Quality Garden Tools Blog

Healthy Gardening

Sat, 05 May 2012 18:25:00 +0100

Over the years I have tried to convince the followers of this blog (and anyone else who will listen) to buy good quality garden tools, but even I was surprised when I started to look into how they can improve your health!

There is a surprising amount of research into the positive effects of gardening on both mental and physical health. Studies not only show the obvious benefits of how gardening helps keep you physically fit, burns calories, lowers the risk of diabetes, reduces blood pressure and decreases cholesterol levels, but also how gardening can slow the onset of osteoporosis and relieve stress and the symptoms of depression.

According to a study conducted by Iowa State University different gardening tasks like raking up leaves, pushing the lawnmower, digging flower beds, weeding the vegetable plot, pushing wheelbarrows full of compost, clipping hedges and planting your garden can burn between 300 and 400 calories per hour and build muscles.

Gardeners, particularly those with allotments and vegetable plots are also thought to eat a wider range of healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, salads and herbs than those who don’t garden and as we all (even me!) know, eating these foodstuffs is essential to a healthy diet.

Research from the University of Arkansas found in their study of 3,310 mature women, that ladies who regularly undertook gardening activities had lower rates of osteoporosis than those ladies who swam, jogged or did aerobics. The University of Texas has also conducted work into the ‘zest for life’ of older adults and found that gardeners had much higher scores for optimism, resolution and fortitude than those who didn’t garden.

Even people with a disability or medical condition can get real benefits from gardening and although careful consideration will need to be given to the gardening activities undertaken, there are many things that can be done with adaptations available for garden tools as well as specialist equipment to make gardening more accessible.

And the health benefits of gardening do not stop at the advantages listed above; I think that improved quality of life can be gained from cultivating and enhancing our immediate surroundings.

But before you all rush outside to dig a new pond or the foundations for a new conservatory, it is worth considering the following to ensure that your gardening doesn’t cause health problems rather than relieve them! Warming up and cooling down by walking and stretching before and after gardening will prevent strains and muscle soreness, while using smooth steady motions will also help avoid injury. If you are spending time in the sun wear a hat and apply sun cream, remembering to drink lots of water to stay hydrated. If you already suffer from back pain then it may help to use long handled tools which will help to avoid putting further pressure on the spine.

So my advice would be to buy quality garden tools and stay healthy! You can buy health enhancing garden tools here: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/imgview

Pack up your Shovels

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 17:19:00 +0100

When journalists and garden writers test garden tools or write about them they very often concentrate on the usual suspects; secateurs, loppers, gardening gloves, spades, forks and power tools like lawnmowers understandably tend to lead these reports. Of course these garden tools are very important to all serious gardeners, but there is one tool that is extremely useful, yet very rarely gets written about by any garden magazines or newspapers.

Much loved and utilised by builders, landscapers and prison chain gangs (well, maybe not ‘loved’) the simple shovel is an essential tool for any garden shed. I have owned my Bulldog shovel for about 10 years and would not be without it.

Many people make the mistake of thinking that a shovel is the same thing as a spade, but whereas a spade has straight sides for digging, a shovel has curved sides and a wide mouth to scoop and carry.

It’s a great tool for moving gravel around drives and pathways; bark chips to mulch borders and fill play areas for kids; manure onto vegetable patches, allotments, rose gardens; compost to spread on beds and borders and topsoil for new gardens and to level dips in the lawn. If you are thinking about digging a pond, rill (a narrow man-made stream), drainage ditch or lay a patio you will need a shovel to excavate the large amounts of soil that will need to be removed. Finally, if we have a sudden, heavy snowfall as we did during Winter 2010/11, even though a metal shovel is not ideal for clearing snow (it can be heavy and also scratch the driveway) it is better than nothing if you are stuck.

The standard shovel is great for all the jobs mentioned above, but if you want to use your spade to break the soil, even dig, you may wish to use a round mouth shovel which has a point and is easier to use than a straight shovel. For small shovelling jobs around the garden one of the Roughneck Micro Shovels is a light, yet tough tool that is particularly good in ‘tight spots’. Quality Garden Tools also stock a very thin shovel which is perfect to dig a narrow hole for a fence post or a narrow trench for burying wires.

So, pack up your shovels in your old garden shed and smile, smile, smile!

Quality Garden Tools range of shovels is here

Hedge your Bets

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 19:02:20 +0100

Hedges make us feel safe, define our boundaries and allow us privacy in even the most overcrowded conurbations.

But hedges weren’t invented for gardens, they were actually first used in agriculture during the Neolithic era to protect cereal crops on prehistoric farms. Later they became established as a way of marking field boundaries, at which point they were introduced by gardeners; not only as a method of defining borders, but also for decoration, drama and entertainment. Early examples of decoration include low hedging in knot and tapestry gardens popular in Elizabethan times, whilst topiary hedges of clipped trees were used to form avenues in 16th century Italian gardens and mazes were a very fashionable entertainment in 17th century gardens including the oldest surviving hedge maze at Hampton Court Palace. History lesson over!

Here in the UK we use a wide variety of different shrubs for our hedging needs including: privet, hawthorn, beech, yew, leylandii, box, holly, berberis, pyracantha, camellia, laurel, rhododendron and dog rose to name just a few. All of these plants form thick (and in most cases) evergreen screens, but continue to grow year after year requiring regular pruning and maintenance. Most of us keep our hedges in good order and even an informal hedge will require some pruning to ensure healthy, vigorous growth.

The garden tools required for regular hedge maintenance are hand shears and/or petrol or electric powered hedge trimmer. When bringing an unkempt or overgrown hedge under control, loppers, a saw and even a chainsaw will be useful. However, the garden tool I would not be without are my hedge shears.

Quality hedge shears are not easy to find, particularly in garden centres or the diy superstores. It always amazes me that gardeners often buy such cheap hedge shears when the task they perform is every bit as tough as the jobs undertaken with secateurs and loppers.

So what should you look for when choosing a good pair of hedge shears? Firstly, they should be finely balanced and not too heavy, as fatigue can become a problem when using them over protracted period of time. They should have handles that feel comfortable include buffers to cushion the constant jarring on the arms caused by the repetitive shearing action. When it comes to the blades, look for chunky hollow ground blades for work on bulky, thick stems and thinner, hardened blades for fine, accurate topiary and other shaping work on newer, green growth. Finally, it is also worth looking at the central pivot nut which will need to be cleaned, oiled and tightened to adjust blade spacing as blades will start to ‘separate’ over prolonged use.

My favourite shears are not cheap, but will give years of excellent hedge trimming and will not let you down:

1. The Bahco P51 professional hedge shears are tough, sharp and stronger than anything you will find at the local garden centre. They are one of my favourite garden tools and are a particularly good choice for unruly, wood hedges.
2. Okatsune hedge shears are made in Japan and 535mm long and weighing just 800g are a good choice for box and other accurate shaping work.
3. The ARS lightweight hedge shears have very sharp, hard blades and are light, but tough. They are a great ‘all round’ hedge shear which work well on large hedges as well as precision topiary.
4. Bahco PG57 expert hedge shears have telescopic aluminium handles allowing them to extend from 79cm to 104cm giving a little extra reach when required. This means they are not quite as rigid as fixed handles, but these shears are so good you will hardly notice!

So, don’t waste time with cheap shears, ‘hedge your bets’ and invest in a really good pair.

Quality Garden Tools range of hedge shears are here: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/hedge-and-hand-shears/hedge-shears/viewcategory

Plant Labels

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 10:08:00 +0000

When I first developed an interest in gardening I loved to write plant labels on old ice lolly sticks and used to mark various plants (incorrectly) in my mother’s garden. I soon discovered there were a couple of problems with my labelling strategy; marker pen ink fades, lolly sticks rot and (at only seven years old) I labelled every single plant ‘carrots’!

Since this early foray into plant labelling I have tried a number of different types of plant labels including; slate, plastic, wood, copper, bamboo and aluminium. Each of these materials has their own benefits and drawbacks, but the main negative for each of the labels seems to be the effects of weather and light over time. Even plastic plant labels which do not rot or ‘weather’ have to be rewritten regularly as even the best permanent, waterproof maker pens fade quickly in the sunshine.

However, recently I was able to test a garden labeller which (so far) has provided answers to all my labelling problems. The garden tool in question is the Brother GL-200 Garden Labeller which prints labels in a selection of fonts onto a choice of special sticky backed tapes.

These tapes produce labels that are rain proof, fade proof, humidity proof (perfect for the greenhouse), heat resistant and frost resistant. The labels consist of six laminated layers that whilst incredibly thin, are extremely strong. The characters are printed in thermal transfer ink which is sandwiched between two polyester film layers making the labels resistant to the effects of abrasion, temperature, chemicals and sunlight.

I have used my GL-200 labeller to mark all my garden tools, power tools and gardening equipment (especially good when people borrow something!) as well as labelling pots, plants, seed trays, trees and vegetables. I have found that sticking the printed labels onto standard white plastic plant labels works very effectively as these can be easily pushed into soil and compost or tied with wire to shrubs, climbers and trees. I also like the fact that customers can buy tapes in a variety of colours; traditional black type on white labels, white type on black labels (like they use in arboretums) and for a bit of fun, black type on green labels.

So far, none of the labels I have printed with the Brother GL-200 Garden Labeller have faded, discoloured, rotted or become ‘unstuck’ which is a major benefit compared with what I have used in the past. And although these labels don’t look as pretty as weathered copper or slate, they do actually work and seem to function for much longer than traditional plant labels.

You can see Quality Garden Tools range of plant labelling accessories here: www.qualitygardentools.com/gardening-accessories/plant-labelling/viewcategory

Allotment Philosophising by Lila Das Gupta

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 19:45:20 +0000

Allotments aren’t really about growing vegetables and fruit at all. Unless you live in a flat, it would be far wiser to squeeze a few beans and tomatoes into your garden and leave it at that. When carrots and onions in supermarkets are so ridiculously cheap, why bother with the commitment of an allotment, which I reckon guzzles up 5-10 hours per week? In a time-poor world, the allotment was beginning to make less and less sense to me.

In the Autumn, we seriously contemplated giving up the good fight after ten years of allotmenteering. I had tired of juggling so many balls, and on a Saturday, by the time I had done all the washing and the weekly shop and sorted out the house, I was frankly exhausted. It always felt as if I could hardly keep up with my garden at home, never mind one that was tended via remote control.

I had thought of giving up half the plot, but in the end I decided that it was the ‘non-essential’ things of life that had to be thrown overboard if I were to retain my sanity. One Monday morning I drove to the plot with a friend for moral support (I’ve always been lousy at goodbyes), with the intention of picking up our things and beating a hasty retreat. Certain things really bugged me: What would I do with all my garden tools? Keep them for another 10 or 20 years till I needed them again? Give them away? I love tools and I’ve spent quite a few years building up my collection. I caught a brief glimpse of what it must one day be like to pack up the marital home after the death of the husband or wife; this was agonising enough, that experience must be excruciating.

Finally when I got to the plot, things were surprisingly under control (it’s only in the summer that allotment weeds really get out of hand within the matter of a fortnight), and already I was feeling it was too much of an emotional wrench to leave this place. What clinched it was receiving a text message at that same moment from a friend on the plot: “Can’t you reconsider? Two of my friends have left already and I feel really sad when you’re not there. It’s too sad to see you go.” I realised there and then that while toiling over a piece of land is not ‘essential’ when you can buy potatoes in Sainsbury’s for pennies, what is essential is to look after one’s well-being and sanity. Not everything in life has to be practical and logical. Perhaps it’s also essential to recognise that we are social beings and that we need friendships: we need to need and be needed in order to give meaning to our lives.

My children, despite not helping enough, are delighted that I’ve decided on a reprieve. They think of the allotment as a place for outdoor lounging and BBQs, with a bit of frog-watching and mud pie-making thrown in. Me, I’ve realised that if you only ever do things that are practical and leave out the ‘impractical’, you might, as Oscar Wilde says, be in danger of realising the price of everything, but the value of nothing. And of course, not giving up the plot means that it makes total sense now for me to buy the petrol strimmer that I’ve had my eye on for a while.

I’m sure it’s going to be great, not just for the grass paths, but also one’s sanity!

Thanks once again to our great friend Lila Das Gupta for another terrific 'guest blog' on www.qualitygardentools.com, many of us know exactly how she feels!

Where Are My Garden Tools From?

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 14:28:51 +0000

I speak to many gardeners each week and get lots of questions (understandably) about garden tools. I am always being asked questions like ‘who makes the best secateurs?’, ‘where can my mum find a lightweight spade?’ and ‘should I buy an electric or petrol chainsaw?’

Most of these questions are easily answered and I am able to help the questioner find the right garden tools for the job, but when someone asked me this week ‘who makes the most environmentally friendly tools?’ I really had to think hard about it.

Garden Tools are mainly manufactured from refined natural resources, that is to say, wood and various metals. Over the years rubbers and plastics have also become popular not only in hand tools, but in power tools as well. But what environmental concerns should we take into account when we buy our garden tools and is it even possible to calculate the carbon footprint of each product?

I have spoken to a number of both hand and power tool manufacturers and one thing is very clear, no one appears to know the environmental ‘cost’ of manufacturing our garden tools.

So what factors should we consider when choosing our tools?
1. Transport is probably the biggest factor. If you buy a spade from China, apart from the journeys made by the components (timber and steel), your spade will go onto a lorry to be carried to port, shipped half way around the world, put on a lorry again before being delivered to your local garden centre (which you probably drive to in your car). This is why I support buying British made garden tools which may cost a little more, but only travel a very short distance to your local garden centre.
2. Fuel is used by all manufacturers to power their factories. Whether energy is provided by gas, coal, oil or electricity, the forging and cutting of steel, sharpening of blades and shaping of timber all requires power.
3. Plastics cause serious damage to the environment both during production and disposal. Being a non-biodegradable substance and composed of toxic chemicals, plastic pollution is a serious problem in my opinion. The noxious substances emitted during the production of plastic are synthetic chemicals like ethylene oxide, benzene and xylenes. There are also serious worldwide problems with safely disposing of plastic waste.
4. Timber should always be supplied from sustainable sources. Many shafts used in the production of garden tools available in the UK are made with FSC or PEFC certified timber. This ensures that any timber used is from renewable resources and is being managed for long term sustainability. If you are in any doubt as to the origin, ask your garden centre whether the timber in their tools is certified.
5. Employment conditions for factory workers are also worth considering. In Europe and the USA employment law restricts working hours, protects against child labour and ensures a minimum wage. There are some countries particularly on the sub-continent and in Asia where employment conditions fall far below these standards, so if in doubt contact the manufacturer directly to find out what standards they employ in their overseas factories.
6. As well as the energy used in the manufacturing process, fuel is also used in the production of raw materials like steel, aluminium and timber. The carbon calculation often only starts ‘at the factory gate’ which means that the energy used in the origination of components is sometimes forgotten.

So which are the ‘greenest’ garden tools? To be completely honest I don’t know, but I don’t think anyone else (including the manufacturers themselves) does either. The myriad questions that need to be asked and answered to find out the exact carbon footprint is far beyond my mathematical ability! However, I do think it is worth recognising that buying better garden tools will ensure that we don't have to replace them with new ones quite as often.

I think that my main advice would be that next time you need to buy a new pair of secateurs, a fork, saw or lawnmower, just ask yourself ‘where did this garden tool come from?’

Toby's Tools

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:55:47 +0000

Twenty years ago I bought a Bulldog steel spade, partly because it came with a 15 year guarantee and it’s still going strong despite being left outside in the rain rather a lot. It’s a bad habit I know and I do always feel guilty though, I’ve recently been reassured by the news that the odd soaking helps keep the handle tight in its metal shaft – which just goes to show what a waste of time feeling guilty is.

I’ve used that spade for everything from digging, mixing concrete, to lifting trees. I even once used the blade to fry an egg over a bonfire. Now I have a new one and running my hands over the pristine paintwork and shiny handle I feel that same tingle of excitement I used to get as a boy about a new bike. Here is something fit for purpose that’ll last for years but - for now at least - still has its show-room gleam.

It’s a heavy spade with a long handle which, for me – I’m six foot tall in my steel toecaps - is perfect. Choosing tools that fit your frame is really important as it saves your back and makes a big difference to how quickly you can dig. I hadn’t given much thought to the art of single and double digging since I was an apprentice but now I’ve got a nursery and an apprentice of my own I’ve been passing on the things I’ve picked up.

Most gardeners understand the principle of double digging: excavate a trench of soil at one of the plot and pile it at the other, fork the bottom with compost or manure and then turn the soil from the next trench into the first. My tips for success on a heavy clay soil is to chop the soil into spade–sized chunks and standing sideways to the trench, turn – rather than lift these heavy sods into it with flick of the wrist. On lighter sands it’s infinitely easier to work from the back of the trench, cutting larger 40cm chunks and flipping them over by levering down on the handle of spade.

Whatever your soil type, digging is the garden equivalent of ploughing, turning the soil upside down and so burying weeds and bringing fresh earth to the surface. It takes practice to do well – a trick I learnt was never to touch the soil with my hands to reduce the amount of back- bending and to speed up familiarity with the tools. It also pays to take your time as it’s better to work neatly and methodically than rush and potentially put your back out.

One other thing I’ve learnt in the twenty-plus years since I completed my own apprenticeship is don’t worry if occasionally you leave your spade out in the rain but do always keep the blade nice and clean. You never know when you might want to fry an egg.

Thanks to Toby for writing a great garden tools blog for us all fans of gardening, garden spades and even fried eggs will love this one! Toby has opened a new online nursery in Devon which we would recommend to all our visitors, you can see it at: www.tobybuckland.com why not have a look?

Garden Tools on Facebook

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:12:18 +0000

If you want to read about garden tools, garden equipment, garden tips and garden news, you can find it all at the Quality Garden Tools facebook page which is at: www.facebook.com/qualitygardentools.

The page contains all sorts of comments, pictures, stories, advice and news not only on our own garden tools and accessories, but also on lots of other interesting aspects of gardening (I know, because I write some of it!). And remember, the www.qualitygardentools.com facebook page is totally interactive so you can add your own views, comments, ideas and questions to the page and we will read them, we promise!

So far, this month’s posts include: information on veg plot crop rotation, Britain’s most influential gardeners, using Silky Saws, the effect of Viagra on cut flowers (yes, really!) and Maglite torches – to name just a few. There are also regular pointers back to the QGT Blog to read my blogs, for which I am very grateful.

If you do visit our facebook page, please take the trouble to ‘like’ us and you will get all our future posts sent direct to your own facebook wall and please remember, we’d love to hear from you.

