Sacrewell Mill

I am a designer!well of sorts anyway. I am currently undertaking a fabulous project with Sacrewell Mill, near Peterborough on a restoration of the Mill and gardens. I have had the amazing fortune to be designing the raised beds ensuring that the garden will accessible to all, able bodied and those with disabilities alike.

A lottery heritage fund was granted for the project and finally after months of painstaking rebuilding and restoring the Mill re opened on 19th July this year (2015)

So far only two raised beds are up and running but there are more to come. The second batch of beds will be far more suitable to wheelchair users. the current ones are going to be great for children, and people whose disabilities require a raised area, such as those with eye sight problems, arthritis and that sort of thing, no bending required here. It has been hard to try and make sure this garden will actually be fully accessible to all but I have loved every minute so far and can't wait to meet with the carpenters at the local college to start on the second raised beds.

There is also going to be a fabulous Heritage Orchard and a sensory garden that I hope to be part of too.

I got quite the surprise I can tell you when out of the blue I received a Facebook message from the lovely Jane Harrison (project manager) to say that I had been recommended to her! me?? really? I really was chuffed. After out first meeting it was clear we would get on like a house on fire, we never stopped giggling especially when I happened to mention that I adore penguins and was about to go to Birmingham sea life to feed them for my birthday. We both broke into a Brummy accent and now believe all penguins speak with a Birmingham accent :):) What a right pair we are.

On the day the private party arrived to show off the results so far I spent most of the time blushing. It sounded very strange to hear myself being introduced as "the designer" I soon got used to it though. It was a wonderful party with THE best hog roast I have ever tasted!

There is much much more to come on this project and I really can't wait to see the next beds, but for now here are a few photos of the project so far, they even have their own beehive high up on a chimney stack!

New Amateur gardening features! exciting times ahead

Oh yes indeed my fellow gardeners I am one very happy garden writer as I have been commissioned to write a further two features for the great garden magazine that is Amateur Gardening :) This sort of makes me part of the official team now which is really great.

I can't say much on the features as yet, so you will have to hang on for a bit longer but the first one will be in in November or December so I have to get my writing skates on. One thing I can say is that of the garden centres so far visited all have given me permission to take photos, one manager was a little reluctant as its company policy for NO photos but I talked her round :) So all is going well at the moment.

I do love being able to write about the things I love and the things I know about e.g. gardening and disability!

Thanks AG for all your continuing support over the last three years, I can't believe it has been three years since my first feature!


Anyway nothing more can said right now so here's a few garden shots to keep you going :)

Garden News article for early September, without the published changes

Here is my Garden News article for last month, however it was changed quite a lot when it was published and it did not make much sense nor did it read well due to the changes made. Here is what I actually wrote.

GN Sept 2014-08-27

Sometimes I have to pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming, I am so lucky in many ways and one of those is the products that are very kindly sent to me to test and review. The latest product is more of a therapy garden item from www.mobilegarden.co.uk that so far is proving worth its weight in gold for a less able gardener such as me. It really is a self contained garden with everything included to make gardening, say from a wheelchair 100% accessible, it has removable sections from holding a hanging basket whilst planting up to mini allotments and cane section holders. So far I am really impressed and am looking forward to giving it a thorough test.

The garden is still full of colour which is really pleasing as we have put in a lot of hard work and I love it when you get months of flowery rewards for your trouble. The newly planted viola basket is helping to keep the colour going while the absolutely fabulous Campsis Radicans Grandiflora is a blaze with glorious orange trumpets. Fortunately we managed to avert disaster when this huge specimen nearly fell on me in the recent high winds; I would have been gutted to lose it.

I have noticed that the cosmos cranberry double is looking particularly colourful all around the garden and appears to be able to blend in with everything it is near from the vibrant yellows and oranges of the marigolds to the grand height of the verbena bonariensis. Even sitting looking through it from behind is quite a sight. I am definitely going to collect plenty of seeds and sow masses of it again next year.

One of the best places to be at the moment though is tending my favourite raised from underneath the campsis, not only does it afford me plenty of cover when I look up from my hard work, deadheading, weeding and generally messing about it looks so beautiful it is hard to tear myself away. I can honestly say the more I garden the more I love it, I mean who wouldn’t enjoy all this colour and peacefulness?

