De-Clutter The Garden
The other day I was feeling rather anxious, in an excited kind of way, and I could not quite put my finger on what it was on my mind. Then I remembered the next day was Green Bin Day - the huge container would be emptied ready for another round of clipping, cutting and weeding. There really is nothing quite like a good clear up in the garden and, even in the super hot weather of recent days, I like nothing better than getting the hedge cutter out and having a good old snippathon.
To get maximum use of the green bin I use a garden spade - ram in down hard on the matter and it is amazing how much it will compact so you can keep on filling. In fact, since getting rid of the compost heap I wish I had two green bins. I find a freshly emptied green bin is actually an incentive to get stuff done (as well as the fact I'm paying for it!). It would be a disaster if I forgot to put the bin out on a Tuesday night - what would I do with myself for two weeks!?
My other favourite clean up exercise is taking stuff over to the tip on Great Northern Terrace. I could never work there of course- the distraction of all those "useful" cast-off objects would drive me crazy! I'd be forever rooting and asking the boss if I could "just take this or that home". I finally managed to get rid of a load of old paving slabs, blocks and capping stones that I will never-ever use but just couldn't bear to part with previously. Also ejected were lots of bits of metal, old pots and bricks - what is it with bricks? Just walk away from the bricks, Jez!
So, the garden now breaths again. It is clear of all that junk, free of weeds and the hedges are cut. Not bad for a couple of hours work. It's very easy to get bogged down with things that we just do not need and will never use. The value of some of this stuff is negligible, and although it is so easy to hoard "just in case", I find that sometimes it holds you back. My advice is "get rid" and enjoy your clutter-free garden!
