Every now and then you’ll want to look appealing and almost as if you’re in a rustic film set in a typical English village, say. Well, that’s easily achieved!

GET THE LOOK! A stylish long denim apron to wear for gardening. Practical pockets for your mobile phone, secateurs, a roll of twine and all the other bits and bobs you might need while gardening.

A white shirt, ideally in a relaxed oversized style, is easy to pick up at any second-hand shop. Check out the menswear section because it’s likely to have a whole rail of white shirts in different styles. If you’re lucky enough to find a retro gents’ shirt, the quality is likely to be excellent. The advantage of a white shirt, quite apart from it being a flattering look for everyone, is that it keeps off the sun while keeping you cool.

On hot days, you’ll appreciate the alternative to wearing long trousers of slipping into a flowing skirt under your apron. And if visitors turn up out of the blue, all you have to do is whip off your apron and you’re ready to serve tea and treats in a summery outfit out in the sun.

Take a peek at your mother’s or grandma’s retired retro wardrobe. You may be lucky enough to find a groovy cotton batik skirt from the 70s. You also have a good chance of picking one up at a well-stocked second-hand shop. Even if you’re not into that ethnic batik thing generally, I can promise you it’s a hip look for the garden. Give it a whirl and see!

DIY! Take a tour of some second-hand shops to look for classic men’s hats in felt - typically brown or black and in different styles. Look for a hat with a fairly wide brim. Take a sharp kitchen knife and make a 1 cm incision at each side of the crown. Alternatively, buy some little grommets and hammer in one on each side. Next, cut a long strip of fabric or leather cord and draw though the hole/grommet, and try it for size: it should be long enough so you can have the hat hanging on your back. Ta-da! You now have a stylish and practical gardening hat to stave off the rain and sun. The hat in the photo is made by Brixton.

CARE ADVICE: A garment-rescue tip for any grass, berry, fruit or vegetable stains is to place the stained part of the garment in just-boiled water for a few minutes and, as if by magic, the stain will be gone!

RECYCLING: If you fancy using decorative wooden crates for gathering and storing your fruit and vegetables, ask at your local supermarket or grocers if they can save some for you instead of disposing of them. Many fruit and vegetables are supplied to retailers in these lovely wooden crates. A saving for you, and the environment too!