My First Wheelbarrow

I’ve been gardening for over five years and in all that time I’ve managed without a wheelbarrow. For me, a wheelbarrow was one of those things that other people with bigger gardens had. In the previous garden it would have been tricky to guide it round some of the paths and I’d also have nowhere to store it. I just didn’t need one.

All that changed when we moved to a much larger garden and suddenly, I was spending ages to-ing and fro-ing across the length of the garden trying to carry all the tools, plants, compost and rubbish about. I also found myself yo-yoing back and forth because I would often forget things. It was all becoming a bit difficult and frustrating.

Well, a few days ago, salvation arrived in a box:

Just a short while with a couple of tools, some puzzling and a little cussing and voila:

A beautiful, brand-new wheelbarrow, all of my very own. My first wheelbarrow (and I hope it stays that way for some time). Just look at its sleek curves and aerodynamic shape. Features such as a tipping nose and comfort-grip handles make using this wheelbarrow effortless. I still grin each time I proudly place things into my wheelbarrow, wheel it to where I am working and then unload it. Sometimes I exclaim (loudly for the neighbours to hear), “mercy me, were it not for this fortuitous wheelbarrow I should quickly become undone!”.

I feel as though I have become a “real” gardener with the wheelbarrow as proof of membership.

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14 comments

gardeninacity 20/05/2014 - 3:51 pm
Looks like a serious wheelbarrow! Nice! (Mine is orange.)
Sunil 20/05/2014 - 10:05 pm
Hi Jason, orange is a much better colour, if I forgot about and left this wheelbarrow in the middle of the lawn, I would never find it again!
Stacy 20/05/2014 - 6:33 pm
I'm still among the wheelbarrow-less for all the small-garden reasons you mention, but admire your fine new wheelbarrow *enormously*. It almost deserves a christening ceremony, like a boat.
Sunil 20/05/2014 - 10:07 pm
Hello Stacy, always a pleasure to hear from you, I hope you're well. To celebrate, I was wondering if I could be wheeled about the garden in it, but I would probably end up being tipped into the compost heap!
susan maclean 20/05/2014 - 7:52 pm
perhaps it needs a launch, as Stacy above says. But don't waste champagne! a small bottle of ginger beer will do fine!! PS saw your google+ comment for my blog..... there will be several posts about the trip and in answer to your question, no, no garden visits. But there will be horticulture mentioned!
Sunil 20/05/2014 - 10:08 pm
Hi Mrs Mac, looking forward to hearing about your trip, even if it isn't going to feature any gardens, botanical or otherwise. I hope you and Mr Mac have a lovely Ruby Anniversary present and congratulations again!
lynngator 20/05/2014 - 9:29 pm
When I was living in Maryland I had a cool wheelbarrow that folded in the middle which made for easy storing in the garden shed. Alas, I left it behind because I have no real outdoor storage here. So I haul things in a bucket but luckily don't have as far to travel! Enjoy you new garden tool addition! It's all shiny and pristine at the moment!!
Sunil 23/05/2014 - 2:26 pm
Hi Lynn, it is all lovely and shiny at the moment, but I don't expect it will stay that way for long. It already has a large dent in it from carrying a long birch trunk and I keep leaving out in the middle of the lawn because they're both the same colour and I don't "see" it!
casa mariposa 25/05/2014 - 2:58 am
I would spend the entire time looking for the wheelbarrow while staring right at it, thanks to the green color. I need high visibility colors, says the woman who just bought a green watering can. As long as I always leave it next to the red watering can, I'll never lose it. Just wait til your kids want you to push them around the garden. :)
Sunil 27/05/2014 - 7:10 pm
Hi Tammy, I think I need to keep traffic cone on it or wrap high-vis tape around it to spot it. I've got a black watering can but I still manage to leave that in bizarre places - usually in places where there are no plants, making me wonder how it ended up there in the first place.
Jean 04/06/2014 - 3:41 am
When I finally got a wheelbarrow, I quickly wondered what had taken me so long! That wheelbarrow comes in handy for so many different kinds of jobs. Enjoy yours.
Sunil 01/07/2014 - 10:21 pm
Hi Jean, I've found it very useful already, it's got several bumps and knocks from heavy loads and me loosing control of it down the various steps and patio levels!
David Elllis 30/06/2014 - 11:40 am
Any idea why it is not a "wheeled burro" like a small donkey? It seems like that would make more sense. Laboring to carry loads to and fro.
Sunil 01/07/2014 - 10:19 pm
Hi David, that's an interesting thought, rather the barrow cart it around me.
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