Gardeners World appearance

I spent the whole day on Friday in a state of panic, I really had no idea what being on Gardeners World would be like. When the show started I was a huge bag of nerves but once it began and I saw how amazing the production team had made the garden look I relaxed and just enjoyed it. As soon as the show was over my phone went nuts with lots of supportive texts and Facebook was taken over by amazing comments from all over the country. Twitter was on fire with tweets from so many people saying how inspiring they thought I was. I was overwhelmed by the amount of people who said it made them cry. I don't think for one minute I am inspirational at all, just me being me and getting on with life, but if I have helped anyone get out in the garden even to look after one pot or raised bed then I am happy with that.

A huge thank you to everyone who has sent me messages in whichever way it was. I truly appreciate everyone's positive support.

Hopefully the link below will take you to the episode (for two weeks anyway)

Happy gardening

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b049fnfd

The Time Of My Life

Well the last few months have simply flown by and oh boy what a time I have had!

Firstly James and I went to Chelsea Flower Show courtesy of Amateur Gardening Magazine. It was an incredible day and not only did i get recognised I also got to meet Toby Buckland, who for some bizarre reason actually knew who I was? I blushed. A four page article in Amateur gardening followed all about my experience as a mobility scooter user trying to get around the show. There were a few hiccups and several bumps to negotiate but we made it through the day and escaped the horrendous down pour by a few minutes.

The second and most exciting thing to happen to me by far so far in my career as a gardener/writer is my upcoming appearance on GARDENERS' WORLD.

11th July 2014 9PM BBC 2  I make my first TV appearance

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b049fnfd

Filming in my garden was an incredible experience if not a bit surreal. I had to fight my giggles when I heard "action" and I had to wander about like no one was there, i soon settled into it though and even though I nearly boiled to death in the greenhouse so the lovely cameraman could get the best shots I truly truly loved every minute of the filming and Jo Robinson the Producer said I was a natural :):) Thanks Jo if Carol is ever busy you know where I am :)

Anyway as our gorgeous Campsis fell over last night I must dash and have a look and see if we can save it. Don't forget to tune in, or if you missed it there's always iplayer.

Happy gardening

The Two Fingered Gardener

Arthritis Research UK final article of the week :)

Growing your own pain relief herb garden with Niki Preston

Herbs for pain relief is very new to me so I have done a fair bit of research and asked those in the know what kinds of herbs are helpful for joint pain relief.

I have it on good authority that turmeric eaten with black pepper is an excellent pain reliever, James Wong himself let me into that little secret so it must be worth a go, if anyone knows there stuff it is him. One word of caution however, please always ask your doctor before trying anything new and never take yourself of any medication without consulting your doctor.

Along with turmeric I have learned that cayenne pepper has excellent anti-inflammatory benefits and this is an easy and fun plant to grow too, great to add into curries, salads and dressing. With its bright red peppers it will add great colour to your herb garden as well.

One thing that I am definitely going to try to grow is pineapple; apparently the bromelain in the juice and stem of a pineapple is known to ease the pain and inflammation that comes with Arthritis. As far as I am aware you can grow a new pineapple from a whole pineapple bought in your supermarket. Firstly cut off the leafy part of the pineapple, leaving about an inch or so of the flesh, pop it on a plate and of course eat the rest of the pineapple. Pick a good spot to grow your pineapple, sunny and with space, they can grow quite large.

Get your pot and bury the pineapple so that all the flesh is buried and the leafy parts are showing, give it a good water and that’s about it, wait but be patient it can take 2 years for the plant to fruit, if you live in a frost prone area remember to give it shelter in the winter. This might seem like a long time just for a pineapple but think how proud you will be if you manage it, and free pain relief into the bargain.

Ginger is another great pain and anti inflammatory herb. Again this can grown from ginger roots bought is the local supermarket. Ginger contains an active substance called gingerols which are said to stop the body creating the process that leads to inflammation. I am no expert though so please don’t just take my word for this.

So here are just a few ideas to get your joint pain herb garden started, I think I would also include some heavenly scented lavender for its relaxing benefits and possibly some thyme, rosemary and bay just to add some interest, colour and of course for their culinary uses.

Article 5 for Arthritis research UK

Planting and pruning with Niki Preston

When it comes to planting and pruning some thought needs to go into how much you can really do and how much time have you got to tend your plants. Perennials are always a great way to have a stunning garden with little work.

Most perennial flowers need very little pruning, just a bit of deadheading and then a chop right down when news shoots appear in the spring. It’s as easy as that. I would suggest some Achillea Millefolium which will spread itself easily and has superb flat heads which are great for attracting insects, bees and butterflies into your garden or perhaps some Perovskia “blue Spire” which is a beautifully vibrant violet blue tall deciduous shrub that only needs pruning in spring.

