Who'd go to a Garden Centre on a Bank Holiday Weekend?

So. It's that time again. The sun WILL be shining (fingers crossed) and people are suddenly blessed with a whole three days to spend together with no idea what to do.

The wonder of the May Day Bank Holiday means that regular folk who would normally spend their usual two-day weekend washing the car or taking the dogs for an extra long walk suddenly feel compelled to do something productive - just because of that extra day. WHY?

Well, it probably has something to do with the power of media. Television advertisements offering you discounts on wallpaper, paints, plants, furniture - in fact, anything they can think of that will entice you to get off the sofa and hot-foot it down to your nearest B&Q, Homebase or Garden Centre.

And you'll try to resist it. Heck, you'll even manage for the first day - maybe even for the second too - feeling really smug that you've rebelled by staying home and playing with the kids in the garden or cleaning that garage and shed out finally. But by the time the momentous third day arrives, you'll most probably be sick of the family's company and be itching to get out. So; Where do you go? Yep...your local garden centre; that's where. You and everyone else!

If you're lucky enough to find a parking space; you'll then have the pleasure of squeezing your way around the packed aisles between displays of fertilisers, propagators and this months hottest plants. Before you know it, you'll have a trolley full of a wonderful array of bedding plants, flower seeds, weedkillers and that new bucket that you're bound to need eventually.

Feeling pleased with yourself for coping so marvellously with the crowds and long queues, you'll get home only to realise that the weekend's over and that you haven't got time to plant all of your new purchases.

I guess that's the following weekend taken care of then!