Brill Lawn Mowers

The winter months are a great time for sharpening garden tools, overhauling equipment and of course considering new purchases.

When buying a lawn mower, it is essential to consider the environment it needs to operate in, ergonomic design, weight and of course storage.

At last year’s Gardener’s World Live exhibition, we came across Nottingham based Henton & Chattel, distributors for a great range of machines who’s build quality was outstanding and functional and ergonomic design stood out from the crowd.

I spent quite a lot of time playing with various models of lawn mower and grilling the guys with questions and feel that this range has a lot to offer the gardener who wants to look after their back as well as the lawn.

One problem that I have in particular, is a large front lawn on a steep incline which is not big enough for a sit on mower but is too big for cumbersome cabled electric mowers and too steep for battery operated ones (they just don’t have the power).
My only option is a petrol mower but being in a modern house…where to store the thing!

I found my dream mower! The Brill Evolution is a lightweight petrol mower that can be stored (filled) in an upright position.  In fact it would take up less room than some electric mowers.

It is very easy to move around and the upright position also allows the machine to be cleaned easily after use.

Cylinder mowers
The purists, including myself, say that a lawn should only ever be cut with a cylinder mower, as it causes minimum damage to

the blades of grass, so needless to say I took quite a long hard look at their Razorcut cylinder mower range.

Cylinder mowers are also ideal for those who maybe don’t have quite such a big lawn and want to consider their impact on the environment.

A very ergonomic design offers ease of use, they are lightweight and the most important part – the blades are specially heat treated to make them sharp and efficient, offering a superb cut without stress to the back and upper limbs.

The Brill cylinder mower range has quite a few different models with manual machines capable of up to 250 square meters and a battery operated version suitable for up to 400 square meters of lawn.

All of the mowers in the Brill range have comfortable soft grip handles.

More information

Visit the Brill Garden Products website for more information.

Henton & Chattell Ltd – The UK’s leading grass machinery distributor

Garden Journals

Organisation is the key to gardening  success and garden journals make a very useful gift for the gardener friend or relative, allowing them to keep notes about plans and projects, plants and growing tips.

Plans for the garden, ideas for the border and crop rotation diagrams for the vegetable plot.

Places to hold clippings, seeds and pictures.

Wish lists of plants, seeds and tools.

A few of the journals have little added extras, such as plant markers and reminders of jobs to do each month in the garden.

With Christmas just around the corner, you can give a great gift for under £20, that will be used cherished all year long.

Our chosen Gardeners Journal and organiser selection has something to suit everybody.  From simple garden organisers to a keepsake gift boxed gardener’s book.

Southport Flower Show 2009

Thank you to all those who attended our presentation “Gardening with Injury & Disability”, at the Southport Flower Show over the weekend.

The weather was kind compared to the forecasts we had been given and attendance was high. Many traders exhibited at the showground and the floral marquees were a blaze of colour and perfume.

It was refreshing to see that a show of this size could still keep a local focus, with the amateur growers tent packed with prize winning home grown vegetables and floral exhibits.

Gardening With Injury & Disability
Response to our presentation on Gardening with Injury & Disability was very favourable.

During the talk we discussed how thinking about the design of the garden and careful planning could greatly ease the annual workload.  Looking at how plant choice and use of space could be of benefit, as well as thinking about the tools we use.
In fact, having disabilities can lead to a whole different approach to gardening, which for some opens up more possibilities than they had before.

Making sure that we don’t try to do too much at once and varying tasks is vital to avoid strain to already painful joints and muscles.

Focusing on important aspects of design and usability for those who require wheelchair access and the visually impaired.

During the presentation we mentioned various organisations with useful information on this subject and the links to these are below;

Arthritis Research Campaign - Useful on line information about Gardening with Arthritis.

Spinal Unit (University Hospital of North Tees) – Some expert advice on back and core strength exercises.
There is also a wealth of information about back and neck problems.

Thrive - An organisation dedicated to gardening for the  blind and partially sighted. Their new “Carry on Gardening” section offers advice to those who need to garden sitting or from a wheelchair.

If you have any questions about gardening with an injury or disability or you are an organisation who would like us to appear at your event, then please get in touch using the “contact us” form on this website.

Gallery

Biodynamic Gardening: For Health & Taste

Written by Hilary Wright.

Biodynamic Gardening: For Health & Taste  sheds light upon a topic which many gardeners have been curious for years.

 

Biodynamic gardening goes one step further than organic gardening and teaches us how to plant, grow and harvest with the rythm of the moon.

Many gardeners are now having a go and some say the rewards are tremendous, but all the theory and jargon makes this a seemingly complicated subject which makes people turn off and fear the unknown.

 

Hilary gives easy to understand explanations with step by step instructions which make this a great book for learning about the subject and also a useful reference tool throughout the gardening year.

You can buy   Biodynamic Gardening: For Health and Tastehere