The essential garden tools you need for spring and beyond, according to an RHS expert
As lockdown eases and the seasons change, it’s time to give your outdoor space some serious TLC
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Your support makes all the difference.The arrival of spring is particularly exciting this year – not only does it offer the prospect of warmer, longer days, but it also means we will finally be able to socialise outside, albeit in small groups.
While holidays abroad remain up in the air, the lockdown roadmap stipulates that we will be allowed to meet outdoors in groups of up to six people from multiple households, or an unlimited number of people from two households, from 29 March.
If this has got you wondering how you’re going to get your garden ready for guests, we spoke to a landscape artist to discover her recommended tips and tricks ahead of alfresco socialising, with everything from ambient lighting to barbecues and pizza ovens.
We’ve also spotted a £30 hanging chair from B&M and plenty of garden furniture deals that should help you on your way to creating the perfect set-up.
But, if you’ve realised the only way you’re going to get your outdoor space ready for the warmer months is by getting your hands dirty then, regardless of whether you’re a novice or a green-fingered pro, having the very best garden tools will help.
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If you’re unsure where to start with your shopping, we’d recommend keeping ease of use and practicality at the front of your mind. And it’s also worth bearing in mind the environmental impact of your purchases – opting to invest in the best-quality equipment your budget can allow will reduce the need for repurchasing.
To help you on your way, we asked Guy Barter, chief horticulturist for the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) for his list of the essential gardening tools you need to invest in. We’ve listed our top-rated products from the items on his list below.
You can trust our independent round-ups. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections. This revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent.
Secateurs
Secateurs are “the essential tool for propagation and pruning”, says Barter. He recommends keeping a cheap pair for rough work in addition to a fancy pair.
With this in mind, we consulted our review of the best secateurs and garden shears. When testing the Felco model 2 original secateurs (£47.50, Amazon.co.uk), our reviewer “danced through stubborn shrubbery and bramble bushes in a flash, with the non-slip handles performing as advertised on the damp morning we chose for testing”.
“Many professional gardeners will single out Felco as their go-to brand, with this model being regarded as the best all-rounder for pruning,” noted our writer – meaning that they’re a pair you can trust. Plus, all Felco pruner parts are replaceable. “So with care, your pair should give you a lifetime’s worth of service,” they said.
For your fancy pair, we’d recommend the Sophie Conran precision secateurs (£28.99, Amazon.co.uk), which were also well-regarded in our review of the best, with our writer identifying that the “steel tool is deceptively strong and will bite through decent-sized twigs if called upon”.
As for their shape and ease of use, “the handle is smooth, ergonomic and feels reassuringly weighty, and the smart brass locking catch at the bottom does an admirable job of keeping this lively pair of silver snippers restrained”.
Lawnmower
Barter suggests a lawnmower because there’s “nothing quite like it” when it comes to neatly cutting grass. “Wildflowers are all very well but you need a path to enjoy them, so a mower comes in there too,” he adds.
We’d recommend this Ego LM1701E-SP lawnmower (£379.98, Amazon.co.uk) since it landed the top spot in our round-up of the best.
It’s a “superb all-rounder that’s light, manoeuvrable and small enough to fit through garden gates and take care of a small to medium sward”, praised our writer. They added that the “adjustable handles and large wheels, with good tread, added to the overall usability”.
For something a little more affordable, the Hyundai HYM3300E (£109.99, Robertdyas.co.uk) also featured in our round-up of the best lawnmowers, with our reviewer noting that “Hyundai has packed a lot into this electric mower”.
“It’s lightweight and easy to move around while producing a consistent cut. A really good value-for-money mower for small- to medium-sized gardens,” they added.
Watering can
“How can anyone survive without a watering can?” asks Barter. If you’ve not already got one, or are looking to replace your current number, Haws’s multipurpose metal watering can (£39.99, Amazon.co.uk) took the top spot in our review of the best.
With a capacity of 1l, our writer noted that you’ll want to reach for this top-of-the-range unit “when serious plant drenching is the order of the day”. Featuring an extra-long spout, it’s easy to “reach thirsty plants at the back of deep flower beds and borders”, and water is delivered in a fine, arching spray thanks to the engineered rose head.
If you’re looking to save some pennies, the Rhino easi-can (£7.99, Crocus.co.uk) was also a favourite in our review of the best watering cans thanks to it being both “light and extremely portable”.
The plastic rose is detachable and “fits over the fill hole, preventing snails crawling inside and clogging your spout when not in use,” noted our writer.
Wheelbarrow
According to Barter, you should opt for a wheelbarrow that is both big and stable to serve as “much more than transport”. The RHS expert said that he uses his to “mix potting compost”, and as such it’s a multipurpose tool that doubles up as a “mobile workbench and sawhorse”.
If it were us, we’d opt for this Haemmerlin polypropylene pick up wheelbarrow (£99, Gardenchic.co.uk) since it topped our review of the best wheelbarrows thanks to its large capacity.
The handy tipper makes it easy to “hoist the pan and fling the barrow’s contents onto a willing compost heap or dung pile”. If the bright green isn’t for you, it’s also available in yellow.
Knife
“A gardener’s knife is essential and it should be a good one,” says Barter, adding that the Victorinox pruning knife (£15, Victorinox.com) is “excellent”.
According to the brand, it’s great for pruning and cutting back branches and saplings on bushes, shrubs and trees to encourage growth. The curved blade, which is crafted from stainless steel, measures 51mm.
Bucket
“Gardening is all about picking stuff up and putting it down after a modest walk, and buckets are super useful,” says Barter. He suggests that you needn’t spend a fortune – a cheap one from a builders’ merchants will do just fine, but it’s important to “have plenty”.
As such, we’d recommend this flexible rubble container (£3.18, Bes.co.uk), which has a capacity of 42l. They are cheap enough that it’s worth buying a few at once.
Gloves
While Barter didn’t include gloves on his list of essentials, we think it goes without saying that having a pair to help protect your hands during outdoor graft is important. We’d recommend the HexArmor thorn armour gloves (£36.27, Safetygloves.co.uk) as they took the top spot in our guide to the best gardening gloves.
Providing “unrivalled puncture protection”, these are designed with mobility and arduous landscaping tasks in mind. If your garden hasn’t been cared for in a while, these are an essential item.
For something a little more pocket friendly, the Town & Country master gardener gloves (£5.99, Amazon.co.uk) were also a favourite.
“Water-resistant, grippy and comfortable” for less than £6, “you can’t go wrong,” praised our writer.
Looking forward to alfresco socialising? Read our guide to how you can get your garden ready for guests post-lockdown