About Garden Tools
Garden Tools
All of the garden tools we stock are ones that we ourselves use on a regular basis. As every gardener knows, you always come back to the same trusted tools and equipment you can depend on for all those jobs around the garden. Every year we grow thousands of vegetable seedlings in our plant nurseries for you guys, but we also manage two large gardens for plant trials. We have sourced (and are constantly updating) a selection of trusted and dependable gardening tools from brands who make quality gardening implements. Our online tool shop contains a carefully curated selection of tools to make the job at hand that much easier and more efficient.
We started this shop with what we consider to be the best garden tools for vegetable gardening. We have gradually expanded this to include a wide range of tools for ornamental, general gardening, lawn care, and even landscaping. We also have a Garden equipment section that contains safety gear, maintenance equipment and more. As gardeners ourselves, our criteria for the 'best' garden tools includes: results, ease of use, and life span.
Start with the basics
It can be difficult to know what garden tools to purchase when you're new to gardening. It seems like there is a tool for absolutely everything and it can become quite daunting. Even the most experienced gardeners will be limited in their garden without the right tools for the job. When it comes down to it, you really don't need that many to get started. A good transplanting trowel will work for most planting jobs and will be a regular and trusty companion throughout the season.
The type of digging tool needed also comes down to the gardener and garden in question. I started using a Chillington hoe many years ago and now I use it exclusively for any large digging job. Chillington make right angled digging tools that give you a lot of extra leverage, and make very fast work in digging new ground. Their fork is extremely versatile and will be reached for again and again.
Without going in to the merits of each and every garden tool here, the best way to start is to have a clear goal or plan of what you would like to achieve in your new garden. Once you know what you want to grow, you can then split it up into tasks and decide if you need or want a tool to make that step a little easier, for example: soil prep (rake, fork hoe, soil sift, etc.), planting (trowel, hand fork, dibber) and so on.
Hand Tools
I guess the best place to start is planting your seeds or seedling plants - and that means garden hand tools. In reality you don't need much. A good stainless steel transplanting trowel will cover most jobs. Remember a hand tool like a trowel is something you will use all the time, so it's worth spending a little extra and getting the best you can. I use the Burgon & Ball trowel, as the blade is well finished with a very solid weld to the shaft and I like the feel of the ash handle.
I also find a dibber invaluable for marking out and making seed drills, and for making planting holes for seedlings. We have a broad range of options including the Flash Gordon-looking stainless steel dibber, but I find the oak 'T' dibber to be best as the 'T' handle gives good purchase and the material is pleasant to use.
Digging Tools
Chillington garden tools form the cornerstone of our list. They were the first range we stocked and one we are always proud to sell. All Chillington digging tools use the same design, where the cutting or digging blade is at right angles to the tool handle. They are a mattock style, which has been around for thousands of years.
The advantage of a mattock-type tool is that the right angled head gives you leverage, making digging and clearing a whole lot easier. You will find the Chillington heavy-duty hoe unbeatably fast at opening new ground, while the Canterbury Garden Fork Hoe is one of the most versatile tools you will ever own.
Harvesting
Harvesting tools are far more useful than you would think, and are particularly good for cutting thick brassica (cabbage) stems, neatly taking a head of lettuce or slicing off leek roots. A long curved blade allows you to slip the knife under foliage and accurately claim your prize.
Pruning
There are many jobs around the fruit and vegetable garden where a good set of secateurs comes in to its own. If you grow fruit bushes like raspberries, gooseberries or blackcurrants - or tree fruit like apples or plums - they will all benefit from a careful annual pruning.
We stock the very best with the 'Felco' range of secateurs and pruners. They really are tools for life with bullet proof construction and replaceable blades. Our pruning range also includes a pruning saw, garden loppers and the incredible ratchet pruner for heavy work.
Garden Maintenance
A vegetable garden always needs some maintenance to keep things ship-shape, so we've included a range of rakes, shovels, shears, long-handled shears and other handy tools. My hands-down favourite garden maintenance tool is the 'Golden Gark' shovel and rake. It's a lightweight tool that deals with a host of tasks. I use the 'Gark' to quickly clean up weeds after hoeing, as it lifts the weeds while letting the valuable soil drop through the rake tines. It's also exceptionally good at clearing up Autumn leaves. It really is a garden multi-tool.
Ergonomic Tools
Many of our tools are ergonomic, which means they have been designed by the manufacturer to cause less stress on us as we use them. Using an ergonomic garden tool ensures that the body is kept in a neutral position and no extra stress is placed on muscles and joints. This enables the gardener to complete the exact same task but exerting less energy. While we can all enjoy these benefits during a long day in the garden, they are particularly advantageous to folks with carpal tunnel, arthritis, and the like.
Our Top Tool Brands
Greenman Tools
A traditional family-owned business making garden tools of exceptional quality. The latest range has been inspired by the tools manufactured by the great grandfather of the latest generation of the Greenman family. They display a build quality and attention to detail from an era when time moved a whole lot slower. Look after your Greenman tools and they will last a lifetime.
Chillington Tools
The Chillington Tool Company has been supplying the agricultural and construction industries with quality hot-forged Hoes and Forks for over one hundred years. Using quality high carbon steel, Chillington sets the highest standard for quality worldwide. Chillington tools are ideally suited to the toughest work and are excellent for clearing and cultivating with their perfectly weighted heads and heavy duty construction.
Felco Secateurs and Pruning Tools
Swiss made Felco pruning tools have been the professionals choice since the 1940's and are simply the best you will get. I use a classic Felco No.4 which was purchased in the 1960's and is just as good as it was when originally purchased. These three company core values - Ergonomics, Interchangeability and Durability - remain unchanged and have driven Felco's business strategy since 1945.
Burgon & Ball
Burgon & Ball were founded in Sheffield in 1730 and are known for supplying high quality stainless steel tools that made the city famous. Burgon & Ball gardeners tools are endorsed by the Royal Horticultural Society where they have undergone vigorous testing for ease of use, quality and finish, and durability.
The Oscillating or Stirrup Hoe
No gardening tools list would be complete without the Oscillating Stirrup hoe. it is one of the best kept secrets in organic gardening, and is quite simply the best tool for keeping your soil weed free without using chemical weedkillers.
Unlike a standard garden hoes or other weeding tools, the Oscillating hoe carries a very sharp blade which pivots on the end of the hoe head. The pivot action means the hoe works on the push as well as the pull stroke, and is angled so it pulls itself into the first inch or two of soil. You will be amazed at how quickly and easily you can work with this hoe - and how you will actually begin to look forward to your weeding jobs!
