Gardening tools & equipment for every garden
Whether you’re looking to bring an outdoor space back to life or get started on the new season’s planting, make maintaining your gardening a breeze with these must-have tools for any gardener
The gear you need depends on the size of your space, but having the right gardening toolkit can make the world of a difference, whether you’re simply getting rid of some weeds or carrying out a tougher gardening job. Plus, it’s important to have the correct equipment to avoid damaging your property, or even injuring yourself in the process
There's lots of nifty pieces of equipment out there but to make things easier we’ve selected some must-have tools that are essential for every garden, or for those gardeners who are just getting started
GARDENING TOOLS FOR BEGINNERS
If you’re new to gardening and wondering where to start, one of the most useful things you can have is the right equipment so you can properly maintain your plants and garden. To help you get started on your journey, here’s a list of the essential gardening tools you should have on hand:
GLOVES
A good pair of gardening gloves will protect your hands whilst carrying out tasks such as pulling up weeds or pruning spiky stems of roses. There are different kinds of protective gloves depending on the job, but a multi-purpose pair of gardening gloves are good to start with
SECATEURS
Pruning is a regular task for anyone looking to keep their garden neat and tidy. Secateurs make trimming hardy plants easy and pain-free. They can also be used for tidying up houseplants and deadheading flowering plants such as roses
WATERING CAN OR HOSE
It’s important to keep all your greenery watered and thriving, especially during dryer spells. Hoses are ideal for bigger areas like lawns and beds, and a watering can with a rose sprinkler distributes water more evenly and precisely. If you’re looking to be more environmentally friendly, then watering cans can be left outside on rainy days as an economical way to fill them up. Plus, rainwater is much better for your plants’ health than tap water, as it contains fewer minerals and impurities
HAND TROWEL
This tool is a gardening must-have; it can be used for many jobs such as weeding, planting, potting on and sowing seeds. Even if you don’t have a big garden, a hand trowel is essential for container planting too
HAND FORK
Similarly to a hand trowel, a hand fork is a useful tool that helps break up soil whether you’re planting outside or in a container
RAKE
A rake is a must-have for every gardener. It’s useful for clearing leaves and debris from your lawn, which allows more sunlight to get to your grass. This is particularly important in early spring, when your lawn will be looking for more nutrients. Rakes are also useful for breaking down soil to prepare beds for sowing seeds
HOE
Pesky weeds steal water and nutrients from your other plants and can appear almost anywhere in your garden - make sure you’re prepared to get rid of them as soon as they show up. Hoes make an excellent weeding tool and can skim up weeds in no time. They’re easy to use, and cause much less strain on your back and knees than if you were to weed by hand
SPADE
A spade is a multi-purpose tool essential to have in the garden. Whether you’re digging plots or planting, it’s ideal for shovelling up large amounts of dirt and debris. It can also be used to dig up weeds with shallow roots and level uneven patches of ground
Lawn care tools
First impressions matter when it comes to gardens! Keep a neat lawn and stay on top of your grass health with these helpful lawn tools:
LAWN EDGING SHEARS
With a pair of lawn edging shears, neatening up your garden edges is a simple task. Use this tool to cut away long grass that’s starting to grow over paths or borders. Doing this is an easy way to complete the overall look of your lawn and give definition to your garden
LAWNMOWER
A lawnmower is an essential piece of equipment for anyone with a lawn. Keeping your grass trimmed is essential for its health and regrowth, plus it keeps it easy and safe for the kids to play on when the weather warms up. Not to mention you can make your neighbours peer out their windows in envy at your perfectly tidy garden!
LAWN AERATOR
This is perhaps a tool for the more advanced gardeners, but it’s still incredibly useful if your garden is prone to flooding in heavy rainfall, or if your soil is particularly dry. A lawn aerator can help improve drainage and encourage root grass growth, particularly in autumn and winter
Digging & planting tools
Make light work of planting flowers, fruits, vegetables and young plants with these other gardening tools:
GARDEN FORK
This is another multi-purpose garden tool that’s necessary for any gardener. A larger garden fork is more efficient than a handheld one if you’re preparing larger plots, beds and borders. It can also be used for creating aerating holes in your grass and transferring established plants from one area of your garden to another
DIBBER
A dibber is a long, pointy stick that makes neat little holes in your soil. They come in different widths and sizes, are usually made from metal or wood, and most have T-shaped handles that make them easy to grip. Dibbers are ideal for when you’re planting seeds, bulbs and seedlings, making sure they’re properly buried in the soil without any damage in the process
TOOLS FOR TIDYING AND MAINTAINING YOUR GARDEN
Cleaning up the garden doesn’t have to be that strenuous with the help of some of these handy tools:
WHEELBARROW
Having a wheelbarrow at hand is a great way to save time and energy when moving dirt, compost and debris across large garden areas
BROOM
The quickest way to give your garden a refresh is by making your paths look shiny and new! A broom is useful for scrubbing your paths clean to rid them of dirt, debris and moss. In the autumn and winter, you can use a broom to sweep away any dead leaves from your patios and driveways too, which is an essential gardening maintenance job during colder months as fallen leaves can become slippery and dangerous when wet or frozen
DUSTPAN AND BRUSH
After you’ve raked or swept your lawn, a dustpan and brush can be used to easily scoop up leaves and other debris to transport into a compost or rubbish bin. This can also be useful for cleaning up other gardening messes such as spilled soil or mown flecks of grass
How to take care of garden tools
It’s not just your garden that needs some TLC every so often; making sure your tools are well maintained is important if you want them to last a long time and do their job well for many years to come. Here are some things you can do to increase the longevity and performance of your garden tools:
Clean dirty tools when you’re finished using them at the end of the day. Use a stiff-bristled brush with a solution of water and mild detergent, then make sure to dry them properly to prevent rusting
Oiling your tools every so often can help keep them in top condition and prevent them from rusting. This is particularly important for tools often used in moisture or soil. Simply wipe your tools with oily cloth or rag
Cutting tools like shears and secateurs can become dull over time, so make sure you sharpen them every once in a while - sharper tools are much safer than blunt ones
Store your tools in a dry, secure place. Hanging them on a tool rack or wall hooks can add some character to a shed or garage, or you can keep them in a storage box if you don't have space
Check out our new own-brand tool range, which offers quality and value for money, ranging from £4.99 - £32.99