I have a sturdy old trestle table which comes out of storage at this time of year and is erected in a shady corner of the garden.  It is invaluable as a cool place to prick out seedlings  and allow them to recover before moving them to a sunnier spot. It is also a good spot to germinate pot sown seeds that can be inhibited by too much heat.

My Showa Floreo gardening gloves are invaluable at this time of year when  heavier gloves tend to get discarded.  Cool, comfortable and machine washable they come in a range of colours.  I buy the bright ones as I’m less likely to lose them that way. A 3 pack is available for £14.95 from garden tribe.

- it is  a two part epoxy putty  that is available in various colours including terracotta which is ideal for repairing pots that I would rather not consign to crocks. It really does  a great repair job. It is available from art shops or www.milliput.com

I couldn’t do without pea sticks.  This is the time of year when they come into their own as supports for peas and sweetpeas and also in the herbaceous borders where I use them as supports for tall growing or top heavy herbaceous perennials. Local log suppliers are often a good source.

My newest bit of kit has already become indispensable. The Grow Light Garden is a stylish (so it looks fine in the kitchen) table-top propagator with grow lights in the lid.  The lid is adjustable so that it can be raised as the seedlings grow. The result is sturdy strong growing plants. It can also be used to grow salads over winter. £69.95 from www.harrodhorticultural.co.uk