See our facebook pages here: www.facebook.com/qualitygardentools

Price Pressure

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 11:19:21 +0000

The New Year has started and unfortunately my first blog of 2012 is about price increases!

As I wrote late last year here, I predicted many manufacturers would put their prices up despite the troubled economic climate and sadly I have been proved right. So far, Quality Garden Tools have received price increases from Bahco, Faithfull, Silky Saws, Okatsune, Hozelock, Briers, Haws, Fiskars, Fisco, Samurai, Rehau and Matabi. I am still awaiting the news of increases in garden power tools, but I am assured they are coming. Even our friends at Bulldog Tools who have held their prices since October 2010 will be increasing prices in April, so if you need a good, British made spade or fork, now’s the time to buy it!

There are of course a few things we can all do to avoid having to buy new tools. Firstly, look after the old ones! Using a fork to lever up old tree roots is not the best thing to do to prolong the life of your poor old fork and cutting wire with your secateurs is a similar no-no! Secondly, if a handle breaks on an old tool, buy a replacement handle and take it to your local blacksmith for fitting, rather than buying a whole new tool. Finally, keep your tools in good working order. Give spades, forks and other digging tools a wipe over with an oily rag before putting them in the shed. Make sure that cutting blades on shears, loppers, secateurs and knives are sharp before use and that moving parts are lubricated. If you follow these simple tips, you won’t need to worry too much about price increases, because all your garden tools will be in great shape!

While there is still a lot of price pressure from manufacturers, Quality Garden Tools continue to assure me that they will keep talking to suppliers in an attempt to maintain prices as low as possible. Also, they have reminded me that every product on www.qualitygardentools.com is discounted below manufacturer’s rrp to save customer’s cash!

We wish you a Merry Christmas!

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 22:45:00 +0000

The Fat Gardener and all the team at www.qualitygardentools.com would like to wish all customers, suppliers, website visitors and facebook followers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

This year has seen many new garden tools and garden accessories added to the Quality Garden Tools ranges; the most exciting of which is the launch of the Lowe brand here in the UK. The company continue to offer the best garden tools brands available including: Bahco, Briers Gloves, Bahco, Bosch, Bulldog Tools, Echo, Ethel Gloves, Felco, Fiskars, Haws, Hayter, Hitachi, Hozelock, Haemmerlin, Karcher, Lowe, Mountfield, Nutscene, Okatsune, Silky Saws, Spear & Jackson, Tina Knives, Toro, Town & Country, Tubtrugs, Victorinox and Wilkinson Sword

Next year I will be writing even more about my favourite garden tools and equipment and hope that while the economic outlook is decidedly gloomy, my blogs never will be!

Once again I hope you have a great Christmas and a peaceful New Year.

Send comments or questions on the QGT Blog to:info@qualitygardentools.com

Garden Tool Awards 2011

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 16:58:00 +0000

Reading the Fat Gardener’s blog has always been its own reward, but for the hard working garden tool manufacturers of the world something more tangible is required. This year I have tested even more tools and equipment than last year and continue to be impressed with how the best manufacturers continue to strive to improve their products for UK gardeners.

• The best ‘new’ garden tool award goes to Haemmerlin for their colourful new 5000G range of wheelbarrows – available in green, lilac, yellow and pink these wheelbarrows are well-built, affordable and so bright they won’t get lost in the garden!
• The ‘value for money’ tool award is awarded to Ethel Gloves for their ‘Utility’ gloves – made with a warm, breathable knit construction, a full palm waterproof grip and 100% machine washable, all for a very reasonable £6.99 (excl. p&p).
• The pruning tool award goes (once again) to Silky Saws, this time for their Topgun 240mm Folding Saw – recommended by gardeners such as Rachael de Thame, Monty Don and me(!), this saw is very sharp, cuts very quickly and folds away neatly to be stored in a pocket.
• The best digging tool award is won for the third year in a row by British manufacturers, Bulldog Tools for their Premier Treaded Digging Spade with 32" Handle – a very durable spade equipped with treads to save your boots and a slightly longer than normal (32") handle to save your back.
• The best cultivating tool award is awarded to Bahco for their long serving and reliable edging shears – although pruning shears are not strictly for cultivating, they are essential for cultivating a beautiful lawn and I love mine!
• The best gardening power tool award goes to Bosch for the AKE30LI 36V Cordless Chainsaw – fitted with a 30cm bar it is very easy to use and does away with annoying cables and smelly petrol. The powerful 36 volt lithium-ion battery is quiet, clean and efficient.
• The best children’s garden tool award is won by Spear & Jackson for their lovely Stainless Steel Children’s Trowel and Fork Set – just as well made as the grown-up versions, but beautifully proportioned for small hands.
• The most innovative tool award is awarded to Original-LÖWE for their ‘best of both worlds’ Anvil Pruners – combining the slimness and curved blade of bypass secateurs with the easy cutting and reduced impact of anvil secateurs.
• The best garden accessory award goes to Haws for their great watering cans – made in Smethwick, England since 1866, the cans are available in a variety of traditional and not so traditional colours; every garden should have at least one.

And the two biggest awards of the year:

• Best garden tool for 2011 is awarded to Okatsune for their hedge shears which are tough, very sharp, lightweight, great for topiary work and available in two sizes; standard and long handled for a little extra reach.
• Best garden tool manufacturer for 2011 is awarded to TINA knives who, despite being in Germany offer very quick, reliable deliveries with 100% availability (yes, 100% in 2011!) and unsurpassed customer services.
I will conclude by saying that I think that this year’s award winners are the best yet and I’m really looking forward to 2012 to see what goodies I get to try out in my garden!
All the winning garden tools (plus lots more) can be purchased online at: www.qualitygardentools.com

Christmas Gifts for Gardeners

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 22:43:51 +0000

One question I get asked every week at this time of year is “My mum/brother/friend/auntie/godson (delete as appropriate) is a keen/professional/enthusiastic/useless (delete as appropriate) gardener, what should I get them for Christmas?”

I must admit I don’t have any miracle answers to this (or any other) complicated question. I do however have some ideas of garden tools and equipment that would be useful as Christmas presents for any gardener and have included items from stocking fillers to expensive presents in my list.

My recommended Christmas gifts for gardeners are:

1. Nutscene twine makes a great stocking filler for any gardener; it is organic, useful and biodegrades naturally over time. All you need to do is decide which colour goes best with your garden colour scheme!
2. Tina horticultural knives should be carried in the pocket of any serious gardener. The blades are very sharp and one of these knives should last for many years if looked after properly.
3. A traditional British Made Haws watering can is a present that will not only put a smile on the face of the person you give too, but also the flowers you water! Available in a range of colours and sizes.
4. Many gardeners still don’t have a decent pair of loppers in the shed. The new LÖWE loppers range are incredibly strong, but lighter than many on the market and while they are not cheap, they are brilliant!
5. Silky Saws are amongst my most favourite garden tools in the world. The Silky F180 is the cheapest in the range, but is still better than most other brands, folds away safely when not in use and would fit into a Christmas stocking.
6. Ethel Jubilee gardening gloves feature a festive fleur-de-lis pattern and although reinforced in the palms and fingers are very lightweight and give great ‘touch’ for fiddly jobs. Available in small, medium, large and kids.
7. Maglite torches are a Winter essential. They are water resistant, shock proof and have powerful beams to light up your garden even on the darkest nights.
8. A Bulldog Tree Planting Spade will allow you to replace the tree you cut down and decorate this Christmas. Still made in the UK this is a very tough spade that is perfectly shaped for digging planting holes.
9. Children’s tools continue to be a Christmas favourite and you can’t find better hand tools for kids than Spear & Jackson’s stainless steel children's trowel & fork set which mirror the grown up versions, just on a smaller scale.
10. Finally, for those of you looking for an easier year in the garden in 2012, I would recommend the Bosch CISO 3.6v cordless secateurs; which are rechargeable, easy to use and will save you from pruning pain next year.

I’m even buying things from the list for my own family. My brother has just moved into a new house with a number of overgrown shrubs, bushes and trees which need pruning, so he’ll get the fantastic new LÖWE loppers (lucky chap!).

Remember, before you buy anything, make sure you like the tool yourself – then if your friend or relation decides they don’t want your gift, you can keep it!

Sweet and Lowe

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 17:06:00 +0000

Good news for garden tools fans and especially for German garden tool admirers – Quality Garden Tools have announced that they are launching a range of Original LOWE pruners into the UK garden retail and nursery market.

Original LOWE pruners have been manufactured in Kiel, Germany since the development of the LOWE 1 pruner was patented as the world’s first anvil pruner by Walther Schröder in 1923. His grandson is Randolph Schröder, the current Managing Director and the third generation of his family to manufacture Original LOWE pruners – continuing the family tradition into the 21st Century.

Those of you who regularly read this blog will know that I am a supporter of quality manufacturing and these pruners don’t disappoint. Like our Tina knives, they are designed, produced and assembled in Germany to the highest standards with a unique hardening process giving the blades an unrivalled hardness and the latest CNC grinding machines, ensuring an outstanding sharp cutting edge.

Although many gardeners here will not have heard of Original LOWE pruners, it is actually pretty likely that they have owned a pair! This is because for many years the pruners were manufactured by ROLCUT here in the UK and sold under that brand name until recently. So if you have a tired, but much loved pair of worn out ROLCUT secateurs, you can treat yourself to a replacement pair of Original LOWE pruners, without worrying about losing any quality.

I have been lucky enough to try out these new garden tools and have advised the Quality Garden Tools team with the pruners that I think will suit the British market best. As well as the classic LOWE 1, the Original LOWE range includes a very exciting new range of ‘best of both worlds’ pruners which feature anvil technology with bypass geometry. The slimness and curve of a bypass cutting head, makes selective pruning of intensive crops (fruit, flowers, etc.) easy, while the anvil blade allows easy cutting and less impact during use.

The Original LOWE range includes six pairs of anvil secateurs, four pairs of bypass secateurs and six pairs of loppers in both anvil and bypass design. Quality Garden Tools have also added a range of complimentary spare parts to insure that once purchased the tools can be easily maintained.

I am impressed with the solidity of these pruners which give a very satisfying and true cut every time. I also really like the adjustable handles which mean that I could position the handle to a point that was comfortable for me rather than the usual ‘one size fits all’ that most manufacturers use. The secateur market is congested in the UK, but if I had to choose a product to compete at the top of the market against Felco and Bahco, the Original LOWE range would definitely be my choice. I also liked the loppers, which although utilise light aluminium handles are very tough and I particularly enjoyed using the ‘best of both worlds’ anvil loppers, which I kept for my own garden after I tested them!

So, if you are looking for a new pair of secateurs or loppers, which though cheaper than Felco are just as good, then you can’t do better than these – try them, you won’t be disappointed.

Chop Chop!

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 23:48:00 +0100

In the coming days we will move from the season of ‘mellow fruitfulness’, to the season of freezing rain and icy winds. The clocks will go back and most of us will, like Neanderthal man, spend nearly all of our time trying to keep warm. I confidently predict that with record gas, oil, coal and electricity prices bringing tears to the eyes of the most prosperous billionaire, we are bound to be about to enjoy a winter which will put the ice age to shame!

But fortunately there is a way to stay doubly warm in the cold; an age-old gardening method called slash and burn! By pruning your existing trees and removing dead ones from the garden you will work up quite a sweat and using the chopped wood in your open fire or wood burner will make you ‘doubly warm’.

So, what tools will the aspiring garden woodsman need? The essential tools are a pruning saw, loppers and an axe. Some may want to use a chainsaw, but remember chainsaws need expensive fuel, pollute the environment (a little) and will seriously reduce the amount of sweat you need to chop and saw.

My favourite chopping and sawing tools are:

1. The Estwing E44A Hand Axe is the absolutely best hatchet I have ever used. Forged from one piece of steel this axe is durable and at 16" long is slightly longer than a standard hatchet.
2. For those who want a traditional axe, the Bahco FGS18810 4lb Felling Axe is a beautiful specimen. Good quality steel for the head and an old fashioned Ash handle make this a ‘must-have’ for the garden shed.
3. Splitting logs is hard work, but with the Roughneck Wood Grenade Log Splitting Wedge it becomes much easier. Simply drive the Wood Grenade into the centre of the log with a sledge hammer and the log will split in 4 different directions.
4. If you’re short on space, then the Bahco SUS20800 4¼lb Log Splitting Axe combines an axe with a log splitting wedge. Used like an axe the wedge-shaped head will split logs with ease.
5. The Silky Topgun 240mm Folding Saw has very sharp teeth and is great for pruning branches and overgrown shrubs. The blade folds away safely for carrying around the garden ready to use when needed.
6. For bigger branches and sawing logs I use the Silky Zübat 390mm Saw in my own garden. It cuts quickly and smoothly and it’s a good job it is supplied with a sheath because the blade is razor sharp.
7. Not every branch we need to prune comes within easy reach. For those taller jobs, the Silky Hayauchi 2 Pole Saw reaches up to 4.9 metres (there is an alternative that reaches 6.3 metres) and cuts as well as Silky’s handsaws.
8. The Sintung Lopper fits easily onto any of the Silky Hayauchi pole saw range. It is particularly good for tree ‘shaping’ where precision pruning is often required.
9. Branches of up to 35mm (1½") can be removed in seconds with the Fiskars Medium PowerGear Bypass Loppers. The loppers have a ‘revolutionary’ PowerGear mechanism which triples cutting power.
10. My favourite loppers are the Bahco P1660 600mm Bypass Loppers. This model has remained unchanged for years and cuts branches of up to 30mm (1¼"). One of the best things about them is that because they are painted orange, I’ve never lost them!

Keep yourself warm like me this winter by chopping and sawing your own fuel, not forgetting the feeling of warm self-satisfaction you will get by depriving the energy company directors of a little of your hard earned cash!

Think Pink!

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 15:23:00 +0100

When I first started writing about garden tools there was just one mantra used by manufacturers when it came to making a new product – ‘any colour as long as it’s green’. This led to rows of very similar looking tools in garden centres across the country and a distinct lack of individuality between brands. Thankfully, there is now a little variety in the colour of garden tools and whilst I wouldn’t personally use lilac gardening gloves, I know a lot of people do!

There is however, one colour which has grown beyond all others in the last five years; the colour pink. Why this should be the case I am not entirely sure, but sales figures from Quality Garden Tools show that pink garden tools and gloves have increased from almost nothing six years ago to many thousands of pounds already in 2011.

Whilst Quality Garden Tools prides itself on being a ‘serious’ gardening outlet, they have added some pink tools to their range over the last few years:

1. Haemmerlin Pink Wheelbarrow – with a 90 litre polypropylene tray that is ribbed for added strength, a 32mm tubular one-piece epoxy coated frame fitted with bi-material grips for added comfort and a 2 ply pneumatic tyre.
2. Briers Pink Gloves – a number of different gloves in the range including: the Pink Seedling, Cerise Rigger and Pink Lady.
3. Ethel Blush Bamboo Gloves – environmentally friendly and sustainable, the Blush Bamboo is a glove designed to perfectly contour lady’s hands. The palms are made of a tough synthetic suede whilst the backs breathe, keeping the gardener’s hands cool.
4. Bulldog Pink Pruning Set – two mini pruners in a boxed set; one pair of straight cut trimming shears and one pair of bypass trimming shears each with lockable blades and soft pink handles.
5. Victorinox Pink Garden Knife – a Swiss made precision folding knife perfect for using around the garden. The blade measures 5.8cm long and the pink handle is made of durable nylon.
6. Wilkinson Sword Pink Topiary Shears – made by the Finnish company, Fiskars these shears are 33cm long and feature precise cutting, stainless steel, non-stick blades and pink handles.
7. Haws Cerise 1 Litre Watering Can – coming soon! A new addition to the Haws 1 Litre metal indoor range, this bright pink can is perfect for watering house plants and seedlings. Made in the UK the watering can is made from galvanised sheet metal and then given a powder coated paint finish.

Although I suspect that some of these items are bought as ‘fun’ presents, my own opinion (which I always like to share!) is that if pink tools encourage ladies who have never done any gardening to start, then they can’t be a bad thing.

One practical advantage to bright pink garden tools is that they are easy to spot once dropped into beds or borders (unlike their green equivalents) and when you have lost as many pairs of secateurs and garden knives as I have over the years you will understand why this is such an important selling point!

After speaking to the folks at Quality Garden Tools, I must say I agree with their pragmatic approach to pink (or other ‘coloured’) tools – that is, that as long as the tool has a practical use, is fit for purpose and is made to a good standard, then it shouldn’t matter too much what the colour is.

So next time you buy a garden tool, why not ‘Think Pink’!

Pricing Points

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 23:40:56 +0100

With economic pressure on all our minds at the moment, you may have thought that manufacturers of garden tools would be keeping prices as low as possible in order to preserve their business over this difficult time. Unfortunately this is not the case; in fact some manufacturers have increased prices twice already this year.

The situation is not confined to any particular sector of the market; top quality garden tools have increased in price by very similar amounts to cheap garden tools. There have also been some huge increases in the garden power tools market which because of their higher prices mean that some increases run into hundreds of pounds per tool.

At the GLEE trade show last week and at the Saltex show the week before I managed to speak to a number of the manufacturers there. They explained that there are a number of reasons for these price increases, but most of the manufacturers listed the following three:

1. Increased cost of materials: most metals, timber and plastics (made using petroleum) have increased over the last two years. In the case of steel (used in the vast majority of garden tools) it has increased by 33% in the last 18 months and stainless steel by 25% over the same period.

2. Transport costs: this is mainly due to increases in the price of oil which is not only used in the manufacture of tools and plastics, but also used to deliver garden tools all around the world. With the majority of hand and power tools now made in China, the 30% increase in the cost of crude oil (over the last two years) has had a considerable effect on shipping and haulage costs.

3. Currency fluctuations: many garden tool manufacturers do not pay for their tools in pounds sterling. Whilst the dollar (used to pay for goods made in China), though volatile, has remained consistent over the last two years, the Swiss Franc (Victorinox, Felco) has increased by 20% against the pound and the Japanese Yen (Silky Saws, Okatsune, ARS) by a similar amount.

So, what should hard pushed gardeners do to save money at this difficult time? Firstly, you should buy the best quality you can afford. It is a false economy to buy cheap gardening tools, they do not last and may cost even more in the long run if you need to undertake costly repairs or even replace them. Secondly, do your homework before purchasing. Often websites (like www.qualitygardentools.com!) offer better prices than garden centres and garden shops, so doing some research can often save you pounds – although remember to check the hidden costs like delivery. Thirdly, some manufacturers like Bulldog Tools, Haemmerlin wheelbarrows and Ethel Gloves have held their prices for over a year; this means that with annual inflation in the UK currently running at 5%, these items are cheaper than they were last year! Finally, buy British! With transport costs as high as I can ever remember them, if the tools you buy only have to travel down the M6 rather than half way around the world, less of the total cost will be spent on shipping and a larger proportion into the making of the tool.