Little work for a big reward. These are just two examples but perennials are by far the easiest way to garden and you can always add in a few annual bedding plants, such as Primula, fuchsia, lobelia and begonias for that instant splash of colour.

Consider the positioning of your perennials too, I didn’t do this in the beginning and we are now having to re-site some of our beds as I can’t get near them at pruning time, they say you learn from your mistakes, I certainly have and poor old James has to move everything again.

Long handled tools are fabulous to reduce bending or kneeling and they help you to reach just that bit further. Personally I would recommend www.PETA-UK.com who make the most wonderful tools especially for those with arthritis and or disabilities. Genny at PETA-UK very kindly sent me one of their long reach tools with the attachable cuff to test for this very article and I can honestly say it is great. I have no way of gripping so don’t usually plant anything at ground level, but with this tool and the cuff attached I get plenty of support and the cuff helps me to pull the tool back out of the ground.

These then are perfect if you have weak grip and weak wrists, James uses these tools all the time and he doesn’t have arthritis but he loves the way they reduce the amount of effort needed, of course that leads to us fighting over who gets their hands on them first. It is usually me as I pull my “oh that’s not fair” face and he gives in.

So once you have thought about which plants where for maximum impact and ease of pruning you are ready to plant plant plant, with a little bit of pruning thrown in.

Arthritis research UK, article 4 by me :)

Sowing seeds with Niki Preston

Spring is my favourite time in the gardening calendar and probably the busiest. Now is the time plan your summer garden, are you going to sow your own seeds take some cuttings for freebie plants or buy plug plants?

Maybe a combination of all three, that’s what I do. Firstly though I had to work out how on earth I was going to sow seeds without dropping the seeds or sowing them all in one corner. After trying several different ideas from a plastic spoon to act as a false hand to circular seeds sowers that the seeds kept getting in I finally discovered the perfect sower, the super seeder, available from Amazon and now most garden centres.

It looks rather like a syringe. The end comes off and you fill the syringe with you seeds, it will sow most sizes, except very large ones. Replace the end and press the button at the end and a small amount of seeds are deposited in the seed try, move on a bit, press again, more seeds and so on until you have sown lovely neat rows of seeds. This also removes any over sowing so all the seedlings have more chance of germinating and you don’t need to thin them out quite so much.

Plug plants make a brilliant alternative to sowing your own. If seed sowing is just too hard then give plugs a thought. They still need potting on and need lots of tlc but without the sowing hassle, no worrying if they will germinate or keel over, just healthy plants to plant out when ready. I try to order mine in January as you seem to get the best deals and I have found that you also get the healthiest plugs if you order early.

Cuttings are also a great way to indulge your garden passion and get some freebie plants into the bargain. I have found two very good snipers that are just the job. One is very small and great for those very delicate cuttings, even deadheading tiny flowers such as viola and the other is slightly more sturdy and comes with a handy cover so you can pop them in your pocket with stabbing yourself, both are available from www.garden-gear.co.uk both are excellently priced at £3.99 for the herbies snips and £4.95 for the Darlac deadheading snip. This are both very lightweight and need only a gentle squeeze, these are the only two snips that I can use with one hand.

A little bit of research and a few basic tools and your new summer garden will be off to a flying start.

Arthritis Research UK article 3, gadgets and tools

Handy tools and nifty gadgets for gardening with arthritis

Over the last year or so I have been lucky enough to have done lots of garden tools product testing some of which I have found so useful I don’t know what I would do without them. Here are just a few to that you might also find useful and easy to use.

One of the most annoying things for me is pruning. I have always found it difficult, from small flower stems to roses and bigger woody shrubs. Not anymore with my array of snipers and secateurs. Unfortunately they are not all cheap but some are definitely worth the investment.

The most useful all rounder is Wolf Garten’s product, cordless secateurs. Priced at £119 these are some of the most expensive secateurs however if you were ever to invest in anything to make your garden life easier this is the product. It is very lightweight, left or right handed, one handed action or two in my case.

Once you get it started you don’t have to keep pressing the trigger it just keeps going until you let go. It is not shy at chopping through most stems and I can now prune the garden all I like, when I like much to my husband, James’ annoyance as I prune everything very low and never clear up. The chopped off bits are too low for me to bend down and pick them up.

Some of the very best and most useful tools I have had tested are the garden tools from www.peta-uk.com  these tools are very competitively priced and I could not garden without them. They are ergonomically the best designed tools for people with arthritis. They are light weight and take the strain out digging, weeding and planting.

