GB2203321A - Gardening aid - Google Patents

Abstract

A plurality of cylinders 1 are arranged in substantially longitudinally parallel relationship with one another, each cylinder 1 being connected (5) to at least one laterally adjoining or adjacent cylinder 1. The cylinders 1 may contain soil, compost or flower pots and may be of varying lengths, cross-sectional shapes and sizes and colours. The inter-connections may be rigid or flexible, e.g. interengaging ribs and grooves, split pins, spring clips, lengths of string or the like, connectors apertured or recessed to receive the cylinders, adhesive. The cylinders may be arranged to provide a lawnedging. <IMAGE>

Description

GAHDENING AID This invention relates to a gardening aid which is useful in conventional outdoor gardening but also in indoor gardening in the home, shop, office or the like, and in temporary or permanent displays in exhibitions and so on.

An aid in accordance with the invention seeks to provide an easy way of arranging flowering and other plants in an attractive manner which may be purely decorative or may serve an additional function as a lawn-edging, low wall or other barrier.

According to the invention, there is provided a gardening aid comprising a plurality of cylinders arranged in substantially longitudinally parallel relationship with one another, each cylinder being connected to at least one other laterally adjoining or adjacent cylinder.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a gardening aid in accordance with the invention comprising a plurality of cylinders arranged in tiers; Figure 1A is a scrap elevation showing how one cylinder may co-operate with a flower pot; Figure 2 is a plan view corresponding to Figure 1; Figure 3 is a front elevation illustrating a gardening aid in accordance with the invention which comprises a plurality of cylinders arranged to display flowering or other plants at an indoor domestic, commercial or exhibition site; Figure 4 is a'plan view corresponding to Figure 3; Figure 5 is a plan view illustrating a gardening aid in accordance with the invention arranged as a lawn edging;; Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view substanti:ally -corresponding to Figure 5 and showing the arrangement of the gardening aid when used as a barrier between a lawn and a path that are located at different horizontal levels; and Figures 7A to 7L inclusive illustrate a number of different ways in which the cylinders of a gardening aid in accordance with the invention may be laterally connected to one another.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, and firstly to Figures 1, 1A and 2 thereof, for*y-four cylinders 1 are shown arranged in tiers with the lowermost tier standing in a large rectangular synthetic plastics or other tray 2. The lowermost tier of cylinders 1 comprises thirty cylinders arranged in a rectangle which is six cylinders long by five cylinders wide whereas the second tier comprises twelve cylinders arranged in a rectangle measuring four cylinders long by three cylinders wide and the uppermost tier comprises only two cylinders located alongside one another. The second tier is arranged centrally on the first tier and, in turn, the third tier is arranged centrally on the second tier.

The cylinders 1 are shown throughout the drawings as being of circular cross-section but, whilst this will usually be most convenient, it is by no means essential and cylinders of other cross-sections such as triangular, square, hexagonal, octaganol, oval and so on can equally well be employed if generally preferred or for any particular installation. Preferably, but not absolutely essentially, the cylinders 1 are formed from a rigid or substantially rigid synthetic plastics material such as polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polystyrene or the like and, for most purposes, will be open at both their opposite ends although it is within the scope of the invention to have at least one cylinder of any gardening aid wholly or principally closed at one end or at a location along the axial length of the cylinder 1 concerned.Although the use of a synthetic plastics material is preferredfor-both the cylinders 1 and the rectangular tray 2, other materials, such as metal, earthenware, ceramics and mixtures of cement with peat, asbestos or other fibrous compositions can also be employed. It is desirable for many purposes that the cylinders 1 should be brightly coloured and this is readily accomplished by incorporating appropriate pigments into the materials from which they are formed, such colouration being standard practice when forming items from, in particular, synthetic plastics materials.

The cylinders 1 may, as an alternative, be painted in the required colours. Clearly, all of the cylinders 1 in a display such as the tiered display shown in Figure 1 need not be of the same colour and the various tiers may be of contrasting colours or several colours may be mixed more or less at random.

Cylinders 1 of several different diameters may be employed and, as will become apparent below, their axial lengths may also vary considerably. When the cylinders 1 are of circular cross-section, they may be made in sizes which substantially exactly match those of standard synthetic plastics flower pots of various magnitudes and Figure 1A of the drawings shows such an arrangement with the rim 3 of a flower pot 4 exactly fitting in the upper end of a cylinder 1. With this arrangement, flower pots 4 already containing flowering or other plants can be arranged in a display employing at least one gardening aid in accordance with the invention with only their rims 3 visible and without the plants being disturbed by removal from their pots 4.However, if preferred, flowering and other plants may be positioned directly in cylinders 1 which are wholly or partly filled with garden soil, prepared compost or other growing medium.

