As every city person knows, nature is something which occurs far away in the countryside, and involves cows and sheep and stuff. The wilder end of nature is known to be extremely volatile and dangerous, and prolonged contact with it can involve exposure to really bad weather and a complete absence of cable television service.
Until now. With the new Irish Wildflower Seed Mat, you can see 32 different species of wild flowers - some of them quite rare - without having to leave your air-conditioned home. The eight-foot mat is made of bio-degradable tissue, and pre-sown with seeds; simply roll it out on the ground outside and cover with half a centimetre of compost.
Four weeks and a little water later, you will see, through your window, the first signs of wild plant life. Within two or three months you can expect the flowers to start blooming; yellow and blue corn pansies, purple toadflaxes, red corn poppies, pink lesser knapweeds, white ox-eye daisies, green ribworth plantains, orange St Johnsworts, white yarrows and red campions.
Don't feel you have to use the whole eight feet. You can cut the mat in strips and plant these in window-boxes - and because you won't know which seeds are in each section, your windows will act as your very own, personal, wildflower lucky dip.
The Irish Wildflower Seed Mat, around £15 (€19), is available from giftware shops, and Design By Nature on (056) 42526.