One thing that is really useful is the arm support cuff that can be attached to the tools. it really helps to support weak wrists and hands. I would highly recommend these tools and at £9.95 for one or £25 for three it really is worth it. They also do long handled versions so if, like me you garden mostly sitting down you can still reach everything, they are also great for reaching further away without the need for bending.

Watering also used to be a big no no for and I used to have to watch my hanging baskets wilt waiting for James to come home and save them. I had to give this some serious thought. Firstly we put all the baskets lower down and although this made it easier for deadheading I still couldn’t lift a watering can full of water. However one 5 litre garden sprayer and a shopping bag on wheels later I had invited my own portable watering system.

The long hose reaches the baskets with no heavy lifting I just squeeze the trigger and away I go. James cut a short piece of garden hose that attaches to the outside tap so that I can fill it up. I know have two, one with just water in and the other with soluble plant food. All bases covered, all baskets, pots and beds watered

Another invaluable piece of garden equipment is my box trolley. I used to spend ages going up and down with this tool and that, back again for the plants and compost, by which time my legs ached and my back hurt and I didn’t feel like planting anything. Then I remembered I had a great box trolley that I used to have when I was at work. Now I fill it with everything I need and wheel it about between planting areas. There is a theme here I think, wheels! Put everything on wheels and you are away

Artcicle two. Arthritis Research UK gardening week

Niki Preston looks at garden design

Give some thought to the lay out and design of your garden. There is no point having a huge lawn and deep borders if you have limited mobility, after all who is going mow the lawn and weed the beds. Raised bed gardening is definitely worth a try. I have a totally raised garden.

It wasn’t achieved over night, in fact it has taken three years and it was done in stages. I still have my big borders they just have raised beds in now; most of them were made from decking by my very handy husband, James. If a complete garden makeover is simply out of the question then here are a few ideas that might be worth a try.

Have a good look around your garden and decide which parts you really would like to garden in more easily. Placing stepping stones in strategic places can provide a good solid surface to stand on. This year we are planning some new pathways across the lawn as I can no longer walk on uneven surfaces and I finally managed to convince James to give up some of the lawn. So consider a few pathways to get you to the bits of garden that are impossible or too precarious to get to.

I have also recently added several raised beds and pots to the patio because on really bad days when I can hardly walk at all, my garden still calls to me so making the patio accessible has been brilliant. I can get my garden fix even on very painful days, sitting and whizzing about the patio on my chair to the different beds, pots and even the raised pond.

Having several different seating areas is also a good idea, nothing fancy just a seat. That way you can garden to the seat then take a break, sit where you are instead of having to walk back to the house, then garden a bit more to the next seat. It is also a great way to admire your garden from every angle.

A little bit at a time and you will soon have an accessible garden, start with a few pots and the garden is your oyster.

Articles for Arthritis research UK gardening week

http://www.maturetimes.co.uk/preparation/

Preparation for Spring with Niki Preston and Arthritis Research UK

Gardening blogger from Peterborough, Niki Preston, ‘The Two Fingered Gardener’, is helping to encourage gardening, particularly among people with arthritis and joint pain, who can find it difficult to undertake everyday tasks such as gardening, with their condition. Here is the start of our week long gardening campaign!

One of the most important things about gardening is making sure you are comfortable and probably the most forgotten item is clothing. Try and find something that is cosy and loose fitting with plenty of pockets. I wear dungarees specifically designed for gardening by www.gardengirl.co.uk however these are quite pricey, a cheaper alternative is possible with a pair of comfy joggers and a fleece with big pockets.

Pockets are essential; I am always stuffing wire and labels in mine and always carry a small pair of snipers. A really important item is your mobile phone, I learnt this by falling over in the garden and no one knew so I had the rather embarrassing wait for someone to find me and ask “What are you doing down there?” so now my phone comes with me all the time to make the rescue call if needed, which it hasn’t since then, typical.

Shoes are often ignored too, you just shove any old pair on, off you go and wonder why you have sharp thorns in your toes or you feel very uncomfortable by the time they come off. A good solid pair of garden clogs, such as www.gardendiva.co.uk these are great as not only are they very squishy and supportive you can get lovely garden designs too, mine are roses, and they have lavender and veggie on too. Shoes that you just slip on are great, no bending or pulling needed.

It is very easy to get lost in the tranquility of your garden and time flies by. You suddenly realise you have done far too much and you can hardly move. To combat this get a good, loud timer and set it to your preferred time, mine is 20 minutes; I really need a break and a sit down by this time. Make sure when your timer goes off you take a breather, this is also a great time to sit back and enjoy the fruits of your hard work, admire your garden as well as work in it.

