Question: When can being a keen gardener be like collecting penguins? Answer: At Christmas. Every year my wife (who does collect penguins) gets several more penguin ornaments to add to her collection. Every year I will get some useless tat marketed as a “gift for gardeners”. You know the stuff: colour-coordinated trowels and forks, mugs with worms on them, and t-shirts with “I’m sexy and I mow it” emblazoned across them.
I’m sure someone appreciates them, I did see someone actually wearing this shirt earlier this year! And I’m also sure I’ve probably been guilty of sending them to my parents in the past. So this year, perhaps go for a useful garden gift; here are my ideas.
Dunlop Garden Clog (£12.99 from Amazon and many other retailers)
Waterproof, good thick grippy sole and easy to slip on and off. A bit cold in winter, but ideal for the rest of the year.
Warren Hoe (about £35 from www.gaywaysltd.co.uk/bulldog-warren-hoe-p8535)
A very useful hoe, I use mine a lot for making rows for planting seeds.
The Buckhoe (£25.50 from https://buckhoe.co.uk/) (pictured next to a larger onion hoe)
Invented and made in England, this innovative tool is only available from the website above. I assume it is handmade by the inventor. It’s the ideal tool for weeding around plants like onions and asparagus. It’s quite small compared to an onion hoe, but this makes slicing through weeds much easier. It’s also very useful for weeding between paving slabs, down the sides of raised beds, in pots, etc.
The Hori Hori Knife (£30 from https://www.japeto.co.uk/products/weeding/hori-hori-knife-deluxe-leather-holster) (pictured next to an old trowel).
This is not a new invention, being a traditional Japanese garden tool. Since my wife bought me one this year (yes, I did get a useful gardening gift!) I have not picked up my old garden trowel.
Part trowel, part knife it does all the tasks a trowel will do with the advantage of being able to chop and saw, so very useful when weeding. The strong blade can also be used to lever deep rooted weeds out of the ground. It’s also useful when dividing plants, as it can be used to dig out the plant and then cut as required.
Opinel No.8 Garden Knife (about £12 from many retailers, e.g. Whitby and Co)
A foldable knife, just the right size to fit in your pocket. I am never without mine when I’m in the garden. Just remember to leave it at home when going to the shops!
Sharpal 105N Multipurpose Pocket Knife and Garden Tool Sharpener (£12.99 from Amazon)
Another very useful device which conveniently fits into a pocket. Can be used to sharpen most (non- serrated) garden tools. Sharpens surprisingly well for such a small thing.
Please note I am not affiliated with any of the websites above. I have purchased and use all the tools, and do not receive commission.
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