While prices will undoubtedly go up in future months, Quality Garden Tools assure me that they will continue to talk to suppliers in an attempt to keep prices down and get better discounts for their customers. Also, they promise to discount every single product below manufacturer’s rrp to give you a bit more for your hard earned cash!

The Tough Stuff

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 22:11:41 +0100

Once again this year’s IOG Saltex show took place at Windsor Racecourse in Berkshire. The Institute of Groundsmanship has held the event there for a number of years and it is a ‘must’ for all fans of heavyweight garden machinery (and more besides).

The open site is fantastic in the sunshine, but was not ideal in Tuesday’s gales! However, I managed to spend a day testing and using some of the latest tools from some of the best garden power tool manufacturers in the UK. Amongst the brands I visited were Bulldog Tools, Toro, Hayter, as well as a number of new brands and products. Silky Saws were also there along with some Okatsune products and Japanese pruning specialists, ARS.

Bulldog Tools were showing some new products including some new longer handled tools which not only save on the back when digging, but are perfect for older gardeners who can’t get down to the beds and borders as easily as they used to!

The show also provides a range of seminars aimed at addressing issues within the industry as well as to teach groundsmen (and women) new techniques and scientific developments. Included this year were seminars on ‘A new Foundation Degree for the sports turf industry’, ‘Sports pitch drainage – the future for sustainable drainage in the sports industry’, ‘Quality compost – a resource efficiency solution in turf and landscape management’ and ‘Landscaping – combining quality, training and safety for business benefit’, exciting stuff (but only if you work in the industry!).

Amongst some of the cool product demonstrations I saw on the day were the new range of ET Robot Mowers, John Deere’s 2011 range of PrecisionCut rotary mowers and best of all Avant Tecno demonstrating its fantastic mini 4-wheel drive (I want one, now!).

A great show for landscapers and groundsmen and women with some really tough stuff.

There can be only One

Sat, 27 Aug 2011 16:17:05 +0100

Today was the announcement of the winner of this year’s Windlesham Trophy (with prizes courtesy of Quality Garden Tools). I was there to see Elizabeth Banks present the famous bell trophy to staff and prisoners of HMP & YOI Thorn Cross and also see Dominic Elsom of Quality Garden Tools present them with £550.00 of Bulldog Tools.

The second place went to HMP Parkhurst and runners-up positions to HMP Whatton and HMP & YOI Brinsford all of whom received sets of Bulldog Tools courtesy of Quality Garden Tools.

The presentation took place at the victorious prison (as is traditional in this competition) which gave all the attending visitors a chance to look around the winning gardens.

With formal beds of brightly coloured annuals, specimen trees throughout, a formal Japanese garden, vegetable production, a wildlife meadow, polytunnels and informal mixed shrubberies, the staff and prisoners at Thorn Cross certainly have their work cut out for them. But with great leadership from the gardens department, the schedule (while busy) I am assured is manageable.

The judges from the RHS particularly commented on the formal bedding and hanging baskets around the entrance to the establishment with colourful displays of annuals inter-planted with Japanese cherry trees and well-tended lawns giving great views from the visitor’s room. The garden tool repair shop also met with the judges (and my) approval.

However, beautifying their surroundings is not the main point of the project. The gardening work not only allows the prisoners to get a sense of purpose and achievement, but also offers formal horticultural training and certification for use upon release.

As Dominic said in his speech at the presentation it is ‘amazing how inspiring these gardens and these young gardeners are’. I couldn’t agree more.

Windlesham Trophy 2011

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 13:22:03 +0100

After two weeks in the sun I have arrived back home feeling refreshed and am now back in my study, once again slaving over a hot keyboard.

Whilst I was away the Quality Garden Tools team were not idle and I have returned to find out that we are giving away prizes at this year’s Windlesham Trophy for prison gardens.

The Windlesham Trophy was founded in 1983 by Lord Windlesham, the chairman of the parole board at the time, to give prisoners not only a sense of worth, but to promote and encourage gardening excellence. The trophy is a shiny fire engine bell from and original ‘Green Goddess’ fire engine and is awarded by RHS president Elizabeth Banks, who heads the judging panel on behalf of the Royal Horticultural Society.

Last year’s trophy was won by prisoners at Foston Hall in Derbyshire, which is an all-female, closed-category prison. They took the prize from the other 30 prisons who took part in the 2010 competition and their garden included food production, annuals, trees and shrubs and wildlife-friendly features.

The two finalists for the 2011 competition are HMP & YOI Thorn Cross and HMP Parkhurst, both of whom have impressed the judges. The eventual winners will be presented with Bulldog Tools to the value of £550 by Dominic Elsom of Quality Garden Tools along with runners-up prizes worth an additional £250 in total.

Prison gardening often gives prisoners who have had little or no experience of horticulture the chance to work in a garden environment. Many of the prisons also offer qualifications which prisoners can use to find employment once released.

This year’s presentation takes place on 24^thAugust 2011 and I will keep you posted on the result.

Remember, you can email me at: info@qualitygardentools.com if you would like to comment on this or any other post.

Hampton Court Flower Show 2011

Sat, 09 Jul 2011 18:43:35 +0100

I have never understood why the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show does not sell out as quickly as Chelsea.

Getting there is (a little) easier, there is room to move, there are more attractions, it is cheaper and you are able to buy plants and take them away with you. I am fully aware that the gardens are not as expensive (or often as good) as the Chelsea show, but they offer ideas and are often more achievable for gardeners with slightly smaller pockets.

Because of the abundance of space at Hampton Court, there are a large variety of garden categories to visit including: Show Gardens, Small Gardens, Conceptual Gardens and English Poet’s Gardens as well as the RHS Edible Garden. Whilst I don’t think that the overall quality of design is as high as Chelsea, the planting is generally very good and you can actually get close to the gardens at Hampton Court!

This year’s best in show was won by ‘I am, because of who we are’, a great garden designed by Caroline Comber with Petra Horackova which also won a gold medal. I particularly liked the group plantings of foxglove Digitalis ferruginea and delicate Astrantia combined with the structure of rusted metal curves and the pinkish stems of the Chinese red birch Betula albosinensis. I also really liked the WWF’s 50th Anniversary Garden ‘Why we care about chalk streams’ which was designed by Fiona Stephenson and although I would have awarded it a gold medal, the judges awarded silver-gilt.

The conceptual garden category always seem to inspire awe and derision in equal quantities (you can read my thoughts on the subject here), but continues to provoke thought and comment (which is a good thing!). This year featured some fascinating entries including Melissa Jolly’s design ‘Picturesque’ which examined the links between plants and art and recreated famous artworks with plant material. The other ‘stand out’ conceptual garden was ‘Landscape Obscured’ designed by Dan Lobb, which was in the form of a raised square of turf surrounded by steel periscopes of differing heights. The periscopes, when looked into, revealed a secret underground garden full of mosses and various fungi. I am pleased to report that both ‘Picturesque’ and ‘Landscape Obscured’ won gold medals, with ‘Landscape Obscured’ winning the best conceptual garden award.

The main pavilion was (as ever) filled with exciting plants from the UK’s best nurseries. Amongst the best displays were Downderry Nursery, Bowden Hostas and Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants.

As always (sad man that I am) I was drawn towards the tool suppliers and spotted our new Victorinox garden knives on the Felco stand, along with one of my favourites; the Felco 310 pruning shears. Bulldog Tool’s stand was filled with a wide range of spades, forks and other tools and they were also displaying the big spade (which always draws a crowd). Bahco had their long reach hedge shears and loppers on display; which I was happy to recommend to a passing lady who asked me which loppers I thought were best!

The day passed much too quickly (which is always the sign of a good show) and I must admit that by the time I left, my boot was pretty full with all the plants I ‘suddenly’ found I needed!

Victorinox Garden Knives

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 13:31:00 +0100

When I am in the garden I am never without my trusty garden knife, it is so useful for little jobs like opening bags of perlite and compost, cutting string and twine, as well as more involved jobs like pruning and taking cuttings.

I am still bemused when I meet gardeners who don’t carry a knife – they are so useful! Of all my garden tools, I use a knife almost every single time I go into the garden.

Victorinox was originally started by Karl Elsner in 1884 and is still located in Ibach – Schwyz although in 1884 the blade polishing and grinding machines were powered by a waterwheel on the Tobelbach river. However, it wasn’t until 1909 that they employed the cross and shield emblem which is now known around the world and when in 1921 stainless steel (inox for short) was invented, Karl combined the word inox with his mother’s name, Victoria and the new brand Victorinox was born! Victorinox now has a worldwide workforce of over 1,700 with sales of about £300 million per annum.

In keeping with their innovative approach to knife design, Victorinox have just launched some stylish new garden knives aimed at the gardener who not only wants his or her garden tools to work well, but wants them to look good too! The knives are based on the general purpose Victorinox Floral knife and come in four great new colours: purple, light blue, pink and pastel green.

I was lucky enough to receive a sample of the very smart purple version last week and have found it to be a really good all round gardening knife. Although I find it slightly awkward to prune with a straight bladed knife, this blade seemed to work well and the blade cut cleanly when trimming garden twine as well as taking softwood cuttings.

These knives would make great presents for your favourite gardening friend or relation – so go on, get a bit of extra colour in your life.

All of our Victorinox horticultural knives can be seen here: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/horticultural-knives/viewcategory

Terrific Terrariums by Lila Das Gupta

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 09:42:00 +0100

Speaking as one who has very little artistic ability in conventional terms, I love a good craft project. If the project involves natural materials, then even better!

Just recently I invested in a copy of ‘Terrarium Craft’ (Create 50 Magical, Miniature Worlds) by Amy Bryant Aiello and Kate Bryant. (Timber Press). Bryant Aiello is based in Portland, Oregon, and by all accounts her beautiful shop, Artemisia, specialising in indoor gardening, is the sort of dangerous place where you can easily get carried away wanting to take it all home.

Until I read this book, I took a rather dim view of terrariums. I can still remember those large green or clear, over-sized round bottles, stuffed with pointless caged plants, languishing in the corner of rooms in the 60s and 70s, when they seemed to be much in fashion. Aiello and Bryant have updated the whole subject, adding style, panache and creativity to terrarium making.

In their hands, we have less of the grim, Victorian, ‘cabinet of curiosities in-a-jar’ ethos. Many of the containers they use are everyday jars and flower vases, which add more possibilities for creativity, variety and humour. Some arrangements are fairly conventional (and pleasing), others are more exotic, like the penjing inspired (tray garden) Japanese scene.

I’ve always admired Tony Heywood’s horticultural installations – worlds within worlds, full of metaphors. In the book you will find an entry called ‘Pitchers At An Exhibition’, a novel display of the carnivorous plant Sarracenia (pitcher plant), which loves to live in boggy conditions. Other delights include ‘Love Letters from Venus’, with obligatory Venus fly trap and intriguing bundle of tied handmade paper, amongst other things.

My 12 year old daughter, who is always game for anything arty thought this was all a bit strange to begin with, but soon got into the spirit. On her mantelpiece alone we found a wealth of treasures to mix with natural materials. A sad, kitsch, porcelain ballerina figurine with her arms missing (made in East Germany in the 1950s) joined a badge that was also sitting on the mantelpiece saying ‘do i Dazzle you?’

Suddenly we were straying into pop-art territory and learning the word ‘juxtaposition’. Not bad for an hour or two’s work.

My own first attempt is a riderless, saddled horse, eating from a planted terracotta pot as tall as itself, surrounded by dry, dusty miniature stones (cactus dressing) with a few lithops (living stones) dotted about. I gave it the title ‘Don Quixote is Missing’ but in reality I think it’s the horse that has gone AWOL judging by the pleased look on its face.

One of the things I liked about this book is that it emphasises the ephemeral nature of terrariums – some arrangements are not meant to last - some of the material will die off or need to be moved on to more suitable conditions and the arrangement broken up. That said, there is a comprehensive list of plants which will live quite happily in terrarium conditions, when planted with the correct medium. This includes carnivorous plants, succulents, lithops and a few house plants.

As the writers say, making terrariums does help you to look at the world in a different way: every walk you go on, every cupboard in the house – there are sticks, rocks and objects, which, when taken out of context have a whole new meaning and can be understood in a completely different way.

Another great blog posting from Lila, the Quality Garden Tools blog has never been quite so interesting! - The Fat Gardener

Japanese Garden Tools

Sun, 19 Jun 2011 22:42:00 +0100

Over the last couple of years we have added a number of Japanese garden tools to our ranges. Many customers email and ask me why Japanese cutting tools are so good and why I recommend them so often.

The answer to both questions is consistency and quality of manufacture. The Japanese factories of Silky, ARS and Okatsune are all extremely careful about the quality of steel they use, the heating process (to harden blades) and the grinding process to sharpen the blade and give a good edge. All the factories also spend time developing and designing refinements to existing products and new innovations to make the tools more effective and easier to use.

I first encountered Japanese tools about fifteen years ago and have always been impressed with their high standards of manufacture. They are masters at working with steel and the same factory that make pruning saws that are sharp, yet flexible are also experts in producing very sharp, very hard blades for pruning tools like secateurs, shears and loppers.

The Silky Saw is a great example of how the Japanese blades have improved on the very best garden tools available. For many years I used Bahco pruning saws (made in Sweden) and then later Felco saws (made in Switzerland), but it wasn't until I used a Silky pruning saw that I realised what I had been missing out on. The Silky cuts quicker and feels sharper (I have the scars to prove it!) and whilst the Bahco and Felco saws do an absolutely great job, if you want the best you have to try a Silky Saw.

The manufacturing processes between these companies seems to vary, albeit producing very high standards, but meaning each company retain their own identity and allowing customers to buy the products which suit them best. Okatsune use a special heating technique to harden their blades which involves heating the blades up to 800°C and then cooled in a five stage tempering process. ARS employ an impulse hardening system to produce their blades which involves heating up and cooling down within thousandths of a second using high frequency electical currents.

One small drawback with these Japanese tools seems to be the re-sharpening of blades, I have yet to get my cutting tools as sharp as they were when new. I am pretty good with a sharpening stone, but the grinding processes used at the Silky, Okatsune and ARS factories in Japan are so sophisticated that while I can get the blades very sharp, they never seem to get quite as sharp as when new.

Quality Garden Tools are hoping to increase our range of ARS in the near future and include their loppers and hedge shears on the website. Silky also have some new products on www.qualitygardentools.com like the Yamabico, the Bigboy 2000 and the Todoku fibreglass pole saw all of which add to Silky's growing reputation amongst UK gardeners.

So if you've never used Japanese gardening tools, try a pair of ARS pruners, Okatsune secateurs or a Silky Saw - I promise you won't be disappointed.

Take Cuttings this Week by Lila Das Gupta

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 10:06:00 +0100

We’re all very used to instant gratification these days (and I do plead guilty to that charge on occasions). It’s easy to be tempted at a big garden centre offering mass produced plants at an economical price. But there’s a lot to be said for the thrill of propagating your own plants from cuttings. Even if you give them away to friends, it’s very satisfying to see a thriving healthy young plant and know that it was because of your own fair hand that it lives. The other good thing about taking cuttings is that it’s a great way to trade plants with other gardeners.

Spring and early summer is the perfect time to have a go yourself. You don’t need much equipment – a good gardening knife is a wise investment that lasts a long time, a few plastic bags, string, some general purpose compost, perlite, label and pencil then you’re ready to go.

My top easy plants are Perennial Wallflowers Erysimum (‘Bowles Mauve’ is especially good, belting out flowers for months on end).
Dianthus/ Pinks - Scented ones are the best, if you can get your hands on them.
Lavender - Pick a plant that you really like the look of.
Dahlias - An infinite variety, including ones with dark leaves.
Oleander - These are not fully hardy and need more protection when young. Will live happily in pots.

If you’ve never tried taking cuttings before, you’ve nothing to lose – you could surprise yourself with how easy it is:

1. Choose a time of day that is cool – plants suffer more stress in the heat. Prepare a plastic bag with some wet kitchen towel in it.
2. Mix up your potting compost – you can use 50% general purpose compost with 50% perlite, which helps with aeration.   Place mixture in pots then firm down. Have plastic bags and string at the ready as well as a dibber or pencil and some labels.
3. Take your cuttings from shoots that aren’t flowering – if flowering pinch them out in the middle. Your cutting will be from new growth (what’s called softwood). 3-4 inches (8 -10cms) is ideal. Place cuttings directly in the plastic bag with kitchen towel so they don’t dry out.
4. Trim your cuttings with a sharp knife– cut them just below a leaf node at an angle then strip away the two leaves on either side. Dunk into some hormone rooting powder and shake off the excess. (Some people don’t use it, but it can be quite helpful).   Depending on how many leaves left, trim the next set of leaves off, leaving only the top four or six leaves. Too many leaves will stress the young plant while it is trying to make roots.
5. Make a hole with your pencil then put the cuttings in the soil round the sides of the pot. Firm in and water with a fine rose on the watering can.
6. Cover with a plastic bag and tie with string. The cuttings shouldn’t need watering again.   If you are only taking one cutting, you can also use a large lemonade bottle that has had the bottom half cut off – just be sure to keep the lid on to keep the humidity high.
7. Keep the cuttings in a bright place, but out of harsh, direct sunlight and in a few weeks they can be potted on individually.

This posting gives great advice and what could be better than free plants? Thanks once again to Lila for a really useful blog - The Fat Gardener

Chelsea's Back in Business

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 23:08:00 +0100

This year's Chelsea Flower Show had the feeling of a return to form.

The previous two years had been somewhat muted (mainly by conditions in world finances) and whilst the current economy is not exactly booming, there seemed to be an air of confidence at the show.

This air of confidence was no more pronounced than in the show gardens where The Times reportedly spent £400,000 on their garden and the Principality of Monaco sponsored Sarah Eberle to design a garden that was certainly fit for a prince (or maybe a footballer!).

First, my favourite was undoubtedly The Daily Telegraph garden designed by Cleve West. The design was a lesson in spatial awareness - Cleve did not stuff every last centimetre with plants or structure and the sculptural columns added to the feeling of room and space in the garden. I must admit I have already stolen Cleve's idea of growing Clematis through unclipped Box and am not sure how long I can hold off buying Astrantia major 'Claret' which against a dark grey background like a concrete building or a driveway absolutely 'sings'.