If at all possible try and garden with raised beds and sitting down I have a wonderful bright pink office chair that I wheel about on when I am on the patio, its great fun and so much less strain on your hips and back. It is height adjustable to so you can be at the right level all the time.

I have also found microwavable wheat bags a real bonus in the garden. After all cold is the bane of an arthritis suffers life. Heat up a long wheat bag, lavender ones are great as they smell gorgeous and are very relaxing. Take it out with you and wrap it around your painful bits, hips, back and even your hands to give them a warm up when needed. Most wheat bags will keep warm for a couple of hours.

I really hope some of my tried and tested ideas will inspire you to get out there and give gardening a go, get moving, get growing, get excited about gardening.

Exciting Times Ahead

Finally the sun has come out and all the perennials have been cut back. Whilst out in the sun with Bailey bouncing about after the birds my mind was constantly buzzing with ideas. Why? I hear you cry. There are exciting times ahead that's why :)

Firstly I am to be the spokesperson for a new campaign by Arthritis Research UK. I will be taking part in a weeks worth of garden advice on such things as tools, how to make your garden work for you, planting,pruning, lots and lots. My head is spinning with all the ideas I have going round. Luckily for me I have some fabulous friends on Facebook in my garden group, The Two Fingered Gardener and friends and they have all given me some wonderful ideas, I would be lost with out them.

I am also putting together a piece on me and spring gardening for www.shootgardening.co.uk   which I am busy jotting down ideas and ways to make it interesting, not just a run of the mill, do this now, plant that now, yawn yawn.

As April fast approaches I am really really looking forward to going back to Syon House for Gardening Against The Odds, last year a winner, this year A JUDGE!! I get to see Alan Titchmarsh all over again only in a professional capacity this time, not just a completely over excited fan, as I was last year.

 I am very sure I have more to tell you, in fact I know I have but the sun is shining and the garden is calling.

The Two Fingered Gardener becomes a Nanny

A truly fabulous start to the year with the birth of my first grandchild. My son Andrew and his girlfriend had their first baby, a beautiful little girl born on New Year's day! Little Kayleigh Louise arrived at 6.42pm weighing in at 6lbs 13. I love love love being a nanny :):) it is the best feeling in the world.

6 in 1 multi opener review

I have been testing this great kitchen gadget, available from Essential aids. It is a brilliant device and I would recommend one to anyone who has trouble opening any kind of jar, can,tin, even packets!

This is my first kitchen gadget review as I usually do gardening bits and bobs but I really enjoyed it and hopefully will get to do more.

please have a read, any comments are always gratefully received :)

http://disabilitynow.org.uk/article/6-1-multi-opener-new-twist-getting-jars-tins-and-packets

Audacity magazine article about me and gardening with a disabilty

I was recently asked to write for Audacity Magazine, a great online magazine all about living with disability. Please follow the link or read below my article. It is a bit of a intro to me and my disability and how I garden and of course how much I love it.


http://www.audacitymagazine.com/the-two-fingered-gardener-blooms-all-year-long/

The Two Fingered Gardener Blooms All Year Long

06/23/2013 by Nathasha Alvarez Leave a Comment

Two Fingered Gardener

My name is Niki Preston, also known as The Two Fingered Gardener. I was born with Phocomelia so I have two fingers on my right hand and a tiny little one on my left arm. Both my arms are short and do not bend at all and just for good measure I also have dodgy hip and knee joints. I am married to the lovely James and we have three grown up children and an assistance dog called Bailey.

After moving to a house with a much bigger garden a few years ago, it soon became apparent that one of us would need to learn how to garden and as James really did not have any enthusiasm for the task so it fell to me. Now it has become my greatest passion. I have even won an award and met my gardening hero, Alan Titchmarsh.

Sharing my love of gardening has led me down a completely new path, so to speak and I began writing about how I garden even though my disability makes it quite difficult. I have learned to become very creative and now I feel it is time to share this with others. Hopefully inspire people to give it a go or to start again if they have given up through adversity. Featuring in Amateur Gardening magazine, The Guardian, BBCouch! Garden News and now Audacity magazine I hope I am beginning to spread the word. Product testing accessible garden tools has also begun to take off so I hope you might find some useful handy tips and ideas.

Gardening to me anyway, is very therapeutic; it lifts my spirits whenever I have bad days. I get totally lost in myself and it is probably the only time I can forget about constant pain, where I am free to be just me.  After all a garden is not judgmental, it just rewards all your love and care with beauty, colour and yummy veggies.

