Janet Tweedy wrote:
Actually I am putting in six posts altogether so that I can grow
climbing plants up them, they'll be linked at the top by horizontal
posts and maybe some bracing, though the intention is to leave them with
gaps between as they'll go through a very large flower bed to form a
sort of walkway.
(I needed somewhere to grow clematis and stuff)

Sounds as if it will be nice when it's done


I have got a bag of fence post concrete/cement and someone is going to
come and do the carpentry bit with me but I have to get the
holes/metposts dug first. Ground hasn't been walked on much for about 35
years as it had shrubs etc, but we are on flint and stones with a
handful of soil and clay.

If you're digging holed, a narrow border spade is useful, or a thing
called a "graft", a very long narrow-bladed spade. A baler of some
sort is handy, you can use an old tin or something, to scoop out
spoil which you free with the end of the spade. Rest the end of the
metpost on a brick or something in the hole to get the posts level,
tack battens on to hold the post upright, put in concrete (not up
to top of hole, to avoid it being seen). It's quite easy with a
braft and a baler, if your arm's long enough to reach down the hole,
but it may take a while in your soil!