GROW YOUR OWN
Olga’s tips on bargain-hunting for everything from compost bins to garden furniture
Ah, May, you beauty! This month’s got everything my soul needs – flowers showing off, glorious scent floating in the air, luscious green everywhere I look, birds warbling love songs and, of course, the sunshine and long balmy evenings. It’s like Mother Nature went all-out, throwing a plant party and everyone's invited.
You can spot the first fruits of your winter and spring labour, but don’t get too comfortable – there’s more work to be done. I’m what you’d call bargain-hunting royalty – a bargain queen, if you will.
I’m all about turning someone else’s trash into my green treasure. May has got two bank holidays, and we all know what that means – long weekends that practically scream, “Clear out the clutter!”
I've discovered that May is like the Black Friday of gardening – sheds, greenhouses, beds, and all kinds of garden structures go on sale. And when I say ‘sale’, I mean people are practically giving them away. One person’s trash is my jackpot. I've been doing this gardening thing for a decade now and my plot is the thrift store of allotments. At first, it was out of necessity but now it’s a lifestyle choice – everything we need is already made and in circulation. Recycling and reusing are in the spirit of gardening. If this means you save money and reduce the carbon footprint, then why not?
Things to see in May
SHEDS
My first shed was a vintage find on Gumtree – it's practically a teenager now, but still standing strong. A bit of paint did wonders.
GREENHOUSES
I've got two – both freebies. I posted an ad on Gumtree saying, "I'll take your old greenhouse off your hands!" Within what felt like minutes of posting my message, I was dismantling a greenhouse in someone’s backyard. Two trips later, greenhouse number one was officially mine.
