reduced from £9280 to £6780 which is nothing short of a small extenion. Then again if you're a really keen gadener with some cash to spare or inheritance tax to spend - then pop it onto your Santa wish list.

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

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

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

I love these vibrant polyester planters from Cadix. This is a great site for inspirational and trend setting contemporary garden furniture, containers, sculptures and lifestyle in terrazzo, metal, polyester, ceramic and other modern materials. There is every price to suit your pocket, some may depend on a small lottery win.

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

Well these gloves look way too pretty to get dirty. If you haven't guessed by now this is a Cath Kidson number and you'll have to wait untill June to get your hands on this £6 treat. Order now or get a floral fix from her cheerful chairs, gazebo, plates, apron etc etc.

Posted by Carole

I was trying to find this nifty apple bird feeder which Thompson - Morgan stock, but the site defied me. So instead you get this equally enchanting and practical seedling pot maker. It's a great way to recycle your paper and has the added benefit of being biodegradable once placed in the soil. Costs £11.99 for a lifetime of pot making. Not the niftiest title for a gardening site which has a serious seed collection and are holding their 14th open day in Ipswich on July 28th & 29th. Looks like you'll see some good floral action there.

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

Labour and Wait is a surprising success story. A shop specialising in ordinary old fashioned products that exists as a thriving East End shop and a bustling online presence. This £18 oak twine stand is typical of their well selected products, practical and durable and guaranteed to outlive me. They have an enviable collection of enamel pots and pans along with dustpan and brush sets which are timeless classics. Never have everyday objects looked so good.

Posted by Carole

If your lawn is looking as sad as mine, then it needs a stiff Gardening Expres s tonic in the form of Earthwork's organic fertiliser. It contains a cocktail of nutrients and a humus soil conditioner (whatever that is?) So spend £12.95 and you'll get 2.5 litres of on-going replenishment of the soil in the root zone. All sounds good to me.

Posted by Carole

Or the 'Nodding onion' -yes- that's the name of this little allium Summer beauty. I'd like to buy lots of plants from the red hens nursery. They have a really earthy and local site, there's nothing frilly or fancy about it, just clusters of bulbs (7/8) for around £2.50 plus postage. Where else could you buy environmentally friendly plants that have never seen a pesticide, fungicide or herbicide in their seedling life. Not sure they'll survive in our garden without drugs and chemicals - but worth a try.

Posted by Carole

I'd really like/desire these grown-up secateurs in their smart leather case. I've managed to lose, rust or break quite a few to date, so I'd treasure this pair. They cost £20.95 from Earthworks a site which like it's products is practical and efficient with a well-made feeling.

Posted by Carole

Don't be fooled by that yokel sounding Hen and Hammocks title, because this site is definately aspirational and very sexy. If you want a taste of it ,then purchase this package of six organic seed and potato babies. This summer you could be munching on - Bastion Pea, Blauhilde Climbing French Bean, Boltardy Beetroot, Marvel of Four Seasons Lettuce, Nantes Carrot, Witkeim Broadbean, Colleen, Charlotte and Desiree potatoes for £12. Now imagine how much boasting about your plants you can do.

Posted by Carole

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 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

Can't think what to get that relation who seems to have everything? Then get them some plants or shrubs from Dobies in Chester. They've been spreading their seeds since 1880 and now have a very reliable and trusted reputation throughout the UK. This juicy Raspberry Polka costs £11.95 for 5 plants and could have you in berry heaven from July to October.

Posted by Carole

If like me you’d rather have pink fingers than green ones then this charming gardening set from SandEdge.com is for you. The essentials are included, but the little extra inclusions are what make this a gardening set with style. You get two cute pairs of gloves (one suede, one cotton) some pink daisy seeds, some pink plant pot labels and a tube of hand crème all for £33.

It’s almost as if it was plucked straight off the set of Stepford Wives – I love it!

Posted by Kerry

Time to grab an Autumnal bargain of 50% off these dwarf wallflower plants. The glossy green foliage and profusion of scented flowers come in a range of carmine cream, yellow and scarlet/red shades and will bring welcome winter colour to any patio or border. There are plenty of other inspiring Autumn plants and bulbs to choose from at Gardening Direct just make sure you get your order in by October 6th.

Posted by Carole

There's only so much bamboo you can take - our garden currently looks like we should have a panda roaming in it. So take a look at the fantastic range of palms and grasses at The Palm Centre. They're a lot more colourful and promise things like will 'move and whisper seductively in the breeze' - now that's a plant worth buying.

Posted by Carole

Since I've been away the slugs have had a midnight rocket feast with a fair amount of chives and basil for dessert. So this 'live' indoor spice rack is a perfect purchase for my next attempt at growing herbs. It's a great creation from newly graduated/2006 New Designer award winner Mike Moran . Bad news is there's no price for it yet, unlike his eye-catching £20 pop-off planters. Someone to keep an eye on.

Posted by Carole

Just when you thought that life couldn't get any more floral and up pops this fabby garden kneeler from that busy lady Cath Kidston . It's made of oilcloth with a waterproof backing, measures 48 x 36cm and costs £25.00. In truth I'm feeling so autumnal that when I look outdoors all I can think about is weeding and sorting the plants out for Winter - is the summer really over?

