Paraphernalia: Garden accessories

Gardening should be an inexpensive hobby - after all, earth comes free and plants reproduce for nothing. In fact, there are great opportunities for spending, once you get going.

It is quite feasible and practical to gather up a crop of fruit and veg in a plastic bag, but a rustic trug lovingly hand-woven from authentic withy by Suffolk craftsmen is so much more aesthetically pleasing. A common- or-garden plastic watering-can costs pennies, but a traditionally shiny cast-iron model goes up to 30 quid. Scrawling plant labels on old lolly sticks is quite adequate for identification purposes, but for a posh herb garden, metal labels that you can calligraph the herb names on, or designer terracotta labels are, frankly, a must. Consider all the complete nonsense that goes into the average kitchen - hen-shaped egg holders, novelty salad- dressing sets, "humorous" aprons and tea-towels. At least garden accessories are functional as well as pretty.

Handcrafted ash rake, from a selection at Heathfield & Spicer, The Rake Workshop, Church Road, Smeeth, Ashford, Kent, TN25 6SA, 01303 814545.