From €8.99 Crocus must-buys to €2.49 bird feeder bargain – top tips from experts

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We all know that if we have a garden we need a rain barrel. It’s good for the environment, saves water and is generally considered a good thing.

But let’s face it, they’re usually not the most attractive addition to your outdoor space.

Andrew Cousin’s immersion tanks look beautiful and are also practicalCredit: supplied

And that is why De Submersible tank company – whose founder Andrew Cousins designed a stunningly extravagant alternative to traditional rainwater storage – won this year’s prestigious ‘Best Product’ Award Garden press event.

Tuesday’s annual outing brought companies and brands together to showcase all the exciting new innovations everyone has designed for your outdoor space.

And here are ten bargains that caught my eye.

French company From Germie durable seed starter kit looks like honeycomb, is made from recycled plastic and provides up to 41 compact seed pods, which can be used multiple times. From £17

Germie's easily removable seed pods can be used again and again — Germie’s easily removable seed pods can be used again and againCredit: Isabelle Smolinski

Brand of bird food Hungry has launched a £2.49 Coco-Not feeder, which looks exactly like a coconut but is 100 per cent plant-based so has none of the awful airline miles

The cup is made of recycled plastic and therefore has no annoying airline milesCredit: supplied

Feverfew designs gloves specifically for women – which come in four different sizes, cost £22.95, have padded touchscreen fingertips and are incredibly comfortable.

These beautiful gloves are specially designed for ladiesCredit: Not known, clearly with photo agency

Niwaki has bought a new, longer, but still deadly sharp and surprisingly lightweight £48 Golden Spade – absolutely invaluable for the taller gardener.

Niwaki's Golden Spades are one of the best spades a gardener can own — Niwaki’s Golden Spades are one of the best spades a gardener can ownCredit: supplied

Sustainable potter Elho showed me their brilliant new drainpipe clicker – which is made from 100 per cent recycled plastic – from £9.79

Elho pots click onto your drainpipe, so they are a perfect space saver filled with flowersCredit: supplied

And David Austin introduced me to their FREE online Rose Growing Course, which is now on their website and aimed at beginning gardeners.

David Austin has a free online rose nurseryCredit: Getty

A perfect Mother’s Day gift is the brand new €9.99 Heart-shaped trowel by Wilkinson Sword.

The heart-shaped trowel was a hot item at the Garden Press EventCredit: supplied

While Dobbies new focus is gardening without a garden – their stylish grow lights start from £16.99 and will be available from March.

These beautiful grow lights from Dobbies will be available from MarchCredit: supplied

Crocus has purchased a particularly clever snail-resistant wool pot, which not only biodegrades in the soil, but the wool repels snails from the plant. £8.99 for a pack of ten.

These smart wool pots deter snails because they do not go over the woolCredit: supplied

And She grows vegetables are introducing an incredible range of Heirloom seeds for just £2.95 per pack. Each copy has a QR code on the back, which takes you to instructional videos. Very smart.

She Grows Veg founder Lucy Hutchings with the vegetables she grew from seedCredit: SheGrowsVeg

BOXING SMART

BIRDS are one of the most vital visitors to our gardens; without them, the many plants they pollinate would die.

And on a more selfish note, they are invaluable for eating the slugs and snails that can decimate our outdoor spaces.

We can help them by planting berry bushes, leaving seed heads and feeding them with fat balls.

But thanks to a trend towards neat and tidy gardens, there are fewer and fewer places for them to build their nests.

National Nest Box Week came to an end yesterday (Friday) and British Garden Center has released some top tips on the best nest boxes.

It will help you decide whether it should be open fronted or have a hole, where to place it and how to clean it.

For more visits www.britishgardencentres.com

Create a happy home for your birds, and in return they will eat all your slugs and snailsCredit: RM Photo Library – Getty

I should be so dirty

NOW is a good time to spread Blood Fish and Bone throughout your garden.

It may sound disgusting, but it is an incredibly good slow-release organic plant food.

Providing nitrogen for strong growth, potassium for plant health and phosphate for strong roots, it will give your garden a real boost at the start of the growing season.

It is suitable for most flowers and all fruits and vegetables. Sprinkle it around the stems, but be careful not to let it get onto the leaves.

Spread your mud around your plants to stimulate their growthCredit: supplied

CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE

THE winners of the Garden Center Association’s best garden centers have been announced, with Fairways Garden Centre, Ashbourne, taking top spot.

Best garden center destination was Bents Garden and Home, Warrington. For the full list, visit w www.gca.org.uk.

Fairways Garden Center has won an award as the best garden centreCredit: supplied

TOP TIP!

Raspberry canes are cheap now as the buying season is coming to an end, so stock up on some juicy fruit later in the year.

Get those juices flowing with some inexpensive raspberry sticks.Credit: Alamy

THIS WEEK’S VACANCY!

Lift and divide the snowdrops by carefully digging up a clump and separating the bulbs by hand – then replanting ‘in the green’, spacing them six inches apart.

Divide your snowdrops next year for a larger display — Divide your snowdrops for a larger display next yearCredit: Alamy

TO WIN!

Our friends at David Austin Roses are offering one lucky reader a £150 voucher, plus a Garden Lovers Giftbox worth £60.

To enter, visit www.thesun.co.uk/DAVIDAUSTINCOMP or write to Sun David Austin Competition, PO Box 3190, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8GP.

Please include your name, age, email address or telephone number. UK residents 18+ only. Ends at 23:59 GMT 09/03/24.

Win this fabulous gift box of David Austin roses and a £150 voucherCredit: Not known, clearly with photo agency

TO LEARN!

Q. How do I prevent squirrels from digging up my garden? Karen Payne, Derby

a. Funnily enough, they hate the smell of daffodils, so get some in your border next season, as well as alliums and hyacinths.

And if you can, put down fine mesh or netting so they can’t burrow in. Vinegar spray is also a good deterrent, or sprinkle pepper or garlic granules on them to deter them.