Each cylinder 1 of a gardening aid in accordance with the invention is connected to at least one other laterally adjoining or adjacent cylinder 1 and the positions of connectors 5 can be seen in plan view in Figure 2 of the drawings, the connectors 5 being capable of any chosen one of a number of different constructions some of which latter will be described in detail below.

Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings illustrate a deployment of a garden aid in accordance with the invention which is more suitable in homes, shops, exhibitions and other enclosed premises than is the arrangement shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. A square tray 6 is provided and accommodates nine conjoined cylinders 1 that, as can be seen in Figure 3, comprise several different axial lengths so that flowering or other plants 7 occupying flower pots 4 lodged in the upper ends of the cylinders, or planted directly in soil or compost contained in those cylinders 1, may be seen to their best advantage without at least to some extent concealing one another. Once again, the cylinders 1 may all be of one colour or may be of two or more different colours.It will be noted from Figure 4 of the drawings that all of the cylinders 1 are joined together by various connectors 5 to form a stable configuration in contrast to the arrangement shown in Figure 2 where the cylinders 1 can be rearranged relative to one another if so desired. The configuration of Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings is suitable for either outdoor or indoor use and, if appropriate plants 7 are employed, at least some of them will trail downwardly around the outer surfaces of the cylinders 1 towards the tray 2. The display configuration illustrated by way of example in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings may be provided in kit form for assembly by its user or, if preferred, may be pre-assembled, ready for use, with the plants 7 already in place, if so desired.

Figure 5 of the drawings shows the use of a gardening aid in accordance with the invention in providing a lawn edging or barrier between a lawn 8 and a flower bed, path or other garden item. If, as is very convenient for many purposes, the cylinders 1 are movably joined to one another by the connectors 5, the lawn edging or barrier of Figure 5 can extend lengthwise in wave or other patterned form and this can be a useful feature of garden design. Particularly if the plants 7 are arranged in flower pots 4 as has been described with reference to Figure 1A, a decorative display can be maintained along the lawn edging or barrier throughout a sarge part of the year and any particular plant 7 that may prove to be unsatisfactory due to disease, damage or other cause, can be quickly and easily replaced without disturbing any of the others.Figure 6 is a sectional view showing an arrangement similar to that of Figure 5 but in which the lawn 8 is at a significantly lower horizontal level than is a path 9 from which it is separated by a straight, curved or wave-formed row of the cylinders 1, each of which latter contains at least one flowering or other plant 7. With this arrangement, the row of cylinders 1 forms an effective barrier preventing slippage of the path 9 onto the lawn 8. In order that there shall not be significant gaps between immediately neighbouring cylinders 1, it is desirable, with the arrangement shown in Figure 6, that the connectors 5 between successive cylinders 1 should extend throughout substantially the whole of the axial lengths of those cylinders 1.An arrangement basically similar to that shown in Figure 5 or Figure 6 of the drawings can form a very effective verge to a bed containing shrub roses or other plants and displays a considerable degree of resistance to penetration of growing plants from one side of the edging, low wall or other barrier to the opposite side thereof.

As mentioned above, the connectors 5 between adjoining or adjacent cylinders 1 can be in a variety of different forms depending upon economic factors, whether the gardening aid is to be used under cover or in the open air, and whether a rigid or flexible assembly is required. The cylinders 1 may be merely glued together, may be stuck together using proprietary "buds" o adhesive~, may be flexibly joined together by forming aligned holes in their walls, passing split pins through those holes and parting the limbs thereof after such entry. Lengths of string, cord, wire or the like may be entered through aligned holes and subsequently be twisted or knotted together and, where the upper ends of the cylinders 1 are to be at, or substantially at, the same horizontal level, spring clips 10 may be employed in the manner shown in Figure 7A of the drawings.A similar arrangement is, of course, also possible at the lower ends of the cylinders 1 where those lower ends are at substantially the same horizontal level. Figure 7B shows an arrangement in which a shaped rib 11 having the same radius of curvature as does the cylinder 1 concerned is glued to the exterior of that cylinder 1 and a second shaped rib 12 is glued to the exterior surface of an immediately neighbouring cylinder 1. The first rib 1 has a projecting portion of substantially circular cylindrical cross-section and the second rib 12 defines a cylindrical cavity in which the projection of the rib 11 will fit by entering the latter into said cavity from one axial end thereof.Figure 7C shows the ribs 11 and 12 separated from another and it is noted that, instead of being formed separately from the cylinders 1 and being glued thereto, the ribs 11 and 12 may be formed integrally with the cylinders 1. Such a construction is appropriate for use in a situation such as that briefly described with reference to Figure 6 of the drawings since the ribs 11 and 12 can extend throughout the axial lengths of the cylinders 1 and thus effectively laterally seal each cylinder 1 to its neighbour or neighbours to prevent leakage of soil or other material occurring between the immediately neighbouring cylinders 1, the connection being pivotable to some extent.

