| Clothes and skin cream are far removed from | | | | invaluable. There is always planting to do in the |
| potting out your begonias, or digging a trench for | | | | rain, and a waterproof hat, jacket and trousers |
| a line of potatoes. But the clothes you wear are | | | | tucked in a pair of boots will keep you nice and |
| important for your protection in the garden. Here | | | | dry! |
| are six simple but effective solutions to various | | | | 4. Protect your hands. For light work, potting on |
| gardening hazards... | | | | or pinching out tomato plants, a disposable plastic |
| 1. Starting from the top, you need to protect | | | | pair of gloves or a pair of kitchen rubber gloves |
| your head. Body heat escapes through the head | | | | will be enough. For heavier work - pruning roses, |
| and in the cold weather a warm hat should be | | | | weeding thistles and nettles, wear heavy duty |
| worn. Knit yourself a 'gardening crazy' hat or buy | | | | gardening gloves, or your hands will suffer. |
| a simple woollen hat on the high street. | | | | 5. Watch those toes! Invest in a pair of steel toe |
| And in the summer, even more attention should | | | | capped boots and wear them! If you're pottering |
| be paid to the head. The sun's rays are not only | | | | in the greenhouse or doing a little weeding, a |
| hot but they actually burn you. We all know this | | | | simple pair of wellington boots will do, or even |
| but how easy it is to forget when you want to | | | | sandals if the weather allows. But as soon as you |
| soak up the sun after months of grey or cold | | | | pick up a large tool, your steel toe-caps should be |
| weather. Invest in a cool sunhat. Not only will it | | | | worn. If you're not used to them, these boots |
| help protect you from sunstroke, it will also | | | | can feel heavy and cumbersome at first, but stick |
| protect against the drying out of your hair and | | | | with it. If you're doing heavy work, you need |
| skin. | | | | heavy boots. |
| 2. Keep one old comfortable jacket or short coat, | | | | 6. And last but certainly not least, you must |
| preferably with fairly large pockets, especially for | | | | protect your skin. Moisturise all exposed body |
| the garden. When you're working, you won't need | | | | parts whenever you are woking in the garden, |
| to worry about dirty marks. Leave them there, | | | | rain or shine. Working outside will give you a nice |
| it's all part of the gardener's designer uniform! | | | | healthy glow, but the wind and sun will dry your |
| 3. Suitable trousers.. again keep a couple of old | | | | skin given half a chance. |
| pairs especially for gardening. Wear heavy duty | | | | So there we have it, not a fashion designer's |
| jeans for heavy duty work. A good waterproof | | | | dream, but these 6 garden fashion tips will make |
| pair are handy in damp climates. In fact, in damp | | | | life a lot more comfortable, and safer, for the |
| climates, a whole waterproof gardening suit is | | | | average home gardener. Happy gardening! |