Posted by Carole

This potting table is great to have lurking outside for all your plants, pots and odd balls of string. It costs £199 from Odd Limited, a gardening and interiors company set up by Bridgette and Robin Buchanan. Their trademark is upholstered swinging seats, but what I really like is the fact that their site is presented as a series of snap shots, which gives you a real feel of the products in use.

Posted by Carole

Are you looking for a special garden gift? Then how about this Dovecote style perch which has room for up to 8 furry friends to visit. It costs £29.95 and is available from Scotts of Stow .

They also do these great personalised pots, you could put your house number or name on it or your own message - like 'Marry Me'! The pots are available in dark blue, jade green or dark red, and can be etched with up to 11 letters/spaces on each of 3 lines. The bell pot comes in green or blue and can be inscribed with 1-3 numbers. They cost £29.95 and as they are hand-finished take up to 6 weeks for delivery. Not for the spontaneous amongst you.

I don't know much about flowers, but I do know I love passion flowers. They appear delicate and tropical yet are hardy and very canny in the way they shut down over Winter and re-emerge in the Spring. We used to have them in our Brixton garden and I miss them enough to want to see them re-appear in Hackney. I'm going to order mine from Gardening Express as they have a good reputation for the quality and variety of plants. Not sure I'll be planting them right now, as I'm wilting, so a plant would never thrive in this heat.

Posted by Carole

I really like the look of this distressed-look garden planter from The Garden Factory. It's made of robust, fibre enforced resin and is UV treated to help it withstand the elements. It costs £34.95 and measures 21 x 27 x 60cms and would look really good with some sculptural style plants or topiary. If distressed is not your thing, then there's lots of contemporary aluminium pots to consider too.

Posted by Carole

What a clever idea from the witty Aram store, a flowerpot which doubles as a light. The size of the Bloom pot makes it suitable not only for flowers and plants, but you could also fill it with ice for that summer party. It's made of tough plastic and has two 11W energy-saving light bulbs that can be connected to both indoor and outdoor lighting systems. You need to email the store to find out the price, why don't they put them online! A bit early to mention it would also be the perfect pot for your Christmas tree.

Posted by Carole

If you are completely stuck as to what to plant in your beds and borders - then log on now to crocus . They offer a design service which is simple and effective. You download their grid, fill in your garden details, answer a few questions and hey presto they, (or rather Helen) sends you a list of plant recommendations. It does cost £30 an hour, so I would want to know how the average cost works out - but this could save you a lot of heartache, anguish and dead plants.

Posted by Carole

What a perfect pair of Rosemary pots for the front of your house, an entrance point or maybe to celebrate the birth of twins? They cost £45 for the pair or £29 for a single plant and pot from Marks and Spencers . What's really neat is that if you order before 5pm, they'll deliver the next day and there is no charge - sounds almost too good to be true.

Posted by Carole

Roots and Shoots is a great place to drop by if you're in Lambeth. It's a charity which was founded in 1982 and is devoted to training disadvantaged young people, environmental education and urban conservation.

A lot of love, care, training and learning has gone into their plant, vegetable and herb offerings. They also make and sell funiture on site like this Rose arch seat which costs £150. To finish your visit, you can stroll through their half acre wild life garden and feel good about where you've shopped, while smelling the flowers and tasting their home-made honey.

Posted by Carole

From this Thursday 22nd you can get up to 40% off at the The White Company, which although aimed at people with no mucky children and live by the sea, have some very neat and well, very white, goods. These cube planters are finished in a textured rustic finish, have a removable plug and are £20 for the small (20 x 20) or £35 for the big (30 x 30).

When you've finished all that digging and planting, treat your hands to a heady rub of thyme and sunflower oil essences with this hand cream. Then relax and pour yourself a drink.

Posted by Carole

Natural Collection have just been voted 'Retailer of the Year by the readers of The Observer in their Ethical Awards, and what a good choice they've turned out to be. Husband-and wife-team Julian & Jo Spencer have applied an ethical and ecological approach to everyday household and outdoor goods we need and purchase on a daily basis. The gardening section is stuffed with feeders, planters, solar lights, potions that don't kill the cat next door, some neat butts and composting bins.. you get the idea. I've chosen this natural hemp string which costs £4.95 - £12.95 as a small but practical place to begin turning my garden greener. It's part of their vast hemp range, t-shirts, weighing scales, bicycle? It's a one - stop ethical shop, time for me to chuck out the last remaining chemicals lurking in the potting shed.

Posted by Carole

Are you faced with a lawn which is dying before your eyes and wondering what you can do? Then log onto the love the garden site. It's quite blatantly dedicated to promoting 5 well know garden brands, but in the midst of this has some great advice and tips. And if this wonderful (but boy is it hot) sunshine continues, then our plants are going to need some serious resuscitation without the use of water or a miracle. What I want to know is has anyone tried to siphon the water out of their bath into a water butt below? Let me know.

Posted by Carole