For different kinds of gardens you will need different kinds of tools. Most hardware and DIY stores now have a wide range of tools available in stock, but if you want there are shops that specialize in the more expensive ranges that shout quality to you. But wherever you decide to purchase your tools from here a few points to help you make an informed decision.



Firstly you need to look at the size of your garden, is it small or is it large? A small garden does not require the same large equipment that would be used in a bigger one. Why bother purchasing a ride-on lawn mower if you only have a small lawn. Also you need to look at who in your household does most of the gardening. If you say it is your wife that spends a vast amount of time gardening then you need to look for tools that will suit her, there are some out there that are too heavy for women to use.

You are looking to purchase a pair of secateurs and you should always ensure that the blade is kept sharp to avoid causing undue damage to your plants. If you can look for a pair where the blades can either be sharpened or they can be replaced, as well as a pair that have a tension control system and a pair that best fits your hand size. Normally a good quality pair of secateurs can cost from around $50 to £130.

If you have a hedge or considering growing one (to provide that all important privacy that you crave) then you need to look at purchasing a good quality hedge trimmer or a good quality pair of shears. You may find that some hedge trimmers have a curved blade which stops branches from sliding out when cut, and as with secateurs the shears you decide to purchase need to be suitable for the blades to be sharpened or replaced.

Essential items you should have in your gardening tool kit are a fork, shovel, rake, chipping hoe and a pruning saw (not essential unless you have trees or large shrubs in your garden).

When selecting a fork remember that it has to be strong enough to carry out the work required of it such as turning and aerating compost as well as breaking up lumps in the soil. So rather than opted for the cheaper versions which you will find are not strong enough to work in heavy soil, you should look at one that is sturdy. The average cost of a fork starts at about $30 and goes up to about $100.

When looking to purchase a shovel it should have a scoop blade and is mainly used for moving dirt and garden soil around. However, a flat bladed spade is ideal for cutting edges, digging and dividing plants. All edges of spades should be kept sharpened for clean and efficient cutting as this will cause little or no damage to your plants. A fork is really a gardening necessity and can cost from say $30 up to as much as $50.

Another tool that is part of the essential ones to have when gardening is a rake. There are two types of rakes that are available, the strong flat head rake that has sharp metal prongs is ideal for smooth out a garden bed and removing any bumps and weeds that still remain, whilst the plastic version is specifically designed for gathering and clearing leaves and grass clippings.

The chipping hoe is a handy tool to have as it helps get rid of all those small weeds that are dotted around the garden. However if you want to avoid causing undue damage to your neck and shoulders whilst gardening with a hoe it might be well worth considering purchasing either a Dutch or push-hoe instead.

Now we come to the pruning saw which as I said previously is only really necessary if you have either trees or large shrubs in your garden. This should be used in place of secateurs as they are only really designed for dealing with delicate plants such as rose bushes etc. A good quality pruning saw will have a narrow curved blade that can easily fit between the stems and branches of the tree or shrub and cuts them as you pull the saw back towards you. You will usually find that a good quality pruning saw costs from as little as $27 and can cost as much as $55.

Although gardening tools do not have to be expensive you may find that you can pick up good quality tools at either flea markets or garage sales at a bargain price.