If you are new to gardening and just want to give it a go I hope some of my advice will point you in the right direction. Firstly, don’t worry about lack of space. Any space can be made into a garden. You can use pots, window sills anywhere even your dining room table, which I do a lot. Raised bed gardening is by far the best, no back breaking bending and they can be placed at the correct height for you, so wheelchair access is perfect too.

I grow all my flowers, veg and herbs in raised beds, all mixed in together. The effect is quite something and there is always something to look at and tend too. Give a little bit of consideration to your individual capabilities and what you feel you can manage. Things like long term plant care, dead heading, pruning, that kind of thing. Everything is possible with a bit of determination which we all have in spades (excuse the pun) and the right tools for the job.

In my quest to find tools for the disabled gardener I have been sent some amazing products, not all of which were designed with disability in mind but I have found they are all useable in one way or another. One set of tools that I have found really handy are children’s sized trowel and forks. Darlac make a superb set with bamboo handles, making them very lightweight. They are also very good quality being made in exactly the same way as the full sized product, unlike other children’s garden tools which are more like toys than tools. These tools feel smooth and are so easy to carry about because they are so strong they can be used all over the place, my husband keeps running off with them, he thinks they are great, looks like he might need his own pair.

Another great asset that I stumbled across is a super comfy and hard wearing pair of gardening dungarees, Sent to me by a Swedish company called gardengirl.co.uk. These dungarees are covered in handy pockets, even a great removable one for your mobile that can be put anywhere on the dungarees, making access to it simple and quick if the need arises.  I tend to fall over a fair bit and being able to have my phone with me whilst I garden has made me feel much safer. The other pockets are a good size and can be filled up with all your tools for the task ahead, small pruning scissors, your Darlac hand tools, garden wire, no need to keep going up and down the garden to get what you need, it is all with you already. They are so comfy to wear too, lots of room for moving, bending, twisting etc and wheelchair users could benefit to, with all the pockets and comfort is a real asset as well, a big consideration when using a wheelchair.

My advice to the beginner is doing a little research into the kind of plants that you like and make sure you can manage them. Perennials are perfect to start with; they come back every year and need less constant care and attention, mostly a bit of deadheading every now and then. Self seeding flowers such a Cosmos, Aquilegia and Verbena Bonariensis, all favourites of mine give a great splash of yearly colour and because they self seed the cost of having a colourful garden is kept to a minimum. If they are grown in pots and raised beds they are much easier to keep under control too. Bulbs are a useful garden staple, just push them under the soil and wait for them to do their thing. What could be simpler or more satisfying than time spent lost in your own little world, no worries, some piece and quiet and fresh air to blow those cobwebs away?

If you need any more advice or just want to know more about me and the other products I have tested, please do not hesitate to contact me. I can be found on Twitter @nikijrp and Facebook where I have my own page, The Two Fingered Gardener.

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Wolf-Garten product review for Disability Now magazine

My latest review was for Wolf-garten and was published by Disability Now magazine. I loved testing these tools. they were excellent quality and so easy to use. Have a read, hope you enjoy it and find it useful.


http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/article/accessible-gardening-tools-keep-lawns-and-hedges-trim

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Accessible gardening: tools to keep lawns and hedges trim

By Disability Now - 4 weeks 22 hours ago

Born with two fingers, very short arms and dodgy hips, Niki Preston has been on a long mission to find tools to make her life easier. She has found two battery-powered tools which help her keep her garden tidy.

Both tools are made by Wolf-Garten. The battery-powered lawn and hedge trimmer comes with a telescopic handle and nifty wheels for lawn edging. I cannot bend easily so lawn edging is most definitely not something I would have tackled in the past. The fact that it is battery-powered means that there is no annoying cable to worry about either.

Using this product as a hand-held hedge trimmer has been invaluable to me, especially for mass deadheading, where you remove dead flowers and plants. I have five large Erysimum Bowles Mauve plants and deadheading can take a very long time - especially as I keep having to take a break due to constant pain. But one quick sweep over the whole area and, hey presto! Deadheading done.

The interchangeable blades will be quite easy to change for most people. The operation requires you to use both hands and I was unable to hold the tool and slide on the new blade at the same time so I had to ask my husband James to help me out.

A quick trial as a lawn edger proved tricky because I was unable to change the length of the telescopic handle. A good grip and a relative amount of wrist strength is needed to reposition the handle to a suitable length, but the action of pushing the edger with its wheels attached is smooth and it is lightweight to push.