I also loved Diarmuid Gavin's Irish Sky Garden - a mix of pillows and cones of topiary and reflective pools, but although I adored the shape of the flying craft I found the interior plant choices disappointing when compared to the garden itself.

Jim Fogarty's Gold Medal winning Australian Garden was both brave and beautiful. A great advertisement for Aussie indigenous plants with an eye-wateringly bright splash of orange baked earth symbolising the arid outback.

The unluckiest guy at Chelsea had to be Robert Myers. His Cancer Research coastal garden was beautifully designed and planted, but I can only think the judges didn't understand it as they awarded a silver-gilt medal instead of the gold medal it certainly deserved.

Other highlights included the well-deserved gold medal for the Bulldog Tools garden based in the great pavilion. The Peter Randall-Page sculptures for the Laurent-Perrier garden (which won gold). A certificate of commendation for the Ethel Gloves stand and the variety of old and new garden tools available at the show.

The Bunny Guinness M&G garden was the subject of controversy when it appeared that Bunny publicly disagreed with the judges decision. However, although one of a number of tough choices for the judges I found the garden claustrophobic and the raised beds over-planted.

B&Q's garden was a triumph of the planted structure and reflected the designer's architectural credentials. Although I loved the structures, I felt the ground level garden was unimaginative and had the buildings not been quite so stunning, this garden may have ended up with a silver-gilt.

One very small item for any plantsmen/women reading this is the unlikely appearance of yellow varieties of Yarrow in a number of gardens including Cleve West's best in show garden, the gold medal winning Bulldog Tools garden, Hardy's Cottage Garden Plants display and Marcus Barnett's garden for The Times.

If you didn't get to the Chelsea Flower Show in 2011, you missed a good one - why not try and visit in 2012?

You can email the Fat Gardener at: info@qualitygardentools.com if you have any comments on this, or any other blog posting.

Chelsea 2011 by Lila Das Gupta

Wed, 25 May 2011 13:40:00 +0100

Another excellent Chelsea Flower Show with some interesting gardens – my favourites this year: Cleve West’s Daily Telegraph Garden and Diarmuid Gavin’s Irish Sky Garden.

As usual I was out with my camera and notebook taking down some of the best new plants around.

My star of the show was Dianthus ‘Cruentus’ seen in Cleve West’s elegant garden for the Daily Telegraph. Not new as such, but new to me! This much commented on dianthus has crimson-scarlet flowers held on upright stems, giving an almost lollipop effect. It makes an arresting focal point in a border mixed with other colours. www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/perennials/dianthus-cruentus-/itemno.PL30001821/

‘Rhododendron’ Yakushimanum is a compact, May flowering variety used by designer Tom Hoblyn in his HomeBase garden, to great effect. He’s mixed them with tree ferns creating a surprisingly exotic effect. (I lost one of three tree ferns in my garden last winter due to the harsh weather and my reprehensible failure to protect them, so this Rhododendron is destined to take its place in my garden)

www.vermisell.co.uk/shop/74/119/124/index.htm R. ‘Yakushimanum’ comes in different colours, and as with all Rhododendrons prefers ericaceous/acidic soil .

Hyde Lilies have always been a favourite of mine. I love the drama of their dark, Asiatic lilies (‘Dimention’ and ‘Ebony’ are two exceptional maroon varieties). ‘Firebolt’ is said to be an improved version. The deep orangey-red colour is one I will definitely be trying in pots next year. Hyde recommend using a little lime in the soil for Asiatic lilies, they also sell specialist fertilizer.

Hydrangea Avant Garde (Hedi) from the Hydrangea Breeders’ Association was a sight to behold. The flower head is about as big as your head. Over the top? Of course, that’s why I loved it!

Saxifraga ‘Anneka Hope’ from Kevock Garden Plants also attracted my attention. www.kevockgarden.co.uk This alpine plant looked very happy in a pot and had impressive plumes of white flowers. If you don’t fancy a rockery a terracotta seed pan is a great alternative and shows these plants off to best effect.

Top Tip: With so little rain, your tree fern (Dicksonia Antartica) may well be struggling to get enough water. Tree ferns take in more water through their trunks, than from roots in the ground. Under normal circumstances they live in rain-forest like conditions. Help your tree fern out by using a spray pump to mist the trunks once or twice a week. In an area of hard water use rainwater where possible.

What a great insight into the plants at Chelsea from Lila! I can testify to her last point about Dicksonia Antartica, mine are not looking as happy as last year - The Fat Gardener

Men who stare at tools by Cleve West

Tue, 24 May 2011 21:38:09 +0100

People often say to me…“what the hell are you doing in my shed!!??” No, seriously…they (and by people, I mostly mean my long suffering partner, Christine) often accuse me of staring at tools, not only staring at them, but also staring at them in the wrong way. Only the other day she caught me salivating over a billhook on the Bulldog Tools website. “Why are you looking at that billhook like that!” It’s almost as if I’ve been caught staring inappropriately at another woman but Christine’s intention is to not only stop me from looking demented, but also snap me out of the trance that will inevitably lead to an unnecessary (unnecessary in her eyes that is) transaction. It’s true, tools do carry a fascination for me (outlined in sad and graphic detail here) and so I have to spend a reasonable amount of time justifying the purchase which often involves a lot of thought and the occasional reference to one of my most prized possessions: a French book entitled. ‘L’outil’ (The Tool). Beautifully illustrated with old drawings and modern photographs of old tools, each tool featured is a virtual work of art. Turning the pages slowly is not only a visual feast but also, and I know this may sound a bit odd, a sensuous experience. I have no idea what some of the tools are used for as the book is in French. I could have a reasonable stab at a translation if I put my mind to it but something stops me from even trying. It’s as if such knowledge might somehow spoil the magic.

“Look it’s in our favourite book,” I said, eager to get my trump card in early. Christine, being an artist, appreciates the aesthetics of old tools and she too holds ‘L’outil’ in high esteem. Showing her a picture of the tool in the book would ordinarily be enough to win her over to buying the billhook. The trouble is that she knows I already have one, a handsome antique with a short, caramelised-with-age handle. What she doesn’t know, however, is that it’s broken. James Alexander-Sinclair vandalised it at our allotment last year while filming something for 3 Men Went 2 Mow. He’d thrown the tool (in a rather cack-handed, limp-wristed sort of way) at my shed door in an effort to make it stick like a knife-throwing exhibition. The idea was that we would then edit it to make it look as though a variety of tools were being thrown at Joe Swift who had been bound and gagged. I can’t remember the reason why gardening implements were being thrown at Joe (truth is we don’t really need one) but James managed to snap the handle on his first throw. Annoyingly, the clip was never used.

I’ve got no real need for a billhook. I’ve never laid a hedge, which is what it’s mostly used for, I just like the fact that it looks like a mediaeval weapon and the fact that it’s a tool you can wield. There are only so many tools you can apply that word to. You can wield a billhook but you can’t wield a trowel. You can wield an axe or a brushing hook but a sieve you cannot. There’s a certain amount of presence you can generate with a billhook that you can’t do with, say, a dibber. You can’t even wield a wheel-barrow even though it has a wheel. Wielding suggest that you are in control; you have the upper hand; sadly, in this particular instance this doesn’t appear to be the case.

Wow, wow, wow! Quality Garden Tools are so lucky to have Cleve write a guest blog on the day he won a Chelsea gold medal as well as best in show. Cleve is a genuinely lovely guy and is incredibly humble about his talent - we are very happy to shout on his behalf!

Chelsea Reminder by Lila Das Gupta

Sat, 21 May 2011 11:45:00 +0100

I'm reminded that the Chelsea Flower Show is just around the corner for a rather beautiful reason: one of the roses that's currently flowering in my garden, 'Darcey Bussell', was given to me as a present at Chelsea by the lovely Andy McIndoe, MD of Hillier Nursery. 'Darcey Bussell' is as elegant as her namesake - a crimson, double-flowered rose from breeder 'David Austin'. It's compact, with repeat flowers, and although the scent is not high, she never fails to attract attention by the front door. Hillier always put on one of the most popular displays at the RHS Chelsea Flower show - people swarm around their stand like bees, poking their noses into this shrub and that, taking notes, marvelling and asking questions. What they are great at is showing substantial shrubs and trees, that form the backbone of a garden and earn their keep all year round.

There's always something of a division at Chelsea between those who think the show gardens are the stars of the show and those that believe the plants are the reason we're all there. As much as I love seeing what's on offer down Main Avenue and marvelling at perfection, at the end of the day, I find it hard to take home ideas from these gardens. I have to admit, I'm a plantswoman at heart. Planting a seed, germinating it, taking a cutting or acquiring something new - the thrill never seems to wane.

Top Tip: If you haven't planted any spuds yet, you can still do so, it just means you'll get a later crop. A tub will do if you don't have garden space. Most garden centres are selling off any remaining stock for as little as 99p. Now is a good time to order Christmas potatoes, for delivery and planting at the end of summer and harvesting in December.

Thank you again to Lila for another fantastic 'guest blog' posting on www.qualitygardentools.com

6 Days and Counting...

Wed, 18 May 2011 10:03:52 +0100

There are just 6 days until the 2011 RHS Chelsea Flower Show opens in all its glory. The show opens on 23rd May for the Queen, VIP's and media, the 24th May for RHS members and the 26th May for everyone else.

Some of the biggest names in garden tools will be at the show including: Bulldog Tools, Felco, Nutscene, Spear & Jackson, Bosch and Fiskars as well as (of course) our friends from Ethel Gloves in the USA.

The Ethel Gloves stand will be located in Eastern Avenue, stand EA/26 which is on the corner of Eastern Avenue and the Sweetingham Steps which lead down to the Bandstand. As with last year, the Quality Garden Tools team and all the visitors from Ethel Gloves in California would love to meet you if you're passing by. They will be showing lots of new gloves including the V&A range, Bamboo Colours, Leather and Utility as well as their new 'Look Book'.

If you don't have tickets already, then you may have to curl up on the sofa with a cup of cocoa and watch Alan on the television - all of the show's 157,000 tickets are now sold out. Tickets on the black market are said to be changing hands for up to £250 which considering we have faced the credit crunch, the banking crisis and the coalition's spending cuts is a pretty impressive sum for a flower show!

To see what's available at the show visit: www.rhs.org.uk/Shows-Events/RHS-Chelsea-Flower-Show/2011

Gardening for pleasure? by Lila Das Gupta

Thu, 12 May 2011 17:07:00 +0100

I raised a large glass of wine to Anne Wareham www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/8479689/Anne-Wareham-Why-I-hate-gardening.html earlier this month, when I read her article in the Daily Telegraph entitled ‘Why I hate gardening’. Anne, who created the acclaimed garden (Veddw www.veddw.com), with her husband, the photographer Charles Hawes, in Wales, is fed up with weeding, bending, pruning and labouring. Why do we do it? She asks. Why indeed!

If you are a glutton for punishment, you don’t just have one garden - like us, you have two. A few months ago I found myself daydreaming on a Saturday morning - wouldn’t it be lovely to stay in bed and finish my book... What about an exhibition at the Southbank or a bike ride with my daughter? Why couldn’t I lead a ‘normal’ life? A life where the parsnips don’t receive more attention than the people. As a mother, it seemed unfair not only to be torn between family and work, but also, perversely, between allotment and garden at home..... The situation was becoming intolerable.

Pleading from husband and children followed, but their ‘Little House on the Prairie’ fantasies about the allotment only strengthened my resolve. I got on with gardening at home and I stopped visiting the allotment.

After a lot of harrumphing I got my beloved back garden back in shape, and I started to fall in love with gardening again. When things are under control in the garden, you can begin to enjoy it. Suddenly the sun was out and we were lounging about with friends, BBQing food and admiring flowers.

Then the little voice in my head turned to the allotment - what about my Wolf Soil Miller? It was one of the first tools I bought and I love it to bits - giving it away would be too sad, storing it for 10 or 15 years too impractical. What about my friends - Michael, Julia and Ian, Steve, Angus, Tanya, Tim, Mike, Sam, Aiden, Harry? What about the lovely shed David, our handyman, and I put up? The grass I seeded, the paths I built, the trees I planted (morello cherry, quince, damson, Victoria plum). Part of me thought I ought to be more Buddhist - like and not become attached to things or people, another part of me realised that these were merely symbols of a world I would never get back again if I gave it up.

On the allotment all that you are on the outside is irrelevant. No one judges you; there are no winners or losers, no keeping up with the Joneses. Out in the fresh air, it’s like being out to sea on a boat - you leave your troubles behind on the land. I realised that I still had plans and I still had dreams on the allotment - one day the vine will be big enough for the whole family to eat under.

The next thing I know, I’m back to the plot, dreading how much the weeds will have grown in 6 weeks. Our mate Michael, kind as ever, helps us all day Sunday to get the plot back on track. There’s no ‘I told you so’, no finger wagging, no disapproval, no explanations needed, just a very large hug for me when I see him “I’ve missed you!” he says.

Top Tip: Last year’s big surprise was runner bean ‘Benchmaster’. They are over 40cm long and bound to impress if you plan to enter your local horticultural show: www.thompson-morgan.com/vegetables/vegetable-seeds/pea-and-bean-seeds/runner-bean-benchmaster/4906TM

Thank you to Lila for such a great 'guest blog' posting. Lila (along with other garden journalists) is featured in some brilliant photographs by Paul Debois which can be seen here: www.pauldebois.com

New Ethel Website Launched

Fri, 06 May 2011 13:11:41 +0100

After a successful year trading on www.ethelgloves.co.uk, Quality Garden Tools (Ethel Gloves UK distributor) has launched a brand new website for our customers.

I was given a sneak preview yesterday and was really impressed by the improvements. Designed in California under the expert eye of the team at Ethel Gloves head office, the site includes loads of great new features including new products, the Ethel blog, a photo sharing facility and lots of new information about the individual gloves.

A quick tip is that the definite 'must have' from the site for lady gardeners in the coming year are the new Ethel Leather Gloves which are not only stylish, but have moisture wicking bamboo backs, luxurious soft goatskin palms, reinforced fingertips and (as always) are machine washable.

If you hadn't guessed already I think these gloves are great and wish they made a pair for us poor men!

You can visit the new website at: www.ethelgloves.co.uk

Black & Yellow

Mon, 02 May 2011 23:29:24 +0100

The weather for most of the UK has been glorious for the last couple of weeks (apologies if you live in one of the areas that have had rain). Many of us have used this time to enjoy our gardens, however sometimes paths and patios can look a little tired and dirty after the long Winter months.

Kärcher's new range of pressure washers with water cooled motors can have your patio, driveway, path, decking and even your car gleaming in no time. You will be very pleased to know that I have already used my new Kärcher K5700 pressure washer to clean the small terrace outside the back of my house and so can offer advice to anyone considering buying a pressure washer.

First thing to consider is how often you will need to use your pressure washer. If you intend to use it every week for a few hours, then buy the best machine you can afford. This will ensure that with prolonged use your motor will not fail you and continue to deliver power for years to come.

Also consider what 'extras' you want and whether these are included in the price. My pressure washer package included the powerful Dirtblaster lance as well as a patio and decking cleaner, but if you are looking for a pressure washer with everything then I can recommend the Kärcher K3575 Jubilee pressure washer which includes a T250 T-racer patio cleaner, a wash brush, Dirtblaster lance, extension lance and even some universal detergent to get you going!

The two lances provided with each machine are very easy to understand; a vario lance which can reduce pressure for use on your car's paintwork or conservatory windows and the famous Dirtblaster lance which does exactly what it says and blasts dirt from any surface.

To connect your pressure washer, simply join it to your outside tap with a standard hose connector and plug it into a normal power socket. Also, I have read much about the water wasted when using pressure washers, however Kärcher reliably inform me that their machines can save up to 80% of the water used when using a standard hose to clean.

The last thing to add to this is that using a pressure washer is fun! I really enjoyed cleaning my paving stones, the lance is a little bit like a water pistol(!) and the water sprays everywhere (when not using the patio cleaner attachment) - what's not to like? These garden tools also let you immediately see the difference between the area you have cleaned and the dirty area.

So this year invest in the black and yellow - go Kärcher!

You can see the Kärcher range here: www.qualitygardentools.com/power-tools/pressure-washers/viewcategory

Preparations for the 2011 Chelsea Flower Show

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 10:20:50 +0100

As previously posted on this blog, Quality Garden Tools are again teaming up with Ethel Gloves to show their range at this year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

The stand will not only show off the traditional range, but also some exciting new gloves including: the V&A Museum range, the Utility glove and the luxurious Leather glove, along with the fantastic new range of Bamboo 'colours'.

Quality Garden Tools and Ethel are working very closely with The London Display Company who will be constructing the stand, which has been designed by the Ethel Gloves marketing team in California. Getting the design right is made more complex by the fact that US design programs are measured in inches and feet whereas British stand materials are made in centimetres and metres. Also, the stand has to fit inside a 'shell' which is erected by the show organisers and The London Display Company will not see this before they arrive to build the booth. The image shown here is a digital artist's impression of what the stand will look like.

The RHS tightly control access to the site both during the show as well as before and after it which ensures that the show remains pretty secure. However it is a bit upsetting when six people are travelling over 5,000 miles from the USA to support the show, only to be told we can only have two passes for the media day on Monday!

But issues surrounding design problems and show passes aside, it is an incredibly exciting show to be a part of and gives us at Quality Garden Tools and the team at Ethel Gloves a chance to be part of the greatest horticultural show in the world. The standards of the show gardens, floral displays and trade stands surpass any other show I have attended and visitors from around the world acknowledge this.

Unfortunately, we will not be the only company at the show selling gardening gloves (there are also a number of garden tools sellers), but we will definitely try to have the best, brightest and most floral stand and we hope that with the quality of the Ethel Gloves we will have available, customers will flood in!

As this posting 'goes to press' I can also confirm that Ethel's V&A Museum range has been nominated for the prestigious RHS Chelsea Product of the Year 2011.

So if you are planning on attending The Chelsea Flower Show this year, why not come and visit us at EA26 on Eastern Avenue and the corner of the Sweetingham Steps (down to the bandstand). Who knows, you might even meet me!

Visit the Ethel Gloves website at: www.ethelgloves.co.uk

Rare Felco Anvil Secateurs

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 09:48:00 +0100

Every now and then I am really surprised by my lords and masters at Quality Garden Tools. Just such an occasion happened this week when I was given a pair of Felco 31 anvil secateurs to try out. The reason for my shock was not that I was asked to test a garden tool (that happens all too frequently), but that I have never seen these particular Felco secateurs before.

