Isn't it strange.....

What a delightful story, You were meant to have it. I love what you have done to the front garden.

A wonderful story Gee, happy gardening with your nice new spade :-)))))))))

Some things are just meant to be! Fantastic!

Do you think that Sid might have had a little hand somewhere Gee ? Lovely story :~))

Is it great when you manage to find what you ve been looking for thinking you will never be able to obtain it, seems Milky was the helper in this project good one Milky. Hope it stays sharp for you as that is the knack with most spades sharpness.

I'm sure of it Sue.

Cheers Toto :~))

Lovely story, Gee.
...and good pics too. :o)

Ah...a lovely story Gee.....enjoy the spade...

lovley blog.

It would have been extra nice if you could have inherited Sid's spade to remember him by. However no doubt you'll find your new one a godsend. I too have red clay only a foot beneath the soil in places so I know how useful it will be .I don't have one like yours but I do have two that cope. One is stainless that I snapped the handle off and welded a heavy steel shaft on. The other is a trenching spade. I wouldn't be without them. Clay soil is of cause good for plants but only if worked on. It takes years of muck and hard work but it is rewarding. A strange thing is that although all my garden is on clay, the hedge isn't. A couple of years ago I widened my gates which meant putting a new post in the old hedge. Thinking I was in for a massive job, I was astonished to discover that the soil was light loam to a depth of 40" and still no sign of clay. Can anyone explain this? he hedge will be literally hundreds of years old,

That was deffinately ment to be Gee .. I'm sure Sid led you there knowing how much you would have liked his ... I thought I had seen most types of tools but thats a new one for me ... Happy gardening .. Sid will be keeping an eye on you .. :o)

Could the hedge be where an ancient ditch at the side of the road use to be?
Or perhaps this is how hedges get to be over 100 years old because of the good site preparation prior to planting? Heron

Your garden looks lovely Gee, and is your FRONT garden I see. Yes I think Sid had a hand in it too. He probably loved being useful to you, and enjoyed the company. Lovely story. Lovely garden.
Heron, could it be because hedges are greedy for moisture?

Also Heron when you cut a hedge the leaves fall on the soil and decay on to the soil bit like liquid gold, the amount of hedges, I had dug out all have lovely soil, I always put it down to the clippings rotting.

I need one of those (-:

What an interesting blog Gee so pleased you found a this spade after all this time.

what a great spade....... i have heavy clay soil here........ you were lucky to find it..

What a lovely story !
It's wonderful and amazing how things work out sometimes :o)

Heron - I think that plant roots can often break down clay soils, especially if they have been there a long time. My previous neighbour put in a conifer hedge and about ten years later, my current neighbour took it out again. It had been planted in heavy clay but the resulting soil was a perfect consistency and very easy to work

Interesting replies, I think you're right about years of decaying leaves. Also Dcr has a point as further up the lane there is a shallow ditch which would probably have passed my place at some time. Andrew I'd like to find out more about roots breaking the clay down. I don't know how much the 'clay spade' would cost but Annella you could get a second-hand spade and ask you're local blacksmith to grind it to shape.

Lovely story Gee, glad you found a replica of Sid's spade, he is probably looking down at you now with a smile on his face ;0)

Amazing, and lovely, coincidence, Gee. You must be "over the moon".

Lovely story Gee. That spade looks just the thing. I'll have to have a look around and see if I can find one for my clay soil. I'm sure Sid had a hand in you finding it. :O)

Just read the lovely story of your wavy spade for clay digging. The wonders of Google! Sid would be very pleased that you have found one. I see some of the comments about hedges making good soil on what was clay to start with. I always return as many leaves to the soil as possible. I put them under my Camellias on the back fence. It starts out about 2 foot deep and before long it's nearly flat. It's the worms wot do it.