The secateurs are weighted very nicely and I can even hold them in my very small hand. I have found that these are ideal for thicker stems and branches that I simply would not have the strength to attempt before. I have trimmed several roses, a huge lilac bush and found cutting back our rather large ceonothus was a doddle.

The only problem I have is the complicated way to start the blades. A thumb and finger action is required to release the safety button before you can squeeze the trigger. The only way I could manage this was to hold the secateurs carefully between my knees. Once the blade is working though it will continue until you release the trigger, so only one safety button release is needed.

The red and yellow colours of both tools are great and if, like me, you tend to put things down and forget where you put them, they are easy to spot. They come with a rather smart carry case which is useful because you will always know where your charger is.

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Evening telegraph

http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/features/news-features/award-for-inspiring-peterborough-gardener-1-5041386

The link above will take you to a piece written in our local newspaper when i won my award for The Sunday Telegraph Gardening Against The Odds award. It was such a brilliant day, meeting the lovely Lindsay from The Conservation trust who are part of the competition too. I was given my award by David Bellamy and spent ages chatting to Alan Titchmarsh!

Now I am going to be on the judges panel next year!! I am very excited and feel very honoured to have asked :)

Garden Gear Online Review

http://www.garden-gear.co.uk/c/news-blog/darlac-snapper-tried-and-tested-by-the-two-fingered-gardener.htm

News & Blog

2013

15 Jul

Darlac Snapper - Tried and Tested by The Two Fingered Gardener

Welcome to the first of our guest blogs that has been written for us by Niki Preston aka The Two Fingered Gardener.  Niki really is a true inspiration to everyone, gardener or not, and she has very kindly agreed to test some of our products and write reviews.  Here is what she had to say about one of our most popular pruning products - The Darlac Snapper ....

My name is Niki Preston, also known as The Two Fingered Gardener. I am a freelance disabled garden writer and garden product tester. I was thrilled to be asked by Emma at Garden Gear to write a blog and carry out some product reviews so here is the first of what I hope will become many reviews.

Having always struggled with deadheading I was really impressed when I tried the Snapper tool. This is a very lightweight pruning tool with varying handle lengths according to the task at hand. I tried out the shortest Snapper as I mostly wanted to use it for deadheading. The amazing thing about this product is the fact that it holds on to the stem once it has been pruned, a total garden boon to me as I am unable to bend, only having two fingers can make picking up thorny rose stems a real prickly painful operation. No more, just snip and pop the waste into a trug. Fantastic! When I first got the tool I did wonder whether I would actually be able to use it as it looked like it needed both hands, one to squeeze the trigger and one to steady the pole. However after a long hard think and a trial run I soon realised that I could hold the handle in both hands and due to the lightweight nature of the pole it didn’t need steadying at all. I can deadhead my verbena hanging baskets now, no more hoping someone else will cut them in the right place. After a bit of deadheading I decided to tackle the lilac which was in need of dire pruning, usually a task left to James, my husband. The Snapper allowed me that extra height and reach to successfully prune several branches and flower heads. James had a go too, he was desperate to give it a try, it has now become his favourite garden tool! This was not meant to happen. I have to keep trying to get it back off him. The gentle squeeze action required to operate the trigger means that this is a perfect tool for weak wrists and is ideal for wheelchair users as it allows a longer reach and the capture system enables more pruning with far less clearing up afterwards. The 360 degree rotating action means that no matter where you nee to prune/deadhead you can always reach no matter where the plant has decided to grow. Truly a useful versatile garden pruning and deadheading tool that any gardener would love to own.

If you would like to know more about Niki and her gardening then please take a look at her Facebook page www.TheTwoFingeredGardener.co.uk or her own Blog page www.nikipreston.com.

The Darlac Snapper is available in various lengths including two telescopic versions.  For more information please take a look at the Darlac Snapper category on our website.

My new blog with Amateur Gardening Magazine

http://www.amateurgardening.com/home/niki%E2%80%99s-blog-the-two-fingered-gardene/


I am so excited as I now have a new blog for Amateur gardening magazine!!! here is the first one below. I am really pleased with how it looks, I hope you enjoy reading it and will take a bit of time to read it. Follow the link above to see it on the webpage :):) nx

The weather for the last few days has certainly kept me on my toes! rain, sun, gales, cloudy and chilly. What ever is a gardener to do? Still my tomatoes, tomatillos, chillies and strawberries, all of which are in the greenhouse are all looking healthy and growing fast. Maybe I should live in there for a bit, see if I grow too!