Up until now, UK customers who wanted to use anvil secateurs (a traditional design for secateurs, often favoured for dry or dead wood) could not buy them in the Felco brand. I am told by the Quality Garden Tools sales office that they often get enquiries for Felco anvil secateurs, but until now have been unable to supply them.

Felco secateurs have long been amongst my favourite garden tools and are treasured by professional and amateur gardeners alike. Félix Flisch designed the first pair of forged aluminium pruning shears in 1945 and Felco have been manufacturing pruning tools ever since. Felco's factory is located in the heart of the Swiss Jura and employs over 140 people, exporting to 100 countries worldwide and with sales of over £28 million.

The new secateurs have a cutting blade that is bevelled on both sides for easy, clean cutting and is thicker than a bypass blade, so is particularly suited to cutting older wood. The adjustable brass anvil blade is coated in non-stick Xylan which makes cleaning easier and can be repositioned to line up with the cutting blade. The handles are forged from robust aluminium alloy, covered in a non-slip grip and are ergonomically shaped for ease of use.

I must admit that testing these secateurs was great fun, there are now a few old shrubs in my garden which look as if they've had a run in with the barber (and lost!). The handles were comfortable and if you're used to using Felco secateurs normally you will feel right at home. The blade cut through everything I tried: roses, bay trees, Forsythia, conifers and Pyracantha, all with ease. One thing's for sure, I'm keeping these great secateurs and adding them to my collection! A must have for anyone who favours anvil secateurs and wants the very best available.

You can see these secateurs here: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/secateurs/felco-secateurs/id-FEL31/view

V&A Gardening Gloves

Sat, 09 Apr 2011 09:22:00 +0100

Great news for those of you who, like me, love Ethel Gloves. The Victoria & Albert Museum have collaborated with Ethel to launch a really exciting new range of stunning gardening gloves.

Ethel Gloves are some of the best garden tools a lady can own - technically, the gloves are designed to snugly fit the contours of a woman’s hands; all the palms and fingers are covered in synthetic suede which lasts up to twice as long as leather but is just as comfortable. The fingers are also reinforced for strength, but still offer excellent 'feel' and have rubberised grips and extended cuffs. All Ethel Gloves are machine washable, so however dirty the job you have to do, the gloves will look as good as new next day!

The new V&A gloves are very special, chosen in conjunction with The Victoria & Albert Museum, Ethel Gloves along with the museum's own experts used the huge V&A fabric archive to source three very special designs to help celebrate the launch of exhibition 'The Cult of Beauty: The Aesthetic Movement 1860-1900'. The three designs are: Tudor, Regency and Canterbury and all are highly symbolic of the design movement and the age in which they were conceived.

The exhibition gathers together some of the greatest masterpieces in painting together with sculpture, design, furniture and architecture as well as the fashion and literature of the era. It also examines the work of many of the personalities of the aesthetic movement including William Morris, James McNeill Whistler, Frederic Leighton, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Edward Burne-Jones and Oscar Wilde. After London, 'The Cult of Beauty: The Aesthetic Movement 1860-1900' will travel to the Musée D’Orsay in Paris in September 2011 before travelling to the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, opening in February 2012.

The three new gloves epitomise the movement and have been named Tudor, Regency and Canterbury. The Tudor glove is taken from a Turnbull and Stockdale furnishing fabric from 1911 and shows green tulips set on a background of small navy and white checks. The Regency glove is taken from an F. Steiner and Co furnishing fabric from 1911 and shows intertwining wildflowers and berries in red and white on a navy background. The Canterbury glove is taken from a Newman, Smith and Newman furnishing fabric from 1909 and shows white and pale grey roses set on a bright red background.

The V&A range will be available at the Ethel Gloves stand at the 2011 RHS Chelsea Flower Show (stand EA/26) and also in the V&A Museum shop, on www.qualitygardentools.com and on www.ethelgloves.co.uk from May 2011.

Top Garden Tool Tips

Sun, 03 Apr 2011 10:51:21 +0100

In these times of austerity we are all told to 'make do and mend', recycling and restoring what we can to try not only to make ends meet, but also to avoid the accusation from our children they we are 'killing the planet'.

It may surprise you to know that I don't always practise what I preach when it comes to using my gardening tools. I utilise quite a number of 'tricks' to make gardening a little easier for myself. Obviously the ruses I use are not recommended by Quality Garden Tools and you employ them at your own risk!

My first tip is for when you break a spade or fork handle. Don't throw away the broken shaft, rather sharpen the end and the handle becomes a very good bulb dibber and seed planter. You may have to occasionally re-sharpen the end, but this new tool should last many years.

Fill a bucket with sharp builder's sand and add in a little oil to the mix. When you finish using your spade, fork or lawn edger, plunge them into the bucket several times before putting them away. This will not only keep your garden tools clean, but it will also stop them rusting (especially over the Winter months).

Purchase some disinfectant or use a 10% bleach solution to soak pruning saws, secateurs, loppers and even chainsaws before use; this will reduce the chances of passing on diseases whilst you are pruning in the garden. If you are pruning a tree or plant you know has a disease you should also follow this procedure after use.

Forks with broken or bent outside tines should not be disposed of, they make great rose forks. Simply use an angle grinder (or go to your local blacksmith) to remove the outside two tines at the point they bend at 90 degrees at the top of the fork and you will be able to lift your roses very easily without damaging the roots.

Next time it snows (or you get some manure delivered) use your spade to 'shovel' the snow (or manure) off the driveway or path. The concrete or tarmac will sharpen the edge of your spade so that it cuts easily through the soil and can also be used to split perennials with tough roots like agapanthus.

Snails and slugs are often a problem in the garden, especially if (like me) you love hostas. One thing that slugs appear to hate is copper, so I have started using a copper 'Castor' trowel not only to plant the hostas, but also to weed the bed they are in. They are available from a company called Implementations and although this blog is not a scientific study, I use them as part of my 'weapons arsenal' against slugs and snails.

Pruning waste from small leafed hedging varieties, especially buxus sempervirens can be a real pain to pick up. You shouldn't just leave the cuttings on the ground as it is thought in some quarters that this encourages the dreaded box blight. My tip is to use a really good blower vac (one with an all-metal impeller is a must) to pick up the cut leaves which will be conveniently mulched for adding straight into the compost.

My last tip is that I recommend everyone buys a grubbing mattock. I realise this isn't a 'tip' as such, but it is one of the best tools I own; great for clearing beds at home and at the allotment and also for removing old tree roots (I haven't broken a fork since I bought my mattock). For as little as £16.50 you can buy a grubbing mattock head and pick axe handle which will last longer than you do!

If you have any other tips or tricks for garden tools, then let me know. I will add them to future posts, just email me at: info@qualitygardentools.com

The 10 Garden Tools You Can't Live Without!

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 22:32:00 +0100

After my last posting (an introspective and slightly insane rant) I thought I would return to the relative safe territory of garden tools!

Many of you will have looked inside your shed or garage recently after a long Winter only to find a disorganised, blunt, rusty and broken pile of garden tools that you can 'get by' with, but will not make the task of the Spring tidy up any easier.

I am therefore recommending those tools which I think are the 'bare minimum' essentials for any gardener:

Trowel - The Spear & Jackson stainless steel Neverbend hand trowel is a nicely balanced and robust trowel that cuts through the soil easily and minimises soil adhesion.
Spade - Bulldog's Premier border spade has a slightly smaller head than a normal digging spade, but is perfect for digging planting holes and is not too heavy when used over longer periods.
Fork - The Bulldog Premier digging fork is a tough, heavy duty tool perfect for levelling and breaking up soil and unlike cheaper forks the prongs won't bend or break.
Hoe - The Fiskars stainless steel Swoe is very easy to manoeuvre around beds and borders due to its light weight. The angled head allows the user to reach around the back of flowers and shrubs in tight corners of the garden.
Rake - Bulldog's Premier Springbok rake is a tool which no gardener should do without. Perfect for scarifying the lawn, this rake removes moss and dead thatch and can be used for leaves if nothing else is around.
Secateurs - Felco's secateurs are beloved by both professional and amateur gardeners alike. I like the Felco original model no.2 which I have used for about fifteen years without any problems.
Hedge shears - Bahco's professional P51 hedge shears are one of my favourite all time garden tools. They are tough, sharp and very strong, keeping even the most unruly hedges in check.
Saw - The Silky Gomtaro saw will keep trees and large shrubs under control and in great shape. This Japanese pruning saw is razor sharp and cutting on the pull stroke, cuts in ultra quick time.
Wheelbarrow - A Haemmerlin 3200G wheelbarrow is unbeatable for transport in the garden. It has a 110 litre tray, epoxy coated frame, tipping bar and a special design to allow you to carry tools around the garden.
Lawnmower - The Bosch Rotak 36volt cordless lawnmower comes with two rechargeable Lithium-ion batteries and has a 43cm width of cut and a grass box capacity of 50 litres. A very green alternative to petrol!

The tools I have selected are definitely not cheap, however although they will set you back about £785 in total (£370 if you can do without the lawnmower) they are pretty good value if you think that they should all still be going strong in ten years time.

To this list I could easily add: weeding fork, edging shears, loppers, gloves, horticultural knife, leaf rake, Gorilla tub, watering can and garden twine, but I wanted to be strict and try to stick to just ten!

To get up to date news and info from Quality Garden Tools please visit our facebook page: www.facebook.com/qualitygardentools

Gardeners Against Genocide

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:30:00 +0000

I am a murderer. I'm not proud of it, but am finally able to talk about my awful guilty secret. It wasn't a crime of passion and my victims (that run into thousands) were taken when still babies. Although I feel remorse for those I have mercilessly slaughtered I am pretty sure I will kill again - and soon.

For those readers whose itchy fingers are rushing toward the telephone with a view to dialling '999' and sending me sent straight to jail, please grant me a moment's mitigation. The innocent subjects of my vicious premeditated genocide are in fact seedlings.

Every seed packet I buy seems to contain many more seeds than I ever need. I don't for one moment think I am the living embodiment of Demeter (Greek goddess of the harvest), but properly sown and well looked after most of my seeds seem to germinate into healthy seedlings. This is where the problem begins - before each Spring I can have anything from 500 to 1,000 seedlings on window sills and in my conservatory and greenhouse. Not only do I not have enough friends to take these seedlings, but because I tend not to sow directly on the ground I do not have enough pots to 'grow on' all the little seedlings.

This set of circumstances then leads to the inevitable 'thinning out' process.

I can't tell you how long I deliberate over which seedling I condemn to death before pulling them, silently screaming from the soil. My heart sinks as I feel the healthy roots clinging to the earth before I finally wrestle them free and lay them prone on the potting bench. In my mad bloodlust I have even chosen weaker, smaller seedlings over their healthier siblings in an attempt to champion the underdog and prove any plant can make it under my tender care.

In 2011 my tactics are changing. Starting this year I am only selecting the number of seeds I require for healthy plants and storing the remainder of the seeds for use next year. This strategy is fraught with risk if I can't get the majority of the seeds to germinate, but it's the only way I fear I can get the amount of flowers and vegetables I want each year without killing off 90% of the healthy seedlings I produce from each seed packet.

I fully realise that the above 'confession' may leave me open to charges of over-dramatizing the situation and perhaps a blog about choosing garden tools is a less suitable forum for this cry for help than the psychiatrist's couch.

But if like me you feel a small pang of guilt when 'thinning out' your seedlings - join the campaign for Gardeners Against Genocide!

You can comment on this, or any other posting by emailing the Fat Gardener at: info@qualitygardentools.com

TINA Knives - The Legend Grows!

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 10:23:00 +0000

* BREAKING NEWS * BREAKING NEWS * BREAKING NEWS * BREAKING NEWS * BREAKING NEWS * BREAKING NEWS * BREAKING NEWS *

For five years Quality Garden Tools have been an official supplier of TINA horticultural knives. Over that period the number of TINA knives available in the UK has fallen to just four items - until now! The breaking news is that Quality Garden Tools have just announced they are relaunching TINA in the UK with nine new products (as well as the existing four). The new thirteen tool range includes general purpose knives, pruning knives, grafting knives, budding knives and even a sharpening stone to keep your TINA knife razor sharp.

My TINA knife is always with me when I am in the garden and not only is it great for propagating techniques like budding and grafting, but also for pruning and cutting twine. These knives are really well made and I have owned mine for about 12 years and it is still going strong - despite being re-sharpened about one hundred times!

TINA knives have been made in Reutlingen, Germany since 1854 - celebrating their 150 year anniversary in 2004. Extraordinarily, the owner Sieghard Schwille is the fourth generation of his family to manufacture TINA knives and his daughter is already continuing in the family tradition. The knives are sold under the motto 'Simply the best horticultural knives in the world' and with very good reason. Every TINA knife blade is hand forged, sharpened by hand and each walnut handle is individually selected and shaped. The carbon steel blades need less re-sharpening and deliver a great cut every time.

Many famous gardeners use a TINA knife including our friend Christine Walkden from BBC1's One Show who still uses the knife she owned at horticultural college. BBC Gardeners' World presenter Carol Klein is also a fan and has been quoted in The Guardian saying: "I've had a Tina knife for years. I carry it with me all the time - whenever I go into the garden, I pat my pocket to check it's there. It's simple yet beautiful, and I use it for everything, from pruning to taking cuttings."

My favourite knives from the range are:

The TINA 605 Grafting/General Purpose Knife is a really useful tool for any gardener. The polished walnut handle is shaped to perfectly fit in the hand.
The TINA 640/10 Budding/Grafting Knife will suit anyone interested in technical propagation techniques. The knife has a barklifter on the back of the blade and a flat walnut handle.
The TINA 626/11 Medium To Heavy Pruning Knife is a great knife for tough pruning jobs. The traditional curved blade folds neatly into the shaped walnut handle and is great both at home and for professional nursery users.

One of the reasons Quality Garden Tools are relaunching a larger range is to help specialist growers and nurseries as well as keen gardeners. Many nurseries need certain types of TINA knife for the grafting techniques they employ, hopefully now they will not have any problems sourcing the right tool for the job.

You can see the new TINA range here: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/horticultural-knives/tina-horticultural-knives/viewcategory

Job Interview

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 17:44:00 +0000

Many of you who regularly read this blog will know that I follow many other garden bloggers. Contrary to popular belief we are not loonies locked in darkened offices staring at blank computer screens for hours on end. Rather, we are mostly big enthusiasts for our subjects and love nothing more than passing on our triumphs and disasters to anyone willing to listen (or read)!

So it was with equal levels of terror and excitement that I agreed to be interviewed by Michelle at Veg Plotting about my blog and working for Quality Garden Tools.

I need not have been worried, as Michelle was as gentle with me as she would be with her most vulnerable seedling! The questions were interesting and made me think about why I do what I do and why I write what I write.

My thanks go to Michelle for all her help.

You can read the posting here: http://vegplotting.blogspot.com/2011/03/vps-vips-fat-gardener.html

Ready, Steady, Go!

Sat, 26 Feb 2011 18:09:00 +0000

The end of February has to be my favouritest(!) part of the year. The Winter is over; bulbs are flowering (or beginning to poke through the soil), days are noticeably longer and lighter and my 'gardening pangs' are going into overdrive.

I have never really been a Winter gardener. I know that magazines fill their pages with 'easy jobs' to do in the Winter months interspersed with atmospheric shots of Yew topiary wrapped in sparkling hoar frost and earnest garden journalists saying how important it is to refill your peanut dispensers for the poor birds. Unfortunately, I can never get excited about Winter gardening, I sit in my study (old garage) and look longingly out of the window until the buds of Spring begin to show.

This is not just because I am lazy and would rather be reading by a roaring fire drinking hot chocolate than trudging through the Siberian tundra that is my garden in January. All of us need a break - the Winter months are the time I sit back and start to think about what my garden will look like the following year. I also now have the confidence to know that nothing serious will happen if I leave it until March to mulch, prune and dig.

It's probably wishful thinking, but the weather definitely seems to be warming up a little and you should be able to actually enjoy working in your garden soon. I would recommend however that you don't try to do too much immediately, double digging half an acre might be much too much, much too soon! First, check all the nooks and crannies of your garden and some of the higher branches to check no damage has been caused by all the wind and snow we had this year. Once you are happy with the condition of the garden, have a good long look to see what needs to be done - try to make a list of the jobs that need doing and then work through them methodically. If you follow this advice you will avoid rushing around like a headless chicken, doing lots of little jobs without doing anything properly.

February and March is the time when garden tools should shine! With the threat of night frosts still very real, it is still too early for planting and so your Silky Saw, Felco secateurs, Bahco loppers, Bulldog fork and Haemmerlin wheelbarrow should be your constant companions!

Finally, now is the time to dream. My thoughts are turning to rows of tulips, creamy Magnolia grandiflora, arching ferns, bright blue Ceanothus, sticky buds and lush green lawns. I also look forward to garden visits, the sea of crowds at the Chelsea flower shows, meetings at Wisley and picnics in the long grass at Hampton Court (I can hear garden journalists around the country sharpening their pencils in anticipation!). In reality there will be thunder, rain, lightening, floods and probably a touch of pestilence, but right now I can't think about all that - I'm raring to ready, steady, go!

You can write to the Fat Gardener at: info@qualitygardentools.com

Get a Handle on it

Sun, 20 Feb 2011 17:33:00 +0000

As the Winter starts to soften (allegedly) into Spring you may be about to bring out some of the garden tools that have not been used since October. If you followed my earlier posting on preparing tools for Winter, your garden tools should be in great condition and ready to use.

If you forgot (or ignored!) my advice for Winter storage, some of your gardening tools (particularly those with wooden handles) might be vulnerable to breaking at this early stage in the season. In dry sheds and garages tool handles can easily dry out over the weeks to the point where they become very brittle and snap the first time you push them into heavy soil. This problem can also occur (but to a lesser extent) with hoes, hedge shears and garden rakes.

The problem of dry, brittle tool handles can be very easily overcome by wiping the handles with a linseed oil covered rag. This will nourish the timber giving a little flexibility to the shaft when you eventually decide to use the tools.

Garden tools kept in a damp store (or even outside) present a much more serious problem as bacteria will almost certainly enter the wood through small nicks in the timber causing the wood to rot. If you catch this soon enough you may be able to save the shaft by drying the handle, sanding it down and then applying disinfectant before drying again and then rubbing the shaft with linseed oil.

Tools with handles damaged in any way should be used with caution and if you are at all worried about the condition of an axe, maul, sledge hammer or pickaxe handle you should replace it immediately. Striking tools like these can be extremely dangerous if used with damaged shafts - flying tool heads are not a good idea.

