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While I’m a robot mower fan and swear by cordless pruners, I have kit that’s lasted half a century (including my mother’s watering cans)
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Having hit the big 70, I am determined to maintain my garden with two days of work a week. One from me and a second from Dave, who helps me keep things in shape. The huge advantage in my favour is the massive surge in great tools and techniques, which reduce the time required from me.
Over the last 50 years of gardening, my favourite tools have changed dramatically. My biggest time saver is the robot lawn mower. I love almost all aspects of gardening, but starting mowers, cleaning spark plugs and emptying the box are all more of a chore than a joy. Their carbon footprint is also staggering.
Here I share the ten essentials categories and items I consider worth investing in for every gardener.
If you don’t like gardening in inclement weather, you are in the wrong clothes. The Genus Three-Season Gardening Trousers (£159) have built in knee pads, useful pockets and they are in a cut that allows for easy movement. They keep me snug but not sweaty and have transformed my attitude to gardening in all weather.
I also never garden without a hat to shield my face from damaging rays. On a hot summer’s day, it helps keep me energised rather than wilting in the heat. I love Niwaki’s camo hat (£24). It has a deep peak and is fully adjustable, plus it washes well. In winter, I often use a woollen hat with a built-in head torch. Ideal for working in the dark, you can often find one on Amazon or a local garage for less than £10. Just look for an LED light that is rechargeable.
I have chronic Reynaud’s syndrome, so have tried many gloves. For me, the best for wet, cold gardening are Toolant’s 100% Waterproof Gloves (£16.99). Available in several sizes, they have grip and they are touchscreen-compatible. Designed for working in deep freezers, they have revolutionised my winter gardening. For warmer months, I like Portwest’s A310. They come in many sizes, cost around 49p per pair, and allow you to have great connectivity with plants.
Boots are my big extravagance. Worn every day, I am wedded to Le Chameau. For cosy winter feet, I wear its Vierzonord Neoprene Lined (£220) and for warm weather, the Saint Hubert Leather Lined. They have a two-year guarantee, are comfortable and a joy to wear.
Cordless tools are my go-to. Stihl makes my favourites and its hedge cutter HSA 50 (£239) is my main stay. The batteries last around 45 mins, so I have a couple of pairs to let me cut non-stop. I also have its long reach trimmer, designed so you can alter the angle of the head, enabling you to cut the sides, the top, or a batter. It’s well suited to my pleached trees, box arbour and high hedges.
I also use Stihl’s cordless garden pruner, the mighty GTA 26 (£159), most months of the year. The size of a hairdryer, it goes through 70mm diameter branches in seconds like a knife through butter, perfect for old roses, hazel, raising canopies on small trees and much more.
Finally, Worx’s 163E.9 cordless line trimmer tool (£79.99) is perfect if you hate putting in new cords to your trimmer.
Robot lawn mowers are like a best friend that will free you up for more creative gardening. I like Kress, which has developed ones that reliably use Wi-Fi to navigate. The scope of lawns they can mow is now huge, including on 40-degree slopes and uneven ground. They create stripes, have good variation in mowing height, run over gravel between areas and a side-cut blade means you won’t have to edge up. I have the Kress KR 271E (£2,199), but the brand has options for less than half its price too.
I have an ancient “ladies’ spade” (although now called a “border spade”) from Wilkinson Sword (£19.94). It has a slight tread on the top, so you don’t wear your boots and feet out, it’s light and the right length for me (I don’t have to crouch over it gnome-style). It’s made from carbon steel and lasts forever. My favourite hardware store, Harrison and Dunn, in Stamford says it only gets good feedback. I also use a Dutch hoe, the very best tool for annual weeds. Mine is 50 years old plus, and I have no idea who made it.
Similarly, my indispensable loppers have had 40 years of abuse from me, but they are still great to use on stems that are too tough or large for secateurs. They are the Bahco Two Hand Lopper 45cm (£36.45). And the most snazzy but efficient secateurs are Niwaki’s yellow handled Mainichi (£48). They are sharp, comfortable and difficult to lose. I use them for taking cuttings, pruning and dead heading. They live in my Tourbon Gardening Tool Belt Holder for Men & Women (£69), another useful bit of kit, which handily stops my phone and tools from becoming compost. I have never got on with gardening knives, so I pinch a big carving knife from the kitchen when dividing perennials, or a small one if cutting twine.
I have to admit to losing too many trowels, making it probably the only tool I have never worn out. Burgon and Ball makes a good affordable range (from £9), including slim, pointy ones, which are my personal favourite. I think trowels are like cars though; open to personal preference. I never use the little forks, but dibbers are essential, unless you don’t grow brassicas or leeks.
My team of two wheelbarrows are trusty stalwarts in the garden. We have a huge 250-litre tipping wheelbarrow with two wheels (JFC TWB250, £356), which replaces the need for a trailer. It is so sturdy it has been loaded to the gunnels many times and is invaluable. The other one is from Altrad, the Fort Rancher TK-100 (£102). It’s heavy duty, deep, yet lightweight – we use it for heavy building work too. (You can even get it puncture-proof tyres.)
My Cooper Peglar Knapsack Sprayers (£239) have been used for 50 years and are invaluable. Each holds 20 litres and as more biopesticides are becoming available, I have two: one for herbicides and one for tonics and biopesticides. Each holds 20 litres and are essential for me.
I would also not be without a smaller handheld mister sprayer for the likes of weaning cuttings and houseplants. The Gardena 0.75-litre Pump Sprayer is around £12 but the cheaper alternatives gets blocked frustratingly soon, especially if you are using neem oil or similar, which it’s gungy.
My best new tool in the box is my aeroponic propagator, which hydrates cuttings. I have the X-Stream Aero Propagator, which officially holds 40 plants but I ram in four times this with success. Depending on the size, it costs between £59.99 and £219.99, but I must have propagated a few thousand pounds worth of plants in this; they root that fast
Watering is a surprisingly skilled job. I probably have ten cans, including old ones from my mother’s nursery, but if I buy new, it is from Haws. It was established in 1886 and its products are British-made. The oval shape is easiest to carry as it does not rub your lower leg and one in each hand balances your body. Another essential is having an effective rose, with a filter for fine watering of young seedlings. Haws has five different designs, some of which are interchangeable, to cater to different patterns of watering.
The tripod ladder makes high level working enjoyable and safe. It means you don’t have to raise your hands above your shoulders for long periods of time, potentially causing tension and strain. Niwaki makes them at various heights, they are all beautifully light. I also use a set of “paparazzi” step ladders about 600mm off the ground, which are useful for training climbers that are just a little too high.
Of course, budgets and needs vary. If you’re after a new tool or three, but my recommendations above aren’t quite right, Telegraph experts have tested hundreds of gardening products to help. Here are some Best Buys and Best Value picks, with links to the reviews.
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