In the Garden with Charlie Dimmock and Poundland

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

Gardening does not have to be expensive, not even as far as tools go, especially not if you are using hand tools and are not working in heavy soils or are using containers (as I do).

Spring 2017 saw the launch of the anniversary collection of our Charlie Dimmock gardening range at Poundland and, yes, each tool costs just, well, one British Pound. It is Poundland after all where things cost (mostly) just one Pound.

I have just been sent a couple of samples of this new range from the Poundland Press Office, including two of the wooden-handles tools, namely the trowel (which on the website, alas, is being referred to as a hand spade) and the Hand Hoe. Also included were the tool bag, the multipurpose garden scissors and garden string in a lovely little light olive green tin with hole and cutter on top. I shall review all of those, individually, in due course.

From what I have seen, so far, just by handling the tools without, as yet, having put then to any kind of test, they appear to be well made, even though the trowel is what I would call stamped steel rather than forged, and the wooden handles appear to be fitted well and are a fairly good wood. There is even a leather thong there for hanging the tools in the shed. Though as it is rather a thin thong of a rather soft leather one might want to replace that with either stronger leather thong or another kind of string.

How they can have tools that are able to do the job – endorsed, after all, by Charlie Dimmock – selling for just one Pound I cannot answer either but it would appear that they can. Do not expect Bulldog or Burgon & Ball quality for that price but then every tool is just one Pound. Taken care of they will even last more than one season, the hand tools with the wooden handles for sure.

Well, that was on April 25 and on April 27, just two days later, another parcel arrived from the Poundland Press Office with another set of samples, so be prepared for even more reviews.

In this case those are a pair of Gardening Gloves, a set of two pots with propagator tops, a small watering can, a set of two spray bottles and a set of 4 small metal plant pots. The latter I would consider to use as over-pot for small plant pots rather than as pots for plants themselves, as they do not have a drainage hole. They are intended for herbs on the kitchen windowsill more than anything. But, as said, reviews of the individual products will follow one by one.

© 2017