If your spade, fork, shovel or axe handle breaks or is too rotten to fix, then you may want to replace it with a new one. Quality Garden Tools stock a wide range of replacement handles so a broken handle may not mean a new garden tool.

So try to get a handle on breaking handles!

You can see our replacement handles here: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/replacement-handles/viewcategory

Facing the Future

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 14:44:00 +0000

It's official! You can now visit Quality Garden Tools on the Facebook website, this means two of the online community's great success stories are now working together!

The social network, Facebook was launched in 2004 founded by Mark Zuckerburg (reportedly the world's youngest billionaire) and now has an estimated 600 million users.

This is the sum total of my knowledge regarding this juggernaut of the online world. I must admit I have never had a Facebook account and can also confirm that my offline social network (i.e. my friends) is the only social network I possess! However, I do know that Quality Garden Tools are keen to show our spades and forks to a wider audience.

Our Facebook page contains photos, comments, offers and up-to-date news on all of our garden tools and accessories (and even some short references to my postings on the QGT Blog).

Please visit our page next time you're on Facebook and become a fan - that way you will be sent all our updates. Let's face the future together!

You can visit our facebook pages here.

Know Your Onions

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 15:12:00 +0000

Quality Garden Tools' favourite gardener, Christine Walkden has written a new book showing gardeners how to grow vegetables simply.

The book is entitled: 'No-nonsense Vegetable Gardening' and is particularly aimed at growers with small gardens. Christine has become known recently for being the gardening guru on BBC's The One Show (as well as for her seasonal advice on www.qualitygardentools.com) and this book reflects her infectious enthusiasm for the subject.

Growing vegetables can involve a lot more effort than many new to gardening realise and this book will act as a great guide for 'vegetable virgins' and a useful reference for those who have already attempted to 'grow their own'.

Published by Simon and Schuster the book contains 176 pages of colour illustrations and easy to understand instructions as well as all sorts of other tips to make vegetable growing easier and more productive. It will be available from 31st March 2011 and although I have only managed to get a very tentative sneaky peak inside, it does look really great.

Let's hope that 'No-nonsense Vegetable Gardening' encourages lots of new gardeners to take up vegetable production and that they all need to buy shiny new tools to help them succeed!

You can buy Christine’s new book here.

Media Scrum

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 11:56:00 +0000

Yesterday saw the annual Press Event for the British gardening media at the RHS Lawrence Hall in Vincent Square, London. As usual I attended with our friends from Bulldog Tools who were showing off designs for their first show garden which will be in the Grand Pavilion at The Chelsea Flower Show this year (you can see the designs here).

The Garden Media Guild who help organise the Press Event each year always try to encourage as many journalists as possible to attend, making it a really good exhibition as well as a chance to meet up with people you haven't seen for a while.

Whilst it would be indiscreet to gossip, there were a number of comments (some positive!) made about Alan Titchmarsh's new reported £2 million, two year contract with ITV. Hopefully Alan will be able to add some quality horticultural content to ITV's otherwise 'garden-free' schedule.

Among those attending were friend of Quality Garden Tools, Christine Walkden as well as Lila Das Gupta, Charlie Dimmock, Helen Yemm, Jean Vernon, Adam Pasco, Veg Plotting (see the blog), Nigel Colborn, Steve Bradley from The Sun, Vicky Kingsbury from The English Garden and Pippa Greenwood who was showing her new grow your own range (which you can read about here).

There were also lots of new companies showing as well as some long time supporters of the event including: Bulldog Tools, Sutton Seeds, The Nether Wallop Trading Co, Bosch Lawn and Garden, Fiskars, Hilliers, David Austin Roses, HTA, Haddonstone, Flymo, Gardman and more.

The main trend amongst manufacturers continues to be Grow Your Own - the juggernaut continues to roll! Hopefully, although this theme is dominant at the moment, customers will be lured into other aspects of gardening as well - flowers still exsist!

Although this was in no way a media scrum it was an event full of good sports!

To comment on this or any other posting please email me at: info@qualitygardentools.com

The Wettest Profession in the World

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 13:22:20 +0000

One of the first books I can remember is The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter. The wonderful illustrations in that book include one of a white cat sitting above a goldfish pond (Peter Rabbit is in the background). Next to the cat is a wonderful, old fashioned watering can with a long, elegant spout and solid metal handle. Because of my rather precocious interest in garden tools, I was much more interested in Mr. McGregor's watering can than Peter himself!

So, you can imagine my excitement when Quality Garden Tools told me they were adding Haws watering cans to their stable of garden tools and accessories. Haws have been manufacturing great watering cans since John Haws started producing his new design in 1886. The first cans were prized because of their improved balance, easier tipping and long reach spout, features which remain key for gardeners even now in the twenty-first century.

The cans are still made in a very similar process to the one used 100 years ago with much of the work undertaken by hand and reliant on the skills of the experienced assemblymen. The factory manufactures the watering cans from start to finish producing a British made product of which Haws are justifiably proud.

Quality Garden Tools have decided to stock the professional ranges that are solely made here in the UK and are an exact copy of John Haw's original patented design. The cans, though heavier than plastic last for many years (as long as you don't allow water to freeze inside) and not only make watering easier, but look great in the garden! The long spout allows you to reach the back of beds, borders or greenhouse staging without treading on the soil or damaging plants in front. The watering cans are available in four sizes; 3.5 litres, 4.5 litres and 8.8 litres with a smaller 1 litre indoor can for houseplants and seedlings in conservatories, kitchens, greenhouses and potting sheds.

I have used a Haws Professional Watering Can for a number of years and would not be without it. My can is the two gallon (8.8 litres) version and whilst it can get heavy after a while, I never tire of how easy it is to use. When the brass rose is in the upturned position it gives a light, even and gentle spray which delivers water, but can be used on smaller seedlings and plug plants. To water established specimens with a heavier spray simply turn the rose so that the perforations face the ground. One thing I have learned is that it is important to gradually increase the pouring angle, as this keeps up the water pressure and gives a much more consistent spray.

For those of you who like to look stylish in the garden the garden the watering cans are available in some very smart colours including; green, red, black, Titanium, Copper and cream. This distinguished palette ensures that your garden will maintain its classy look even when you aren't using your Haws watering can. And whilst watering may not be the oldest profession in the world, it is certainly one of the wettest!

Chelsea 1st XI

Wed, 19 Jan 2011 19:44:39 +0000

After our award winning debut at The RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May 2010 I am particularly excited that we have been invited back again for the 2011 show. This year's show could be even better for the Ethel Gloves brand in the UK with a great new position half way up Eastern Avenue at the junction with the Sweetingham Steps (the route down to the bandstand) and opposite Crossway and Sweetingham Way.

Ethel Gloves' parent company in the USA, Mechanix Wear have decided to build on last year's success with a modified stand design to allow for maximum impact on this new corner position. We will also be launching an exciting new range of gloves in fabrics licensed from the Victoria & Albert Museum as part of their 'The Cult of Beauty' exhibition featuring fabric designs from the aesthetic movement in Britain (1860 - 1900). I will blog about these gloves in future weeks.

This year's Chelsea Flower Show promises to be a classic with the return of Cleve West, one of my favourite garden designers (and a guest blogger on this site) and a 'must see' for any Chelsea visitor. Also showing a garden at Chelsea 2011 are our friends at Bulldog Tools with their first ever garden; designed by RHS show regular, John Wheatley.

I will be back with more postings on developments as the date of the Chelsea Flower Show draws nearer (and more musings on garden tools)!

To visit the Chelsea Show, buy tickets at: www.theticketfactory.com/rhs/online/

Thriving in 2011

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 19:47:00 +0000

Like many e-commerce companies, Quality Garden Tools is committed to charitable giving as an important part of their business plan. Each year all the staff decide which garden-related charity would benefit most from a gift of garden tools.

This year Thrive were the worthy recipients of a Haemmerlin twin wheeled wheelbarrow and some long handled hand tools.

Thrive are a small national charity founded in 1978, using gardening to improve the lives of disabled people. Their activities focus on promoting the benefits of gardening to both individuals and organisations, as well as teaching techniques and practical applications so that anyone with a disability can take part and enjoy gardening. Research underpins Thrive's work to provide evidence and improve understanding.

They realise that gardening can help individuals accomplish a wide variety of things. It helps rebuild people's strength after illness or an accident and can provide purposeful activity to someone coping with a difficult period in their life. The HQ near Reading in Berkshire has a walled garden, classrooms, orchard, offices, small shop, greenhouse, polytunnels, vegetable beds, wildlife garden and much more.

Quality Garden Tools founder, Dominic Elsom presented the new tools to the staff and clients at Thrive and got to see first hand the great facilities and services that are on offer. Dominic was particularly impressed with how enthusiastic all the clients were and at the high levels of horticulture practised by them. Along with general gardening tasks like planting and weeding there is tuition on propagation, use of garden and power tools and grow your own food production. The photo on this page shows Dominic from www.qualitygardentools.com, Sue Tabor from Thrive and the Thrive gardeners with the new tools.

Thrive is a great gardening charity that deserves gardener's support - so why not take a look at their website and make a donation?

Visit the Thrive website at: www.thrive.org.uk

Happy 2011

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 21:31:00 +0000

Quality Garden Tools have asked me to convey their thanks for all the business you have given them over the last twelve months. Although 2010 was not an easy year for many UK businesses, Quality Garden Tools still managed to increase sales and add new products to their ever expanding range.

The high point of 2010 was definitely the Certificate of Merit we received for our Ethel Gloves stand at The Chelsea Flower Show in May (and to meet the queen!).

There will be new Ethel Gloves arriving in the new year including a breathable, knitted, 'dipped' glove and Ethel's first ever leather glove which will make a luxurious addition to the range.

The Fat Gardener's garden is currently (still!) under about 4 inches of snow, despite the supposed thaw in the South East of England. The trees and bushes are now pretty much snow-free, but with the ground still pretty frozen (although we did get 5°c today) I am not really doing much gardening.

All of us at Quality Garden Tools wish you a very happy and prosperous 2011 and hope to be able to recommend many new garden tools over the coming year.

To see the current Ethel Gloves range please visit: www.ethelgloves.co.uk

When the Bough Breaks

Sat, 18 Dec 2010 15:37:50 +0000

A quick posting for those of you whose trees, like mine (see the photo taken chez Fat Gardener this morning) are covered in snow.

The weight of snow on branches is (along with strong wind) a major cause of tree damage during the Winter months. Although individual flakes of snow may seem very light, the accumulated weight of hours of snowfall can become very heavy.

Damage is normally by way of a snapped limb, but if you are really unlucky the branch may 'strip' the bark down the trunk causing long term problems.

The solution is to wrap up warm and venture out into the cold. Using a good heavy duty broom (just one of many use adaptations for garden tools!) you can remove much of the heaviest snow from lower branches. Remember however, to use the broom to push the branch up dislodging the snow - do not pull down as this may add to the pressure on the branch, breaking it.

So remember your plants and you can go outside and enjoy the picturesque Winter scene without losing the shape of any painstakingly pruned trees and shrubs.

You can comment on this or any other posting at: info@qualitygardentools.com

Garden Tool Awards 2010

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 13:09:01 +0000

After all the excitement of the 'industry awards' still reverberating around the horticultural trade, it is time for the latest (and most important!) prizes to be announced. These Fat Gardener Garden Tools Awards aim to reward those tool manufacturers who invest in the highest standards of manufacture, making tools that are up to the job they are designed for and most importantly, liked by me! I test 100s of tools every year and these are the select few that have really impressed me over the last 12 months.

• The best ‘new’ garden tool award goes to Roughneck for their great 27" Micro Shovels – perfect for fitting in the car boot or by the front door, just in case you get snowed in!
• The ‘value for money’ tool award is awarded to Okatsune for their Japanese made Thinning Shears (priced at just £7.21) which I carry in my pocket all the time.
• The pruning tool award goes to Silky Saws for their range of Hayauchi Long Reach Pole Saws – so much longer (up to 6.3m) and stronger than all other brands of saw.
• The best digging tool award is again won by Bulldog Tools (the undisputed kings of all things digging!) for their Premier Tree Planting Spade – a very useful thin bladed spade which I use for planting hedge whips and bulbs as well as trees!
• The best cultivating tool award is awarded to Fiskars for their ever popular Swoe – it is strong yet light for hoeing in difficult to reach areas.
• The best gardening power tool award goes to ECHO for the HCA265ES 25.4cc Long Reach Petrol Hedgetrimmer which features an easy start system and is incredibly reliable – I use mine a lot and wouldn't be without it.
• The best children’s garden tool award is won by Bulldog Tools for their beautifully Forged Children's Spade – definitely not a toy and just like grandad's!
• The most innovative tool award is awarded to Bosch for their Ciso Cordless Secateurs – integrated lithium-ion 3.6v battery powering 500 cuts per charge on branches up to 14mm in diameter. Much copied but not equalled for ease of use and consistent performance.
• The best garden accessory award goes to Nutscene for their Garden Twine – made in Scotland since 1922, the twine is biodegradable, natural and comes from sustainable sources, you should never be in the garden without it.

Finally, (as always) are the 'blue ribbon' awards:

• Best garden tool for 2010 is awarded to Tina for the 605 General Pruning Knife, quite simply one of the best tools a gardener can own, they last for years and are manufactured to the very highest quality standards.
• Best garden tool manufacturer for 2010 is once again awarded to Silky Saws who continue to make great quality saws and give excellent levels of availability and top customer service.

The champagne has been drunk, the post-ceremony cigars smoked and all that is left for me to do is congratulate the winners and hope that runners-up will continue to improve the quality and value of their garden tools and accessories in 2011.

All these ‘award winning’ garden tools (plus many more) can be purchased at: www.qualitygardentools.com

Gardeners' Merry-Go-Round

Sat, 11 Dec 2010 17:50:00 +0000

This week saw another change in the line up of the BBC's flagship garden programme, Gardeners' World.

The new series will begin on BBC2 in the Spring. Back come the king of corduroy, Monty Don and ex-ballerina Rachel De Thame and out go current host Toby Buckland and his flame-haired side kick Alys Fowler.

On 7th December the BBC's press office released the following from Alison Kirkham, Commissioning Editor, Factual Features and Formats: "I'm delighted to welcome Monty back and I really look forward to seeing him sharing his expertise in his own environment. I'm thrilled viewers will learn the secrets of the garden he's spent the last two decades creating from scratch." No mention of the leaving presenters.

Toby Buckland showing characteristic magnanimity and made the following statement on his own website: "I have put years into learning the craft of gardening and it has been an absolute honour to use my skills presenting Gardeners' World for the last three series. Having had the wonderful opportunity to meet so many of the nation's gardeners has only confirmed my belief that gardening is a broad church, something that is for everybody, regardless of how much land you have or how much money you earn. When all is said and done, I stand up for the ordinary gardener and I want to say thanks to so many of you for standing up for me."

As a simple blogger and gardener I believe that Gardeners' World presenters need time to 'bed in' (if you'll pardon the gardening analogy) and always struggle against 'the greats' (Thrower, Hamilton and Titchmarsh); it is no coincidence that the longest serving manager in football's Premier League is also the most successful.

I would have liked to seen Toby stay on for at least another couple of series, giving him a chance to win over the die hard fans, some of whom have been watching for 42 years! Alys Fowler is also an exciting talent and I am sure that she will continue to attract younger gardeners to whichever other gardening series she is given in the future.

One thing is for sure, whether you are a fan of Monty and Rachel or of Toby and Alys (or you don't care either way) Gardeners' World will surely not succeed without BBC commitment to their presenters. So please stop the merry-go-round - I want to get off!

You can visit Toby's website here: www.tobybuckland.com

Garden Media Guild Awards

Fri, 03 Dec 2010 16:24:00 +0000

Not since Douglas Fairbanks hosted the first Academy Awards in 1929 has such exulted company congregated to celebrate their industry. Those attending that first Oscars ceremony would have fainted (or swooned dramatically) at the price of tickets for the Garden Media Guild 2010 awards, having paid a very reasonable $5 themselves.

Despite the cost and the Siberian climate many of the great, good and not so good of the garden media industry (plus a smattering of wealthy sponsors) gathered at the Brewery in London's glitzy Barbican for lunch and self-congratulation. Attendees were welcomed with pink fizzy wine and whilst some were smarter than others there was not a wellington boot, crumpled sunhat or dirty fingernail in sight.

This was my first year at these awards and it was a great chance to catch up with friends in convivial surroundings. At lunch I was lucky enough to be sitting next to Jodie Jones, a journalist who has worked for both The Daily Telegraph and Gardens Illustrated and Fred Foot, marketing manager at Bulldog Tools who had nominated Quality Garden Tools for an award. I also managed to grab quick chats with our very own Christine Walkden, Tamsin Westhorpe and her team (The English Garden), Andy Sturgeon (Garden Designer), Matt Appleby (Horticulture Week), Alex Denman (Chelsea Flower Show boss), Sarah Cottle (Viridis Media) and tons more who I should be able to remember. Most importantly though, I met up with legendary bloggers: Veg Plotting, Victoria's Backyard and Little Green Fingers (less well known as Michelle, Victoria and Dawn), all of their blogs are great and well worth visiting.

The awards themselves ran along familiar lines with announcement of nominees, winner fighting way up to stage, tears/laughter/shock/unconfined joy, uncomfortable photo with 'suit' from sponsoring companies, applause etc. I enjoyed it all (fab food for a Fat Gardener) although a couple of the awards were a bit mystifying, particularly Garden Publication of the Year which went to Garden News. I must say that I am sure Garden News deserved their award, but I do think it odd that the excellent The English Garden and the incredibly popular BBC Gardeners' World magazines were not even judged to be among the finalists - in my humble opinion they both deserved to be finalists. I am also not sure how The Daily Telegraph Gardening did not end up with any award - no other newspaper has made such a significant commitment to gardening journalism with many interesting articles in this weekly supplement as well as a great website as backup.

After the award ceremony I joined the guys from Bulldog Tools at the Master Gunner pub to watch the famous and infamous from the gardening media get sloshed.

Did Quality Garden Tools win their award? Sadly no, not even a mention - oh well, back to the grindstone and we'll all try even harder next year.

You can visit the Garden Media Guild here: www.gardenmediaguild.co.uk

Barrow Boys

Tue, 23 Nov 2010 15:40:00 +0000

One of the product ranges Quality Garden Tools have supported since establishing the company in 2005 is Haemmerlin wheelbarrows. Haemmerlin make really tough barrows that (like Land Rovers) get bashed and dented, but still keep going.

