MY heart had jumped straight into my mouth, but I couldn't get any words out. I wanted to jump up but was frozen solid to the bench. You know that feeling when everything happens in such slow motion, you can see what is happening but can't do anything about it.

Seconds before I had been sipping a well-earned mug of tea on one of the benches in the gardens of Nature's World. The scene was one of warmth and tranquillity. A family was strolling around the vegetable gardens, in particular looking at the domed shaped greenhouse in which we grow our weird and different tomatoes. The parents had wandered on and left their vivacious, cheeky-looking young chap lingering amongst the tomato plants. I watched on with an inner smile as I love to see the young taking an early interest in the plant world. The boy must have realised that he had been left behind and in an attempt to locate his parents he placed both hands on the glass walls and leant forward, peering through the pane.

It was at this point that my world slowed down. I was trying to shout at the young lad, and warn him that the glass might give way. I was also trying to get the attention of the parents, who were captivated by a small cluster of ducklings just ten yards down the path.

After what appeared to be hours (but was really fractions of a second), the boy pulled his hands away from the greenhouse and skipped unharmed down the pathway to join his family and their duckling entertainers. I heard my heart pounding in my ears. I jolted back to life with a rush of relief.

I still have a souvenir of my tussle with a greenhouse. Two years ag,o I was pottering around in a raised border near our large propagation house. I miscalculated the step down and crashed head first through the glass. I was so lucky to have not killed myself, but still needed surgery to remove a 5-inch long shard of glass which had gone through my jeans and thigh and embedded itself into my femur. I have framed the piece of glass removed from my leg and keep it in my office.

According to a recent study, gardening accidents make up 25 percent of all injuries seen in hospital casualty units. Most of these are made up of small cuts, bites and stings and are classed as minor. Every now and again the injuries are more serious and sometimes even fatal.

There are a few simple things that you can do to minimise the likelihood of having an accident in the garden.

Try and get into the habit of wearing gloves. You will always hear hardened professionals saying they never wear gloves. They like to feel the soil between their fingers (and under their nails). I can understand this sentiment, but must advise anyone digging, potting, cutting or planting to protect their hands. Apart from keeping your hands clean, it keeps them warm. It prevents objects such as glass, sharp stones or metal from cutting you. It forms a barrier to any germ matter in the soil, whether it be parasite, virus or bacteria (always worth keeping your tetanus jabs up to date too). Some plants are poisonous, and can transmit their toxin through the skin. At the end of the day you will gain more enjoyment from the experience and have softer hands for longer.

Keep all your tools safely locked away in a safe place. Don't let youngsters play with anything sharp, such as secateurs, knives, spades or wire. Carry your tools in a controlled manner, with the working end down.

Always use a circuit breaker when using electrical equipment, and keep the machines regularly maintained. Don't balance on unsafe ladders.

If you absolutely have to use pesticides then make sure that you follow the manufacturer's procedures correctly, dispose of waste appropriately and keep the products locked away.

Be wise when including water features in your garden if you have young children. Think about the type of planting that you want. Ask yourself if you need to include poisonous or prickly plants in your planting plan.

It's like everything else in life. If you treat the garden and its tools with respect and due caution then you will get more out of it for less trouble. Don't be scared to have a go, just make sure that you are prepared.

JOBS TO DO THIS WEEK

Cool and shade the greenhouse

The warmer weather means that things are getting hot in the greenhouse. To prevent wilting and leaf scorch you have to create a shade of some sort. This can be done by painting directly onto the glass with a ready-made shading paint (available at most garden centres or DIY stores). Alternatively you can pin up old bits of green netting or similar fabric.

Lift faded tulips

If you have a selection of particularly nice tulips you can safeguard their longevity by digging them out of the ground once they have gone over. Store them in a light, airy but dry environment ready for replanting later in the winter.

Sow new lawns

If you have been intending to create a new lawn, or want to patch up an old existing one, but don't have much of a budget, then now is a good time for doing so. It is wet and warm enough for seed germination. By using seed as opposed to turf you bring the cost right down. Make sure that the soil is finely raked and level. If it hasn't rained recently then water the surface. Sprinkle the seed evenly over the area. Growth should occur within a week. Try and keep cats and birds off by placing twigs or lines of string on the area. Make sure that it gets a good watering (yourself or the rain) twice a week.

* Tune in to Brigid Press on the Stewart McFarlane show each Sunday morning on Radio Cleveland between 11am and midday.