Hi Diane

Interesting to hear your story - and you raise an important characteristic of
the Britains Floral Garden range - it has immense educational/therapeutic
potential. I'm teaching/research faculty at a University here in Texas (I'm
actually from UK) and involved in environmental education - and I wish this toy
was still available for students of all ages! Even with my own children
collection I have a special box of floral garden that they can play with on
special occasions. and its amazing to watch what they can do.

I'm presently compiling an extended database of the floral garden range - I was
interested to hear about the britains buildings - cottage? - I hope you can post
photos of your collection when you get a chance.

Welcome to the group

Mark

________________________________

From: britains_floral_garden@... on behalf of gnilloh
Sent: Wed 1/9/2008 7:15 PM
To: britains_floral_garden@...
Subject: Re: [britains_floral_garden] Re: Newbie



Hi Tracey,

Thanks very much for the welcome.

I had Floral Garden a toy in the late 50's. I used to buy it with my pocket
money.

The Floral Garden and my Sooty puppet were my favourite toys for years!

In 2002 I had to stop work due to illness, I ended up being disabled and unfit
for any work.

Although I can do I can do some things at home I can't do a lot and I got bored
very quickly until I re-found the Floral Garden toy.

Fiddling with it was something I could do when I couldn't do any of the
physically demanding things.

It didn't take long to build quite a collection of garden items.
Then I got very carried away and bought more and more and even more garden! :-D

I sell the extra bits I don't need and at the moment I have a monstrous
collection that is too big to set up in one place.

I have decided to make myself my very own housing estate with Britains farm
cottages and garden.

I'm also trying to make a small rare breeds farm/smallholding, stables and a
sheepdog trials field!

I haven't taken any photos of anything for quite a while because I haven't set
it up since last year.
I've been collecting all through the year but I can't set it up until my puppy
gets older and a bit more sensible.
I've had enough hedges etc stick to my jumper and land on the floor only to be
picked up and chewed up and eaten! Sacrilege!!

Anyway that's enough of my rabbiting for a while and thanks again for the
welcome.

Diane H

<<Hi Diane.
Just wanted to welcome you to the wonderfull world of Britains Floral
Garden. I am quite new to the collection myself and wonder how long
you have been collecting. Wishing you all the best with 2008 and your
collection. If you ever want a chat, just E-mail me and I will be
happy to reply.
All the best to you, Tracey.>>