I used to like buttercups...

I really did used to like them, pretty and harmless with that lovely golden glow under your chin if you truly DO like butter...
But that was before I was a gardener.  Now I hate them with a vengeance. Yesterday I noticed that I have entire paths carpeted in the flaming things, and they seem to very quickly encroach on the growing areas.  They also cling to the ground with grabby roots, and along with the knee high tough rooted nettles, I realised I was going to have to do battle with these virulent weeds.

My buttercup path...  they cling on tight with nasty grabby roots and if you dig beneath the surface of some apparently weed free soil you'll find smaller perfectly-formed versions of themselves, but white and magotty, lurking there, waiting to spring up when you think you've got em all!

My hand fork clearly showed it wasn't man enough for the job, so I decided to get another one from the ironmongers in Machynlleth.  As the choice was one for £2.50 which would probably have bent in no time or a Wilkinson Sword tough looking beast for £9.99, I found myself forking out a tenner on a little garden implement.  This gardening lark is supposed to SAVE me money!

So... how much would you 'fork' out to ensure this doesn't happen again?  

What a beauty - £9.99 worth of Wilkinson Sword craftsmanship.   Wonder how long it'll take me to lose it in the garden?

On a lighter note, the first flowers have appeared on my broad beans and I was amazed to see they look a little like pale pansy flowers.

Although I spent a couple of hours fighting the buttercups today, it seems like I've hardly touched them, so tomorrow I'm going back, long sleeves and gloves at the ready to start a war on the nettles too.