The new Quality Garden Tools range of Haemmerlin includes both old favourites as well as some great new barrows to suit all gardeners. The new products include:

The Haemmerlin 1041P Standard Wheelbarrow Solid Wheel and the Haemmerlin 4041P Standard Wheelbarrow Solid Wheel offer all the qualities of the standard barrows, but with a puncture proof solid wheel. Although harder to push on uneven surfaces these wheelbarrows are a welcome solution for those of us who have suffered a wheelbarrow puncture at an inopportune moment.
The Haemmerlin 5200G Yellow Pick Up Wheelbarrow is a very visible version of the ever popular green Pick Up barrow. It has all the features of its green cousin including a tray with no bolts and cut-outs for your tools, but you will never lose this one in the garden!
The Haemmerlin 1079G Clipso Wheelbarrow And Haemmerlin 4079G Clipso Wheelbarrow are the new versions of the tough Haemmerlin Optimax range. The wheelbarrows feature a really robust 'cradle' design which supports the tray all the way along its length. The Clipso is now also available with a galvanised tray as well as the standard green epoxy coated version.
The new Haemmerlin 1048G Heavy Duty Wheelbarrow is a great barrow when you have a really tough jobs to do. The 90 litre tray is a mighty 1.2mm thick to deal with the heaviest of loads including rubble and heavy garden stones and statues.

These new wheelbarrows are all discounted from the manufacturers rrp and as you will know from my previous posts I love these Haemmerlin wheelbarrows (and own three of my own!).

My favourite is the 5200G which I leave upturned all year and because of its unique design it works very well as a mobile water butt which I push to the very furthest corners of my garden that tend to stay very dry all year. This allows me to water efficiently without buying lots of extra hosepipe or investing in an expensive irrigation system.

My Haemmerlin wheelbarrows are all bent and battered, but still work perfectly - I use one of them to move large stone pots around and although the sides often get bashed in, I just bash them out again with a club hammer with no ill effects!

So if you've never tried Haemmerlin wheelbarrows before now is certainly the time to become a barrow boy or girl.

See all the Haemmerlin barrows at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/haemmerlin-wheelbarrows/wheelbarrows/viewcategory

Any Gardening Questions?

Wed, 10 Nov 2010 13:26:00 +0000

Growing your own vegetables and fruit has taken the horticultural industry by storm over the last few years. There are books, TV series, newspaper articles and even whole magazines devoted to the subject, with many garden tools and accessories companies manufacturing new products to make 'growing your own' easier. Quality Garden Tools (and the QGT blog) receive lots of enquiries from new gardeners every month, mostly asking about various gardening problems they are encountering on allotments or in their own gardens. Although we always try to help we are often so busy that we can often offer only the most general advice and encouragement.

However, help is now available! Pippa Greenwood's new website offers solutions to both those who want to grow their own vegetables for the first time and those more experienced gardeners who just want to make life easier.

Pippa trained as a botanist at Durham University, later gaining an MSc. in Crop Protection at Reading University and in 2007 was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Science by The University of Durham. She joined the staff of The Royal Horticultural Society’s Garden at Wisley in 1985, where she managed the Plant Pathology Department answering thousands of queries from gardeners every year. Pippa has offered gardening advice on many television programmes including 13 years as a presenter of the BBC's flagship garden show, Gardeners' World. Many of us also know her as a regular panellist of Radio 4's much-loved programme, Gardeners' Question Time. She writes for Gardeners' World Magazine, The Mirror newspaper and a regular blog for the BBC Gardeners' World website. Books include: New Gardener (in excess of one and a quarter million copies sold), RHS Pests and Diseases, Garden Problem Solver, Pippa’s Organic Kitchen Garden and Pippa Greenwood’s Gardening Year (to name but a few!). Her latest book is ‘1001 Ways to be a Better Gardener’ published by Mitchell Beazley.

The Pippa Greenwood website offers two main services. The Pippa Greenwood system to 'grow your own great veg' offers a selection of vegetable plants, vegetable seeds and advice from Pippa herself. Customers can select how many plants they want or simply send a voucher to a friend or family member. Every week Pippa emails clear advice specific to your crop selection and each customer can get a gardening query answered personally by Pippa. The 'Ask Pippa' service is a quick and easy way to solve your gardening problems. Depending on how quickly you want your question answered you can select from either the Rapid (2 days), Standard (5 days) or Snail (10 days) services. If by a very slim chance Pippa cannot answer your question then you will be able to ask another and every customer gets a free eBook on organic gardening.

So next time you need a gardening question answered (that isn't about garden tools) you know what to do, just ask Pippa!

Visit Pippa's website at: www.pippagreenwood.com

Bulb Planting

Sat, 30 Oct 2010 21:55:00 +0100

I am in need of a 'Fat Gardener' sized hot bath! Over the last couple of weeks I have planted more bulbs than I would care to count and am very, very sore!

Next year my garden will be boasting displays of snowdrops, native bluebells, about 6 different varieties of crocus, white and purple alliums, miniature narcissi and a number of pots and containers of tulips. To some of you this range may seem a little tame, but over the last couple of years I have tried to concentrate on rarer and less 'ordinary' bulbs and last year I was shocked by how diminished some of my 'old favourites' had become.

My life has been made much easier this Autumn by the use of a couple of great garden tools which I couldn't have survived without. The first is the Bulldog 'T' handle bulb planter, a solid forged cone design which removes a plug from the earth. You push down on the handle and tread until you are at the depth you require, pop in the bulb and replace the plug - what could be easier? The second garden tool is a Bulldog treaded tree planting spade which is also solid forged for strength, but has a very narrow blade and digs small holes for bulbs in all beds and borders.

These tools really save backs a lot of unnecessary pain and make the job a lot less arduous. In the past I have tried hand-held bulb planters which require a lot of work and an old fork handle sharpened to a point which is great for beds and borders, but is difficult to break through turf.

When planting bulbs remember to plant at the depth recommended by the nursery and to make sure the bulb is the right way up. Although most bulbs will give a good show without help, using some slow release fertilizer in the bottom of the planting hole can give you better blooms and ensure that the bulbs will bloom again next year too. If you are aiming for a 'drift' planting effect (particularly good with different coloured crocus bulbs) then remember to mix up your bulbs before planting - patches of one colour rarely look good in blocks.

A bit of hard work in the Autumn will reward you with a fantastic show in the Spring, so use Bulldog's labour-saving garden tools and you'll be finished before you know it!

Both the Bulldog Tools can be seen at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/cultivation-tools/other-cultivation-tools/viewcategory

Totally Potty

Fri, 15 Oct 2010 17:41:26 +0100

Many of our first experiences as gardeners were growing in containers. Maybe you planted a sunflower seed or two in a plastic plant pot at nursery or grew a broad bean in a see-through pot so you could see top growth and root growth simultaneously. Although container gardening is not without its problems, it can be very rewarding and add a dynamic to your plot no matter how big or small.

As the Autumn cools into Winter so many gardeners stop work and look upon the coming months as 'dead'. However, with a little effort and careful placement, pots can provide almost year-round colour and interest in your garden. My patio currently has a beautiful miniature bright red rose in flower and in a scarlet matching pot - possibly not the most tasteful or subdued colouring, but certainly a ray of sunshine on a cold dark day.

There are a huge array of plants to choose from for your Autumn and Winter pots including: roses, heathers, cyclamens, colchicums, pansies, skimmias and snowdrops. Although these plants may not survive the whole season, if you have planned carefully, deadheaded and chosen brightly coloured pots this should see you through to the new year early bloomers like snowdrops. You can also create a better display by grouping differently sized pots together and trailing ivy over the edges of containers which will give them an 'aged' look and can be used to cover the sides of less attractive pots.

Essential garden tools for fans of container gardening include a compost scoop which will allow you to fill your pots quickly and easily. A good trowel with a narrow blade is perfect for digging holes for planting and as deadheading will always prolong a plant's flowering, you will also need some good snips/scissors to remove dead blooms.

So this Autumn and Winter try going 'totally potty' and bring some colour into your life and into your garden.

If you have any suggestions or comments for The Fat Gardener, please email him at: info@qualitygardentools.com

No Business Like Show Business

Tue, 05 Oct 2010 22:12:07 +0100

For the last few weeks I have been spending much of my time in the car. No, I haven't been forced by the economic downturn to become a minicab driver, rather as September is the most popular month for trade shows I have been driving up and down the motorways in search of new and exciting garden products.

The IOG Saltex exhibition takes place at Windsor Racecourse and is a 'must' for all power tool fans. All the big garden power tools manufacturers attend including John Deere, Toro, Hayter, Mountfield, Echo, Honda, Stihl and Husqvarna, as well as hand tool manufacturers like Bulldog Tools. Not only are the garden tools on display, but many are available for demonstration (or to play with!). The show is great, but if you are going to attend this one make sure you have your walking boots (especially fat gardeners).

Unlike the IOG show which is aimed at grounds men, GLEE at the NEC Birmingham is for the trade only. The show is divided into 3 main halls including Hall 5 which is mainly devoted to gardening tools, accessories and equipment. Those attending include: Bulldog Tools (again!), Fiskars, Town & Country, Haws, Nutscene, Briers Gloves, Kärcher, Spear & Jackson, Flymo and Burgon & Ball. Although there are many reputable manufacturers at the show, I was often disappointed to see how many poor quality Chinese products were available. It is nice to see the latest products and innovations for the coming season on display, but I would like to see a lot less shoddy, luminous plastic and a few more garden tools and accessories built to last. This is the show where the powerful in the industry mix, where the garden media rub shoulders with the buyers and owners of big garden centres and diy superstores (plus a few unimportant bloggers!).

The APF exhibition at Cannock Chase is aimed at workers from the forestry, arboriculture and woodland industries. Although it is attended by 20,000 visitors and 250 exhibitors this show is very difficult to find - it is literally in the middle of a forest. The show has a mix of static and demonstration stands and brands include Silky Saws, ARS, Makita, Niwaki, Timberking, Stumpbusters, Husqvarna and Stihl. It is a well run show, but it is open air and covers acres of land, so walking boots and waterproofs are a must. Silky Saws have a great stand with all their models on display and knock down prices on T shirts, caps and beanies and Stihl run displays and chainsaw competitions on a large stage.

All the shows are worth a visit, particularly if (like me) you love garden tools! It is not always easy to get tickets, but online booking has made this much easier and remember always wear comfortable shoes!

You can visit the IOG Saltex website here: www.iog.org/shows-and-events/iog-saltex
You can visit the GLEE website here: www.gleebirmingham.com/
You can visit the APF website here: www.apfexhibition.co.uk/

Electrifying New Silky Saws

Fri, 01 Oct 2010 17:17:00 +0100

Regular readers of this blog will be all too aware of my admiration for Silky Saws. They are quite simply the best pruning saws on the market and are essential garden tools for any serious gardener.

One of the things I admire most about Silky Saws is their relentless programme to research, develop and improve their saws. They devote much of their time and their profits to making their products more efficient and more comfortable to use.

Quality Garden Tools have added five new products to their Silky Saw range giving their customers more choice. I managed to test these products at the recent APF Show at Cannock Chase and my thoughts are listed below:

• Gomtaro 240mm Saw - A shorter version of the bestselling Silky Gomtaro 300mm Saw. The shortened blade makes the saw more manoeuvrable and really useful for getting into small, tight spaces.
• Yamabico 330mm Saw - A new, exciting saw for the experienced user. The innovative blade has back teeth to cut the branch underside first preventing splitting and then really big teeth can easily cut through the topside of the branch.
• Silky Bigboy 360mm Folding Saw - A big saw! This saw combines the length of a fixed blade saw with the functionality of a folding saw - just watch your fingers!
• Silky Bigboy 2000 360mm Folding Saw - The curved blade equivalent of the standard Bigboy. This saw suits those of us who prefer a curved saw, but who want a longer blade with the convenience of folding.
• Silky Todoku Pole Saw - The new saw of choice for anyone working near overhead power cables. This saw has a three part fibreglass handle that can be assembled to a length of 5.75 metres. The blade is the same as the one used in the ever-popular Hayauchi pole saw.

These new saws all offer something different from the Silky Saws already sold by Quality Garden Tools. My favourites were the Bigboys which offer the cutting power of a large fixed blade saw with the convenience of a folding saw - I loved these and hope to steal one for my own use! The Todoku is also a really easy saw to use, the fibreglass handles fit together easily and whilst not insulated, Silky tell me that they are very much safer for those working near power cables.

This is certainly an electrifying new group of Silky Saws!

See the Silky Saws range at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/saws/silky-saws/viewcategory

Doctor in the House

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 20:01:00 +0100

For those of you who keenly follow 'Christine's Corner' on www.qualitygardentools.com you will know all about Christine Walkden's horticultural expertise.

Last week this expertise was recognised when Writtle College and the University of Essex conferred an honorary doctorate degree on her. Alan Titchmarsh was guest of honour at the ceremony which took place at Chelmsford Cathedral.

Christine attended Writtle College in the 1980s and has returned to the college regularly ever since as a visiting lecturer.

Everyone at Quality Garden Tools is very proud of Christine, she is a lovely lady and this honour is very well deserved.

Christine's Corner can be seen at: www.qualitygardentools.com/articles

Victoria's Secret

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 13:14:06 +0100

My August bank holiday weekend is usually spent sheltering from driving winds on a Cornish beach, enjoying mud baths at one of the now numerous (and ridiculously expensive) music festivals, or even enjoying the steel drums with fellow Rastafarians (if only I could grow that much hair!) in Notting Hill. This year however was different, on the Sunday of that weekend I decided to venture into darkest London SW18.

Blogging about garden tools has led me (often blindly) to explore quite a few new and interesting areas of gardening. One of the most worthy of these discoveries is the NGS yellow book - a publication made slightly more famous by Carol Klein and Joe Swift's BBC2 programme charting the successes/failures of various yellow book applicants. For those readers who are unaware of the NGS, they are a forum for homeowners to open up their gardens (if of a high enough standard) to the public and raise money for worthy charities.

My visit to Victoria Summerley's garden did not start well. Having parked a short walk away I was caught in what can only be described as a 'flash monsoon' which immediately soaked me to the skin and would surely have washed away all remnants of horticultural endeavour within the locale. I arrived to find a number of other visitors sheltering in Victoria's open plan living room enjoying tea and cakes (provided for a modest charge with proceeds again going to charity). Having found Victoria herself I presented her with some Victorinox garden scissors and a spool of Nutscene twine (garden tools, how imaginative!) and was treated to a personal tour of the garden which predictably was now bathed in sunlight.

The garden is an interesting one, a mixture of tropical, exotic and domestic plants which are enhanced by dramatic changes in form and scale. However, the success of the garden is as much achieved by the variety of foliage as it is by the dramatic changes in scale. Giant, spear-like plumes of Phormium, mix with fig leaves far bigger than Adam or Eve could have ever wished for, which in turn are rained on by the emerald fish of black bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra).

The main feature of the garden (and the first thing you see on arrival) is a lovely (and much coveted) pine (Pinus montezumae) whose needles resemble a time lapse photograph of water flowing over rocks in a fast flowing river. They sparkle in the sun and are under-planted with pots of miniature pine (Pinus strobus 'minima') andfieryorange dahlias. The curving, shield-like foliage of the Cannas andbananas offer great colour contrast, with maroons, smeared with scarlet, lime greens and yellow, all planted amongst deeper green leaves so as not to overwhelm the viewer. Water is provided by a still pond surrounded by Echeverias in pots and planted with spiky Japanese Rush (Acorus gramineus 'Ogon') and water lilies.

This description is all too brief and leaves out lots of plants, but as I get older my memory is beginning to fade and I have tried to relate what I think are the 'best bits' of the garden. Oh yes, I almost forgot the multi-stemmed Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus debeuzevillei), which Victoria says is much less vigorous than its cousin (Eucalyptus gunnii) and offers a little silver to the palette.

This garden is not confinable, so if you are looking for a traditional formal space, a Japanese garden, or even a tropical landscape, you will not find it here. However, if (like me!) you are prepared to be open minded and want to see some interesting plant varieties, really inventive inter-planting, riotous foliage combined with a wilful disregard for convention, but still with more than a number of traditional elements (if that's possible), then visit Victoria's secret for yourself next year.

You can read Victoria Summerley's blog at: http://victoriasbackyard.blogspot.com/

It's a Small World

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:22:00 +0100

I often get enquiries from smaller adult gardeners who have real problems finding garden tools that suit their proportions. This type of problem is one which I really enjoy helping to solve and there is much more on the market than many people realise.

Using garden tools which are too big and/or heavy can cause damage to both back and limbs and may put many off gardening completely. Selecting the right tool therefore becomes very important, especially if you are smaller than average. In this posting I have tried to choose a broad range of hand tools which are designed with smaller dimensions or are lighter without losing product quality.

A couple of years ago I was sent Bulldog Tools new shrubbery spade and fork, they are shorter, slightly smaller and lighter than a standard border spade or fork. Fred Foot, Bulldog's marketing manger explained to me at the time that these tools not only fill a gap in the market for smaller gardeners, but are also useful garden tools for taller gardeners too. Like much of the Bulldog Tools range, the shrubbery spade and fork are solid forged in England, which means that although they have reduced dimensions, the strength of the tools are undiminished.

I have also been impressed with Fiskars (previously Wilkinson Sword) range of long handled cultivating tools with very lightweight handles. The tools are still strong, but because of the reduced weight are much more manoeuvrable for smaller users. The range includes a Swoe, Dutch hoe, draw hoe, long handled fork and trowel, 3 prong cultivator and lawn rake. With all tools featuring stainless steel heads they should also last for years - I have had my Swoe for about 6 years and it still works brilliantly.

Felco offer the model 6 secateur which is specifically designed for small hands, but still offers the great quality and replaceable parts that have made Felco famous all around the world. They, along with many other manufacturers offer secateurs in smaller sizes which will be more comfortable for smaller hands. Snip style shears often offer a lightweight alternative to secateurs, utilising the increased strength of modern plastics to reduce the weight of tools. A very good example of this is the Felco Model 310 pruner which whilst not able to undertake heavy pruning is perfect for taking cut flowers, deadheading and light pruning work.

Heavy pruning creates problems with reach for the shorter gardener, but more and more often manufacturers are offering shears and loppers with extending or telescopic handles for extra height on the job. Bahco have recently added great quality loppers and hedge shears to their ranges, both equipped with telescopic handles for better reach and they are also lighter in weight to help with manoeuvrability. A new manufacturer called Samurai have also started producing both edging and lawn shears with telescopic handles, so back ache, shoulder ache and arm ache for smaller gardeners who want perfect lawns may soon be a thing of the past!

