WANTED: Bamboo leaf rake that doesn’t lose teeth or handle for at least one season. Preferably with a padded sleeve to grip, rather than just a skimpy, plain wood rod. Is that too much to ask? Apparently so; I fear my ideal of the bamboo rake—a tool I have always loved for its light weight, easy on the raker and the residents of the bed being raked—has gone extinct.
It has joined the perfect long-handled shovel, another tool I just cannot seem to replace since mine broke years ago. Sigh.
I am not a bruiser, nor is the person who helps in the garden part-time. We don’t try to rake gravel or too-heavy piles of wet, matted leaves, with a bamboo rake; we know it’s not the right tool for those jobs. But one recent spring we busted three brand new bamboo leaf rakes in their first month of use, raking borders and lawn. The crappy metal strap (above) that holds the tines in place let go in no time on all; on one, some teeth snapped, too.
One recent raking season we were virtually rakeless, down to a couple of those awful green plastic rakes that have become the fashion, purchased in emergency mode the previous fall when nothing else was available nearby.
Searching for my dream rake, I found myself in the tool aisle of the nearest garden center talking bamboo rakes. Three of us—the owner, a nursery employee and I—recollected the good old days when McGuire made them. No more. (I did find a vintage newspaper ad for them, though, above.)
Of the current bamboo contenders, the teeth are often too long and too curved, but most important: that damn strap is inadequate to hold the fan of tines together.
No bamboo types at any local outlet made the cut, so I reluctantly took home something called a Yard Butler rake (model LT-20). This unusual
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Summer was made for fun, but those long, hot days at the pool, beach, or lake can be tiring, and sometimes sneaking in a quick nap is in order. Whether you curl up in a shady spot outdoors or a cool space indoors, here are 18 products we love that will take your warm weather snooze to the next level.
A cherry plum, sweet, thin-skinned and very prolific (you’ll also find it sold under ‘Red Grape Sugar Plum’). It was in the top three of our recent taste test and everyone liked it for its strong tomato flavour that’s sweet but not overly so, and its firm not mushy texture. It has a slight acidity running through it which all sweet tomatoes need. It ripens quite late compared to ‘Sungold’ and produces for a long period of time. It’s lovely in a mixed salad with the larger varieties.
We’ll soon be trading in lazy summer days for long nights of studying. So, it’s important to make sure you have a space to ease you into back-to-school season. There are lots to consider when setting up the perfect study area: you want a space that’s organized, helps you focus, and feels comfortable (and stylish) enough to sit around for hours.
Welcome to the wild ride known as parenting teens! If you’ve ever found yourself caught between eye-rolling moments and heartwarming instances of wisdom, these quotes about parenting teenagers will definitely hit the spot.
Your lawn is a crucial part of the beautiful landscape of your outdoor space. That’s why you have to do your best in caring for your lawn. Achieving a lush and healthy lawn is more straightforward than it may seem, even if you are a beginner. Several lawn care aspects must be considered for maintaining a beautiful and green lawn.
No food signifies summer more than watermelon. We’re so sweet on the hot pink (or yellow) fruit that we designed an entire watermelon bar party showcasing the many ways to snack on, sip, and even centerpiece-ify the hydrating produce item.
When Roses are in full bloom I can’t resist taking photos of them. With this rose I tried putting white paper behind the rose to highlight its colour. The rose below is taken with a dark background but is still satisfactory.
Whether you're revamping a certain space within your home or are moving into a brand new house, you may be wondering how to best select a color palette for a given room.
Design trends are constantly changing, but sometimes a style reemerges at precisely the time when it feels new and fresh—no matter how long it's been around. Scalloped design is having just that sort of moment. Scalloped borders in interior design can be found as far back as the Renaissance, and they were often used in Art Deco interiors in the early 20th century, and again during the preppy 1980s.
Nothing screams vacation like a pina colada—and when we say pina colada, we don’t mean the kiddie cocktail version. Because the internet is chock-full of creative culinary geniuses, TikTok has taken this fan-favorite summer sipper and turned it into a straight-up snack: pineapple spears soaked in Malibu rum.