I was very careful to use all the various offer codes you get in seed catalogues, to make sure I was saving X per cent, getting the 5th packet of seed free, qualifying for the bargain 20p runner beans and so on. Sometimes the code isn’t in the obvious place. Then there’s TopCashback to consider too. So all in all, I was pretty pleased with how I played the game. Then this evening I got a “Black Friday” email from Suttons Seeds – 50% off. Oh, for heaven’s sake.

I did manage some more good horticultural bargain hunting today though and ordered my two water butts and compost bins. Yes, even though I don’t have my shed yet. Having found a buy one, get one half price offer on both receptacles, I didn’t want to get a few months down the line and find that the offer had ended. The compost bins also come with a free compost caddy. They’re intended for collecting kitchen waste for composting, but in my case, what it boils down to is this: a free bucket.