Annette... you might try soaking it some diesel. I did that once for some old gunky tools and it worked pretty good.
Cleaning things to go in the garden is easy. Go to any of the major retailers and buy one of the orange based citrus hand cleaners with pumice. They'll usually have "orange" in the name. One of the brands is "Fast Orange", but there are many others. The larger containers have a pump on the top. Any greasy items can be quickly cleaned with a small handful rubbed over the surface and a quick rinse with water. I once used it to remove a rust stain from the paint of an old pickup. It'll take grease, dirt, paint, ink (even permanent Sharpie ink) off of your hands, and it'll take away the itch if you get scratched by some plants. I keep a large container at home and a smaller one in the toolbox on the pickup.
Wow those are some really great ideas for keeping those unruly hoses out of ones flower beds. I have some old spikes that I place around my flower beds. But I sure do like the other ideas that some of you have shared. I know what my next project will be.