Figure 7D of the -drawings shows an arrangement in which aligned holes are formed through the walls of the cylinders 1, a thread-less bolt 13 being entered through the aligned holes and having a retaining pin 14 entered transversely through an opening in its shank at the opposite side of the walls of the two cylinders 1 from the head of the bolt 13.- Another possibility is, of course, to employ ordinary machine screws and nuts in place of the threadless bolts 13 and retaining pins 14.

Figure 7E shows a way in which cylinders 1 may be joined to one another by slipping over them shaped plastics connectors 15 which are basically similar in construction to those used to connect together several cans of beer or other beverage for vending purposes. The connectors 15 may be formed in colours which will match those of the cylinders 1 that are to be connected to one another and, of course, the holes 16 in the connectors 15 which receive corresponding cylinders 1 need not be in a triangular arrangement as shown in Figure 7E but could be in any desired pattern including one in which a large number of them are arranged side-by-side in a row.

Figures 7F and 7G of the drawings illustrate an arrangement in which three cylinders 1 of different axial lengths are joined together in a triangular pattern, as seen in plan view (Figure 7F), by a pre-formed band 17 that is preferably coloured to match, or contrast with, the colour or colours of the cylinders 1. Once again, the band 17 could, of course, laterally join together only two of the cylinders 1 or four or more of those cylinders. At least one commercially available elastic band could be substituted for the pre-formed band 17, such elastic bands being available commercially in a variety of colours and in different lengths which would suit different numbers of cylinders 1 to be arranged in any specific display.

Figure 7H of the drawings illustrates the use of a gardening aid in accordance with the invention in forming a display which, in plan view, is of generally rhombic form, the display comprising four cylinders 1 that are joined to one another by employing a band 18 of- metallic wire shaped to surround the cylinders 1 which are to constitute the display. It will be readily apparent that other numbers of the cylinders 1 could be conjoined in the same way using an appropriate band 18.

Figures 71 and-7J of the drawings show the use of a tray 19 to join together in a triangular pattern (as seen in plan view) three cylinders 1 which are not illustrated in these two Figures of the drawings. The tray 19 has a recessed area 20 in its base which receives the lower ends of the cylinders 1 and prevents them from moving laterally relative to one another. Figure 71 shows the depth 21 of the recessed area 20. The tray 19 and its shaped recessed area 20 could, of course, once again be shaped to receive and laterally join together numbers of the cylinders 1 which differ from three.

Figures 7K and 7L of the drawings show the use of a wire frame 22 whose arrangement is such that limbs thereof cross the longitudinal axes of each of at least two cylinders 1. Spring clips 23 are arranged on the frame 22 at each point where the latter registers with the longitudinal axis of a corresponding cylinder 1, the cylinders 1 then being moved axially downwards over the clips 23 which latter will adopt substantially the configuration shown in Figure 7K. Figure 7L shows three cylinders 1 joined together in this way.

The invention provides a gardening aid of a simple and relatively inexpensive construction which can be employed for the display of flowering and other plants in an attractive manner in both indoor and outdoor situations and which gardening aid can also serve a practical constructional purpose in gardening architecture. If the cylinders 1 are provided in short lengths, tiers of them can be built up in many situations as described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings and the cylinders 1 can, of course, be arranged only in single tiers. When it is desired to grow a calcifuge plant, such as an azalea, in an alkaline environment, the plant can advantageously be grown in one of the cylinders 1 of a gardening aid in accordance with the invention to maintain a separate "acid" environment for that plant. Similarly, in an acid environment, pockets of alkaline compost can be created in the cylinders 1 for appropriate plants.

Claims (10)

CLAIMS:

1. A gardening aid comprising a plurality of cylinders arranged in substantially longitudinally parallel relationship with one another, each cylinder being connected to at least one other laterally adjoining or adjacent cylinder.

2. A gardening aid as claimed in Claim 1, wherein at least one cylinder has a different axial length to that of at least one other cylinder.

3. A gardening aid as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the connections between the cylinders are of flexible construction.

4. A gardening aid as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the cylinders are of circular cross-section.

5. A gardening aid as claimed in Claim 4, wherein at least one cylinder has a different diameter to that of at least one other cylinder.

6. A gardening aid as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein at least some of the cylinders are open at both their axial ends.

7. A gardening aid as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, the aid being constructed and arranged for use as a lawn edging or barrier.

8. A gardening aid as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the connections between the cylinders extend throughout substantially the complete axial lengthS of at least some of those cylinders.

9. A gardening aid as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein at least one cylinder has a different colour to that of at least one other cylinder.

10. A gardening aid substantially as hereinbefore described with or without reference to any of the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings.