It's been a very dry year so far here in the south of England, I think it was one of the driest springs on record.
Last summer was so wet I just used rainwater collected in water butts to water my containers and didn't need to use a garden hose much at all. This year both my water butts had already been emptied by the end of April so it was back to regularly using my Gardena garden hose.
Anyone who has used a garden hose probably knows they can be a bit of a pain with all the unwinding and winding back, and it's tempting to opt for one of those 'magic hoses' that shrinks to a fraction of its size when empty. And at first they are fantastic. Unfortunately, their thin construction means they fail very easily and no amount of sticking plaster fixes (bicycle puncture kits!) can rescue them so you're left with the sad task of throwing away a big, non-recyclable plastic object that's not very old.
The cheap generic hose spray guns aren't much better. They’re often great at first, with so many more functions than brand name items at the same price point, but they just don't seem to last very long, they seem especially vulnerable to cold northern winters.
So after discussing this subject with my dad, who'd had exactly the same experiences, I took his advice and a few years ago I bit the bullet and invested in a German-made Gardena Wall-Mounted 'Roll Up' Hose Box plus a Gardena spray gun and Twin-Tap Connector which allows you to operate two devices from one tap, meaning you can fill your watering can without disconnecting your hose.
Now, don't get me wrong. I know full well how sad it sounds to be waxing lyrical about a garden hose (plus accessories!). So look at it like this - I am very appreciative of a well-designed, well-made product that's built to last, as much as anything designed to sit outside in the elements can be reasonably be expected to, backed up by a five year warranty. So on that basis I'm just going to stand proud and extoll its virtues.
The key is the 'Roll Up' function. Basically, you pull the hose out of its box as far as you need it and then, when you've finished using it, you give it a gentle tug and the hose retracts back home in a very beautifully controlled way which means you don't have to manage the process to ensure it recoils evenly without bunching up in one place.
Quite simply, the 'Roll Up' function takes away the main faff of using a garden hose.
Don't get me wrong, I'm eco conscious so still try to limit my water use but, for those times I need to use it, my Gardena kit is a joy to use.