Walk around a large garden centre or DIY superstore in spring and you will likely be confronted by a substantial variety of gardening tools and equipment. You could possibly be excused for thinking that the variety of different types of gardening tools have to have increased in recent years - but you in fact you would be wrong. In a text book written over 300 years ago there is a list of well over a hundred tools for the enthusiastic gardener, and Victorian catalogues offered a huge selection of different types of hoes, forks, spades etc.
The fundamental armoury has declined, but the average cost and complexity have greatly improved. However, there is also a sizable number of different brands of each item, which means you have to choose with great care. A widely known name on the handle can be a safeguard, but it can also mean a larger cost. With tools you normally get what you pay for (but not always), so it is wise to avoid low-priced offers of unknown origin for tools that you intend to use regularly. Stainless steel definitely looks attractive, but ordinary steel is a lot cheaper and is quite satisfactory if looked after properly.
Your first job is to consider which kind of tool or tools you intend to buy. Having the right equipment for gardening will always make the work a lot easier. For the elderly as well as the handicapped choosing wisely is even more important, it occasionally means the difference between being able to do a task or not.
Now you know very well what to look for, you should select a suitable example from the supplier. By all means be guided by the maker's name, the shopkeeper's advice and the manufacturer's advertising campaign, but for most tools it is necessary for you to check the item suits the user. With spades, forks, hoes, secateurs and so forth you should see that both the weight and balance are correct. A spade this is 'right' for a powerful youth will be quite wrong for a small elderly lady or gentleman.
For the keen landscape gardener with money to spare, the most difficult task will be to determine just how many tools to buy. Underneath is a general basic list for a small garden, but the exact list which would be right for you is something that only you can determine. Nonetheless, any item on the basic list below which you fail to buy will undoubtedly increase the chore of gardening.
What people should buy.
Basic List:
Spade, Fork, Hoe, Rake, Trowel, Lawn Mower, Watering can. Plus, Secateurs if roses and/or shrubs are grown. Shears, if hedges are grown. Sprayer, if roses,vegetables and/or fruit is grown. Hose pipe, if the lawn is feature. Lawn edger, also for the lawn. Garden line, if vegetables are grown. Gloves, if prickly plants are grown. Wheelbarrow, if plants or manure have to be moved. Motor mower, if the lawn is over 70 sq. yards.
Rare:
Power tools, Roller, Cloches, Lawn spreader, Long-handled pruner.
Author Resource:
I have been involved with the Do-It-Yourself and Gardening industry for over 30 years. So I think now is the time to spread the word a bit about Contractors within the companies operating in the UK.
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