During the good spells I’ve been tending to my new Forest Garden Accessible Gardening raised beds ( You probably read about the installation in AG 4 May) I’m always happy working with these on the patio just pottering about, pulling up a few weeds, (though you don’t get many growing in a new raised bed!), doing a little deadheading – another job that I used to find hard. James disliked it too as he used to have the glamorous job of following me around and picking up all the debris. Not anymore, now I can deadhead away and pick up the dropped bits as they are now all at my level. No bending, no searching about in the borders – excellent! These raised beds really have changed my ability to garden. Whenever I choose to I can go out on my own and not leave a whole host of havoc behind me. The raise coldframe in the range has been a real boon this year. No more do I have to drop precious seedlings into a floor frame from a standing position – though being only 4 foot 9, I could never drop anything from a that great height but I’d still damage a fair few plants and had to sow more than I needed as I knew some would not survive the drop. Now I can be a careful loving gardener and gently place my trays in the coldframe. A bonus now of course is I no longer have to over sow everything, so I am saving seeds and money too.

Giving these raised beds a trial has set me off down another path too. I have been sent some amazing products for disabled, less mobile, older and any gardener really. I am having the time of my life and it is all down to Kris at Amateur Gardening for taking a chance on me and giving me the opportunity to write for the magazine in the first place. Next week I’ll let you know about a motorised wheeled, garden sprayer that allows me to independently water all my new planters. Stay tuned.

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Product testing for The Guardian continued

Recently I had the great pleasure of writing a blogspot for The Guardian about accessible garden tools and the availability of such products.

After alot of searching I was sent quite a few products from Active hands, SeedSava, and PETA-uk which were included in The Guardian blog, please follow this link to find out all about them:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/gardening-blog/2013/may/10/gardeners-disability-tools

However I was sent so many items, which truly was a great surprise, I did not have enough space to write about them all, so I have decided to write about them here and hopefully lots of you will give some of the great products a go. All the following products were not designed with disability in mind, yet with a little creative thinking and in my case "I will make it work" attitude they have all proved great accessible products for the garden .

Firstly I trialed a great set of cloches from http://www.poshcloche.co.uk/ I was sent four cloches in all, two were a great barn shape for those higher veggies like cabbage and caulies and two really useful seedling tent style cloches. The thing I liked most about these cloches was the lightweight quality. They were easy to lift onto my raised beds, and being made from sturdy acrylic they are almost unbreakable. I really loved the way they look and feel, no sharp edges, easy to see through so you can keep an eye on your plants without having to remove them and they are small enough to be lifted without damaging your crops. A great idea too is that you can place as many as you like together so you can cover as much or as little as necessary. Wheelchair users would be able to lift these easily with one hand which is excellent, and children will love to use them thus being encouraged out into the garden and grow there own seeds. An all round winner that I would highly recommend for any gardener, whether you have a disability, arthritis, back trouble or none of these then these cloches will make your veg garden a better place.

I then gave a superb organic plant food maker a go, available from Lakeland.co.uk

This is a brilliant way to use up those pesky dandelion leaves, grass clippings and any other green garden waste. You simply fill the basket inside the main body, clip it together, add four litres of rain water and off you go. every now and then, about 2 to 4 times a week pump the handle connected to the basket through the lid, this aerates the green waste and adds oxygen. After three weeks all the goodness has been extracted and you have plenty of organic and free plant food. Again this product was not designed with disability in mind but Lakeland were keen to know if it was and how I used it.

The first thing that struck me was the neat and compact design. It can be placed at the perfect height to suit the users needs, mine is on a low table that is just right for small people such as myself. it can be popped at wheelchair height quite easily too. One thing I found a bit tricky was clipping the basket together as it is quite stiff and I did need a bit of help with this and I am yet to open the basket so at this point am unsure if I can open it to refill it. However I am sure my husband James will be able to modify it for me. only having two fingers has made him quite used to adapting most things for me, he is getting ingenious. This said though I loved this product, it looks smart and the fact that you get plenty of plant food and it can used over and over again in ideal if you have thousands of hungry plants like me. The pump action was simple and very easy to pull up and down, I could even do it just with one hand and two fingers, so if I can do it then anyone can! I would definitely advise all you keen and organic gardeners to give this product a try. I have thoroughly enjoyed using it and will continue to do so for many years.

I hope these extra reviews have been helpful, don't forget the have a look at The Guardian gardening blogspot for the other products that I tested.

I have one more review to write up however I only received the goods a day or so ago so have to yet give them a thorough try out yet, but watch this space for a review of the garden dungarees designed by women for women at www.gardengirl.co.uk