Top 10 Must-Have Gardening Tools
When you’re new to gardening, it’s hard
to know how to get started. Even the
most experienced gardeners need to
have the right tools. Our list of essential
gardening tools will set you on the right
path to a beautiful garden.
1. Hand Trowel
A hand trowel is a small tool
that is essential for planting,
transplanting and potting.
Look for one with a sturdy
connection between blade
and handle, and a
comfortable grip on the
handle to avoid hand fatigue
and give you optimal
control.
2. Secateurs
Also known as a pruning shears, pruners or clippers, a garden secateurs is a very useful hand tool
around the garden. You will need it for trimming and shaping plants and shrubs and
for removing dead growth. A high quality secateurs will last a very long time, stay
sharper for longer, be able to take thicker branches, and be more comfortable to use,
so it is worth investing in a good one.
3. Hoe
A garden hoe is essential for cultivating your soil, edging your lawn, and countless
other gardening tasks. This versatile garden tool comes in several varieties but a
regular Dutch or Draw hoe will meet most gardeners’ needs. You will find it highly useful when
preparing beds for planting and weeding
Gardening Gloves
Thorns and splinters are as annoying and uncomfortable as they are
preventable with a good pair of gardening gloves. Gardening tasks
can wreak havoc on your hands, leaving them sore and irritated.
Thankfully there is a huge range of gloves available offering better
protection and comfort than ever before.
5. Spade
A spade has a long handle and a long, narrow, flat head. No gardening tool kit is complete without
one! You will need it for digging tasks, as well edging beds and lawns, transplanting, dividing
shrubs, trenching, and lots more.
6. Fork
One of the most hardworking tools in any gardener’s arsenal, a
garden fork is a multi-purpose piece of equipment. It can be used to
aerate lawns (see our guide on Lawn Care & Maintenance Tips),
break up compacted soil, create holes for seeds, mix in soil treatment, remove stones and weeds, and soften tough ground. Its sharp and strong tines can more
easily penetrate difficult terrain than a spade.
7. Shovel
A shovel is a prerequisite for most jobs around the garden, particularly those that include digging
and the removal or addition of loose gardening materials such as compost, fertiliser, mulch, soil,
etc. Whether you’re scooping away weeds or you’re spreading on mulch, digging a deep hole or
filling a bed with compost, a high quality shovel will be of great value to you.
8. Rake
A rake will allow you to remove stones, rocks and clogs from the ground
before planting. It is also used for levelling and smoothing the surface of
the soil, or for gathering debris such as leaves and weeds. You may find
you want to add a few varieties of rakes to your collection to suit
different needs most comfortably, for example a lightweight, fan-shaped
rake is ideal for covering large areas when sweeping up leaves, and a
heavier duty bow rake will be most suited to dealing with stony ground
9. Saw
Shrubs and trees will need shaping and pruning from time to time, not to mention those woody
weeds like briars that will need to be tackled too. A bow saw will see you through most of the
heavier cutting tasks in the garden; when a secateurs just won’t cut it!
10. Wheelbarrow
A wheelbarrow greatly eases the burden of moving heavy and
awkward gardening materials around your garden. Lump everything
including your tools into your wheelbarrow and easily transport them
around as you work.