Summer garden: Top ten gardening tools ~ Fresh Design Blog

Summer finally seems to be here and we’re excited about spending more time in the garden. What we’re not looking forward to, though, is all that weeding, digging and trimming.

So, we’ve hunted down some of this season’s most stylish gardening tools to help make the job go more easily – and even if we’re finding it all hard work, at least we’ll look good doing it.

1. Watering can, My Gift Tree

We couldn’t resist this ‘Lawn Ranger’ watering can, £13.99 from My Gift Tree. Although not large enough for flower beds, it’s perfect for patio pots or greenhouse plants, and it’ll make you smile every time you pick it up.

2. Gardening apron, Sophie Allport

We love these aprons from Sophie Allport. Available in a range of designs including swallows, cats, terriers, roses and Labradors, it’s great for keeping those smaller tools such as trowels, secateurs, packets and seeds and string from getting lost in the garden. Made from matt oilcloth (PVC), it’s durable, wipe clean and water resistant. One size fits all. £15 from Sophie Allport.

3. Orla Kiely trowel, Wild and Wolf

Were digging and dirty fingernails ever more stylish? Part of a new range of Orla Kiely garden accessories by Wild and Wolf, this floral-patterned trowel has a cute retro look and is still strong and sturdy enough to do a practical job. £19.95, available from Hintons Home.

4. Keep calm kneeling pad, Mollie and Fred

This kneeling pad might be just the encouragement you need to go on and finish the bed – just think how good it’ll all look when it’s finished. The pad’s made from thick foam to protect your knees, and costs a bargain £3.99 from Mollie and Fred.

5. Suede and leather gardening gloves, Annabel James

These stunning gloves are the next best thing to having your own gardening staff. Made for pruning, they’re hand made in Britain by a small independent tannery, in cream leather with a long suede heather pink leather cuff. Hard wearing and lined, they’re comfortable to wear and very protective with a long 20cm cuff to protect your arms from rogue rose thorns. £29.95, available from Annabel James.

6. Plant labels, ashortwalk

These herb labels are a great idea. Hard-wearing and waterproof, they’re made from recycled coffee cups by Cornwall-based company ashortwalk. The range includes twelve different herbs: basil, chives, coriander, fennel, lemongrass, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, tarragon and thyme. Labels cost £1 each from Here and Far.

7. Garden twine, Red Lily

Here’s a really practical accessory, which will stop the garden twine wrapping itself round the rest of the contents of the tool shed, or rolling under the lawnmower. The vintage style wire hook will sit on a tree branch or the back of the shed door while you measure out the quantity of string you need. £10.50, available from Red Lily.

8. Folding secateurs, Apples to Pears

These dinky folding secateurs feature rustproof stainless steel blades that will cut through an impressive 15mm stem, their own storage pouch, plus a garden knife and mini saw hidden inside their handles yet fold down to just 3cm by 9cm. RRP around £12, see Apples to Pears for stockists.

9. Seed tin, Pierrot et Coc

Keep seed packets and small odds and ends like scissors safe in this pretty vintage-style tin, printed with a flower design and ‘Nouveau langage des fleurs’. £5, available from Pierrot et Coco.

10. Wooden trug, Lovestruck Interiors

This pretty vintage-style trug is solid and practical with brass brackets for strength. Use it for everything from harvesting flowers and vegetables to storing garden tools so that they’re ready to hand. £20, available from Lovestruck Interiors.

* For more great ideas, check out our guide to Gardening Essentials on eBay!