With the weather changing here in the Western Cape and becoming decidedly “wet”, I realise that my current gardening shoes are totally inappropriate. I wear leather ballet pumps 99% of the time because they are so comfortable and I now have two pairs that have been demoted to “gardening shoe” status because they’re so well worn. And in summer that’s just great. However, as I trudged through the wet garden yesterday and my ballet-pump clad feet sank into the mud, I realised this is not going to cut it in the wet months ahead. So what kind of shoes am I going to get for gardening in winter?
In browsing through all the gardening sites that I now follow since I became “a gardener”, I have become aware that in Europe and the USA most gardeners have a pair of wellington boots. I’m not sure I’ve ever possessed a pair of Wellington boots – maybe as a child, but I don’t think so. To me, wellington boots always seemed like cheap substitutes for “real” boots until I started looking for a nice pair to buy for gardening. Sure, there are lots of cheap ones available and I’m sure they are great for gardening, but I want one of those cute, funky pairs I’ve seen in the gardening magazines and on the Internet!
Here are some lovely ones I found on the Internet … the first two are by Laura Ashley (I bet they cost a packet!) and I think the “rain level” ones are fun …
Now where can I get me some of these here in Cape Town?
And what is your “preferred gardening shoe” style?