100 Years Daily Mail Ideal Home Show

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

On Friday, March 14, 2008, the 100th Daily Mail Ideal Home Show opened its doors at Earls Court with a birthday fanfare.

The members of the press were then taken for a whistle stop tour around the show to the main attractions, ending up, finally, at the Eco House and the grand opening of it by David Bellamy.

The Eco House is indeed a most interesting concept and I shall, hopefully, cover it in more detail, in an article all on its own in the Green (Living) Review.

The first stop of the tour, though, was the Innovation Nation, and it must said that Britain always was one of the cradles of innovations, sometimes though our inventors and innovators go unnoticed, like it was the case with Trevor Baylis and the wind-up radio. While he got himself noticed no one wanted to know that radio, at the time, and now everyone wants to copy it in one way or another.

The next stop on the tour was “Century Street” and, without even having had the time to look at the exhibits inside the houses themselves, alone seeing the children's play and toys in the “play grounds” outside and having seen some of the exhibits in photos, one can but say that we have come a long way in those 100 years that the Ideal Home Show has been bringing the latest innovations for the home and garden, etc. to the consumer.

The Eco House, already mentioned, was the final stop of the press tour and it was this that obviously, amongst some other green and environmental living ideas, that caught my attention.

The Eco House, in my view, but then I am biased, is well worth a visit as well as the display of No1, Lower Carbon Drive. Anyone interested in ideas of how to reduce not just one's carbon footprint – and you know me and my view on the likelihood of climate change being man-made – but also one's general impact on the environment, which I entirely support, and also how one can reduce one's heating and other energy costs, would be well advised to pay a visit to No1, Lower Carbon Drive (use the front door though rather than the back door, as I did by accident – but hey, it was open) and have a word with the experts at hand. You will find this in the DIY and Home Improvement section of the show.

There is still enough time for everyone to visit the Ideal Home Show. It is on until April 6th, 2008 at Earls Court 1 & 2.

To book tickets or view a full list of exhibitors and attractions at the Daily Mail Ideal Home Show, visit www.idealhomeshow.co.uk or call the ticket hotline on 0844 415 4144.

© Michael Smith (Veshengro), March 2008

Bulldog Bypass Pruning Shears BD3152 – Product Review

Rollins Bulldog have been making quality tools for gardening and agriculture for well over 200 years by now and most of those tools are still forged at Bulldog's Clarington Forge in Wigan.

The pair of bypass pruning shears, that I have the pleasure in reviewing here, are from the Premier Range, and came to me via a press pack from the 2008 Garden Press Event that was held at the Royal Horticultural Halls in Westminster at the end of January 2008, are no exception here. They are a quality tool at a very reasonable price. At around GBP 13 these quality pruners certainly are not expensive.

The blades are forget from high carbon SK-5 Japaneses steel and the handles are sold aluminium into which the blades are securely bolted. The handles have green “elastomer” grips, preventing the tool slipping out of your hands.

Locking together of the handles is achieved by an old method though with modern materials, that is to say that an ABS plastic hook acts as the lock at the bottom of the handles, locking the pruners safely and secure.

The spring is of the common “caterpillar” kind which is, unfortunately, often prone to jumping out and getting lost. This problem is overcome, as it would appear, on the BD3152 pruners in that the ends of the spring has been recessed rather deep into the handles and I should think that it is nigh on impossible for the spring to jump out on its own without help.

The BD3152 pruners appear very well made and well thought out, as are all Bulldog tools, and should give years of faithful service at a great value price. The length of service obviously depends greatly on how they are used or abused and treated or mistreated during and especially also after work. This often makes or breaks a tool.

Pros:
High carbon steel blades, forged
Bladed bolted into handles
Solid aluminium handles with rubberized grips
Safe and secure locking mechanism
Value for money price

Cons:
Still trying to find any.

The BD3152 Bypass Pruning Shears from Bulldog are equally well suited, in my opinion, for the professional gardener as well as the allotment gardener or the amateur at home.

© Michael Smith (Veshengro), March 2008