Smaller hands also need smaller gloves and for many even a size small can prove too big. This is because many glove manufacturers use a standard unisex pattern for all sizes, which means the small size is much too wide. All Ethel Gloves are made to suit ladies hands and so the size small is not only a perfect length, but is also narrower to suit a woman's hands. Briers also make their small lined hide glove extra small to accommodate smaller hands.

Taking all of the above into account perhaps it is a small world after all!

If you require any further advice on smaller tools please email me at: info@qualitygardentools.com

Power Cut

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 11:07:35 +0100

Before writing the rest of this post I have to admit I am using this blog (again) to confess to another guilty secret. It's a secret I share with a number of men (and some women) who spend more time than they should working in their gardens - and it's addictive. The sad obsession to which I refer is a love of garden machinery. Ever since I was a small (well, young) boy, the vibration in the handle of a lawnmower, the throbbing power of a chainsaw or the destructive effects of a brushcutter have given me a giddy sense of indestructibility.

With all of the above in mind I was pulsating with excitement and expectation to see (and test) the new range of garden machinery on www.qualitygardentools.com which launched this week. There are a number of new brands including: Brill, Hitachi, Makita and Billy Goat as well as the established garden tool ‘stars’ like Mountfield, Echo, Hayter, Kärcher, Bosch, McCulloch, Flymo, Black & Decker, Agri Fab and Atco.

Of particular interest to machinery ‘junkies’ is the increase in the number of Echo power tools listed by Quality Garden Tools. Echo have long been seen as leaders in the field, manufacturing machines of the very highest quality. I was particularly impressed with their chainsaws which are not only efficient, but also very reliable and well built. The Echo backpack blowers are also great and it is difficult not to feel like James Bond when you have one strapped onto your back blowing out air at 73m/sec! Brill may not be a brand known to everyone in the UK, but in Germany they are extremely popular and their lawnmowers offer high standards of manufacture at an affordable price, perfect for smaller modern gardens. The other two new brands (which need no introduction from me) are Makita and Hitachi. Having made their names supplying power tools to the building industries both companies are fairly new to the garden machinery markets, however I am very impressed by the quality of machines they are producing which would suit keen gardeners with large gardens and professionals alike.

Quality Garden Tools have also increased the range of pole saws and long reach hedge trimmers they stock as these are becoming increasingly popular in the domestic as well as the trade markets. Whilst these long reach tools certainly make life easier (I use them myself frequently) it is important to remember to always wear a hard hat when using them. Whilst I am talking about safety it is also worth mentioning ear defenders and eye protection, both of which should be worn when using any power tools in the garden along with gloves and a decent pair of boots.

If you find mowing the lawn a chore rather than a pleasure, you will be pleased to hear that the range of lawnmowers has increased to include much more of the excellent Mountfield range, with a number of new self propelled models specifically designed to make mowing easier. There are also a number of lawnmowers with rollers to give you a smart striped finish and leave your lawn looking like Wembley, Wimbledon or Lords! The new range also includes mulching mowers that will return a fine mulch back to the lawn for food. If you want a really healthy lush lawn you will need to invest in a scarifier or lawn raker to remove any dead thatch and moss, a spreader will also be useful to apply a consistent amount of fertilizer/seed/soil improver to the surface.

As with all items on the www.qualitygardentools.com website all the new garden machinery is reduced below the manufacturer's rrp - now that really is a power cut we can all enjoy!

The new garden machinery range can be seen at: www.qualitygardentools.com/power-tools/imgview

YO! Okatsune

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 17:16:00 +0100

It is very rarely that I am truly surprised by new garden tools. Manufacturers seem to spend most of their time making handles longer, tools lighter or stronger and adding the now obligatory 'soft feel' handles to their products. This week however, I was surprised not only by the quality of the new garden tools I was testing, but also by the fact there was nothing new or innovative about them!

The tools in question are manufactured by a company called Okatsune from Hiroshima in Japan who have been making sharp, tough cutting tools for over 70 years. The hardness of the blades comes from the exacting tempering process used, with blades heated to over 800°C in two stages and then cooled down in five phases following a strict time schedule. The secateurs and pruning shears have a 'V' shaped spring which distributes the load evenly over the length of the spring making for a very soft closing action which is great for repetitive use over long periods.

All the cutting tools are equipped with distinctive red & white handles which I am not completely sure about, but add a certain 'je ne sais quoi' and will certainly be visible if they are dropped! I am also told by the manufacturer that because of their unique blade design sap is drawn away from the cutting edges meaning they stay sharper for longer.

The three main products in the range are:

Hedge Shears - Okatsune shears come in two sizes; a standard pair (KST217) that are 535mm long and weigh just 800g and a long handled pair (KST230) that are 780mm and weigh 1050g.
Bypass Secateurs - Okatsune secateurs are available in two sizes; a small pair (KST101) that are 180mm and weigh 180g and a standard pair (KST103) that are 202mm and weigh 230g.
Fruit & Pruning Shears - Okatsune shears come in two styles; the fruit pruners (KST301) have short 24mm curved blades for precision removal of soft fruits and the thinning shears (KST304) that have 45mm straight blades for dead heading, light pruning and cut flowers.

Added to the quality of the Okatsune pruning tools I have been very impressed with some of the prices. The fruit and pruning shears retail for under £8.00 each and the standard secateurs are £30.00 - great value for such good quality Japanese made garden tools. The shears are more expensive, but are wonderfully light to use and their very hard, sharp blades are perfect for topiary and shaping work as well as general hedge maintenance.

So if you're interested in trying a new brand and take your pruning seriously, you can't go wrong with the Okatsune range of cutting tools.

See the whole Okatsune range here

Amazonian Adventure

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 14:24:00 +0100

This week has seen an interesting addition to the Quality Garden Tools business plan. For four years Quality Garden Tools have retailed their garden tools through their own websites: www.alantitchmarshgardentools.com, www.theenglishgarden.co.uk (Tool Shop), www.ethelgloves.co.uk and www.qualitygardentools.com (our main site). However, for the first time they have now started selling garden tools and accessories through the Amazon and Ebay websites.

Amazon and Ebay obviously lead UK markets in e-commerce, but with the specialised area of Quality Garden Tools' range it was felt that brands like Bulldog Tools and Ethel Gloves would benefit from the exposure from these other sites as well as www.qualitygardentools.com.

The 'Tech' guys at Quality Garden Tools tell me that some of the listing procedures have been a bit long-winded, but they have now got the hang of it with 58 products listed on each site and more to follow.

All this means that you can now buy your garden tools from two new sources whilst still having the confidence that the Quality Garden Tools team are looking after you. Despite all the extra work I am told that this Amazonian Adventure has been a successful one!

If you have any comments or suggestions, please email: info@qualitygardentools.com

Concept or Conceit?

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:07:00 +0100

One of the most discussed issues at the Hampton Court Flower Show over the last couple of years has been the inclusion of Conceptual Gardens alongside the more traditional show gardens. As the show drew to a close last weekend I thought it the perfect time to assess whether these gardens have any place at flower shows or would be more at home at the Tate Modern?

This year three conceptual gardens were awarded gold medals including the 'best in show' for this category, The Pansy Project designed by Paul and Tom Harfleet. This relative 'gold rush' in the conceptual category was not reflected in the show garden format which produced just one gold medallist, Reflections of Thailand - Sala Rim Nam: House by the River ably designed by James Clarke. This does not necessarily mean that the conceptual gardens were of a better overall standard than the show gardens, just that within the framework set down by the specialist judges for awards in each category, more conceptual gardens reached the highest level than show gardens.

I must admit I like looking at the conceptual gardens, most seem to me strong visual statements and although I am not sure that the quality of the planting has yet reached the level of the garden's concept or 'idea', I am certain that no gardener should be afraid of looking at something new. I am often saddened by the negative comments I hear from visitors to the concept gardens at Hampton Court, some of whom seem unwilling to embrace any change from the English gardening tradition of the early to mid 20th century. Evaluation of these gardens should surely encompass both concept and execution - for instance, would a cracked concrete pavement planted with 4,000 pansies have won best in show at Chelsea this year? Almost certainly not, but this interesting garden should be assessed in conjunction with its idea that it is 'a metaphoric reflection on the disruptive nature of homophobic hate crime on contemporary society, and The Pansy Project’s resistance to it'. In this context of evaluation these gardens bring something more akin to sculpture than traditional show gardening and at their best these gardens reflect not only raw, unrefined emotion and sensationalism, but also an underlying message. Like so much modern art these gardens are designed to shock, engage and question without reference to colour, scale, season or other of the gardener's more traditional assessment criteria.

So, good or bad I hope that these conceptual gardens are here to stay, they test our horticultural comfort zones and develop our understanding of how a garden can be used as metaphor without sacrificing beauty. Henry Moore the sculptor once said 'One never knows what each day is going to bring. The important thing is to be open and ready for it.' and I couldn't agree more.

I realise that those of you who follow this blog for expert analysis of garden tools may find this posting slightly esoteric - don't worry, normal service will resume shortly!

If you wish to comment on this posting, please email: info@qualitygardentools.com

Spade on Tour

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 21:00:00 +0100

Earlier this year I wrote about Bulldog Tools being awarded a Guinness World Record™ for the world's biggest spade.

The spade successfully debuted at this year's Hampton Court Flower Show and has now gone on tour around the UK. The spade which was manufactured by Bulldog Tools in Wigan to celebrate their 230 year anniversary weighs in at a solid 180kg and is 3.61m long.

Those of you with very good eyesight may have seen a fleeting glimpse of the spade on BBC2's Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2010 programme on Friday night - what an honour!

The spade arrived yesterday at the Plant Centre for the RHS garden, Wisley where it will stay for the whole of July. You can visit the record breaking spade for free and all are welcome to have their pictures taken with what is probably one of the world's biggest garden tools!

The Plant Centre also stocks a great range of Bulldog Premier garden tools including rakes, hoes, spades, forks, edgers and hand tools with profits from sales going back into RHS funds. Outside there is the widest range of plants I have seen in any garden centre, with great variety in almost every category particularly: Alpines, Hardy Geraniums, Clematis, herbs and trees.

Details on the RHS Wisley Plant Centre can be seen at: www.rhs.org.uk/Gardens/Wisley/Shopping---Eating/Plant-centre/About-us

Tools to Trust

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 14:37:20 +0100

Many readers of this blog email to tell me that their old fashioned garden tools are much better than the ones available in garden centres today. Often the correspondent has inherited the garden spade, fork or hoe from a grandparent or even great grandparent!

It is therefore with great pleasure that I, The Fat Gardener am able to announce that The National Trust and Bulldog Tools have joined forces to create a new range of traditional garden tools.

The National Trust was founded in 1895 by just three individuals: Sir Robert Hunter, Miss Octavia Hill and Canon Hardwicke Rawnsley. Worried about victorian industrialisation the three wished to protect and preserve the heritage of the coastlines, countryside and buildings for the people to enjoy. They now open to the public and protect over 350 gardens, historic buildings and ancient monuments. The charity are not run by the government, but have an army of some 55,000 volunteers as well as 3.6 million members, with income generated from membership fees, donations, legacies, commercial operations and pay for entry by non-members.

The challenge for the team at Bulldog tools was therefore to marry traditional British designs with modern manufacturing processes. All the spades and forks are equipped with strong, old fashioned 'boxed D' Ash handles which are designed to shape to your own hand with age and use. The tool heads are solid forged or stainless steel depending on preference, but have a real feeling of quality about them. There are also cutting tools in the range including mini pruners, secateurs and traditional topiary shears and all the tools in the range proudly carry The National Trust Logo on them.

I have often used old tools myself and it is hard to beat the feeling of dependability that an antique spade or fork gives the user. However, with many reclaimed tools costing up to £100 at garden shows around the country the new National Trust garden tools certainly offer a cost effective and high quality alternative.

These new gardening tools certainly are the 'tools to trust'!

You can see the full National Trust range here.

Fern Britain

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 15:41:00 +0100

I am a self-confessed pteridophile and I don't care who knows it. Before you rush to your telephones to report my use of this blog to discuss my unhealthy interests, it is worth knowing that a pteridophile is in fact an enthusiastic collector of ferns and related plants.

My love of ferns was surprisingly not kindled by seeing the real plants at all, but rather by a wonderful book. I am not sure if 'A Natural History Of New And Rare Ferns' by E.J. Lowe is still in print, but the 19th century version I saw at my grandfather's house was beautifully illustrated with about fifty coloured plates in every vivid shade of green. The image of the harts tongue fern (Asplenium Scolopendrium) frond was still a bright emerald over 100 years after it was printed and every pinnule of the royal fern (Osmunda Regalis) was still as sharply defined as the day the book was published. Unfortunately, this great book has disappeared (probably stolen by one of my no-good relations!) and the only copy I can find online is priced at over £500 for the original version - slightly pricey for a poor gardener/garden blogger.

Ferns have not had it easy over the years, with the fernmania of Victorian Britain leading to widespread depletion of our indigenous fern populations and near extinction of the rarer varieties. Recently, the rise in popularity of tree ferns (Dicksonia Antarctica) in the UK has lead to some environmental groups questioning the sustainability of cutting down tree ferns which may have been growing in Tasmanian forests for over 100 years.

For those of you who like the idea of adding some ferns to your garden, but are not yet ready to develop a fernery, I can thoroughly recommend the following plants which are not only widely available, but will grow very happily without much attention whilst giving your garden structure, form and (if I say so myself) a rather exotic charm!

Shuttlecock fern (Matteuccia Struthiopteris) - A great shade and rich, moist soil lover that is fully hardy and will divide easily in Spring. Large fronds uncurl to form an upturned cone of about 1m high.
Fortune fern (Cyrtomium Fortunei) - Lovely 'leafed' evergreen fern that will tolerate most soil qualities as long as the area is shaded and moist. Will grow to between 30cm and 50cm (closer to 30cm in my experience).
Wallichiana fern (Dryopteris Wallichiana) - Another shuttlecock shaped, hardy fern that does best in semi-shaded, moist, rich soil. Nicknamed 'the gorilla fern' by my daughter for the numerous thick black hairs on the stems.
Royal fern (Osmunda Regalis) - A richly deserved title for this beautifully elegant giant. Growing up to 1.8m tall this fern will only thrive in moist conditions, so next to a pond is perfect and it will add architectural quality to your whole garden.
Harts Tongue fern (Asplenium Scolopendrium) - Very underrated, but can give year round, exotic interest in any garden. The shiny, bright green fronds rise from the ground like serpents to a height of about 40cm and will tolerate drier conditions.
Japanese Painted fern (Athyrium Nipponicum) - Provides eastern promise in every frond! These lovely ferns (there are a number of varieties) give off a shimmering metallic quality which is particularly pleasing around Japanese Acers.

I hope this has wetted your appetite for all things 'fern', however I would be shirking my duty if I didn't mention that you will need some garden tools to get you started! You will need a good trowel like the Spear & Jackson Neverbend Stainless Steel Hand Trowel for planting up and the Fiskars (formerly Wilkinson Sword) Stainless Steel Swoe is the perfect garden tool for weeding around your ferns without damaging the fronds.

A wide variety of British and foreign ferns are available from: www.fibrex.co.uk and garden centres around the country.

Ethel Online

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 14:27:28 +0100

The UK Ethel Gloves website is now up and running!

The guys at Quality Garden Tools (Ethel's UK agent) now have a separate website devoted just to Ethel Gloves. Unlike the standard website which sells all sorts of garden tools and accessories, the new Ethel site is a mecca for fashion conscious fans of garden glovewear!

Ethel Gloves are known by the motto 'Fashion. Function. Protection.' and although Quality Garden Tools have now sold over 2,000 pairs in the UK they continue to be surprised by the popularity of this new range.

I love these gloves and only wish they made a pair for men!

Ethel Gloves are now available at: www.ethelgloves.co.uk

Lay it on with a Trowel

Sun, 06 Jun 2010 23:09:00 +0100

Over the last couple of months I feel as if half my life has been spent digging lots of little holes in my borders for all the plants that I've ordered, grown, been given and split. This hard work has resulted in a sore palm, wrist and elbow, mainly from striking roots, stones and even some rocks with my garden trowel.

The trowel is one of those garden tools I carry with me at all times when in the garden. I use it for all those little planting and weeding jobs it was designed for; plus many other jobs like sowing seed, distributing slug pellets, scooping compost for which it wasn't!

The essential factors I look for in a hand trowel are weight and balance. As with so many other garden tools, if your trowel feels uncomfortable then you will not enjoy using it. Other factors to think about include the handle, the tang (the bit between the handle and the blade) and the trowel blade itself. The handle should be comfortable and made of either a 'soft feel' rubber grip or a suitable hardwood. I think wooden handles are hard to beat (particularly Ash), but to ensure they do not twist, split or come off it is advisable to check they have a quality ferrule fitted. The tang will determine the 'lift' of the trowel and should not only be very strong (where it joins the blade is the trowel's weak point), but also of sufficient angle to ensure your knuckles are clear of the soil when in use. Garden trowel blades are available in a myriad of different shapes and sizes, so I recommend you go for whichever shape suits you best. I have always preferred a traditionally shaped trowel with curved sides and gently rounded front that cuts through the soil easily.

My favourite trowels are:

Bulldog Premier Tanged Hand Towel: The classic from Bulldog Tools. With an epoxy coated blade and tang and a very solid Ash handle, this trowel will last for years.
Spear & Jackson Neverbend Stainless Steel Trowel: The trowel I use. A perfectly weighted stainless steel trowel with a stocky hardwood handle that has lasted me about 6 years.
Bulldog Evergreen Transplanting Trowel: A very useful narrow tool. The rubber handle is solid yet comfortable and the narrow blade is perfect for transplanting, weeding and using in rockeries.
Spear & Jackson Traditional Long Handle Stainless Steel Trowel: For a little extra reach. A 12" long hardwood handle and stainless steel blade that is perfect for reaching into all corners of the border.
Spear & Jackson Select Stainless Steel Soil Scoop: A trowel that isn't really a trowel! A lovely scoop that is perfect for soil, bark chips, grit and compost and has a soft rubber handle.

As you use your new trowel, the blade will start to sharpen in the soil and the handle will subtly shape to fit your grip - a great gardening partnership is born!

All the trowels above and more can be seen at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/hand-tools/hand-trowels-and-forks/hand-trowels/viewcategory

By Royal Appointment?

Sat, 29 May 2010 21:01:00 +0100

Sadly, this will be my last Chelsea Flower Show post for 2010. After five fantastic (but tiring) days the show draws to a close with the traditional, frantic Saturday afternoon sell-off.

This year's Chelsea has been a real surprise for many of us who wondered if in post-recession, post-hung parliament Britain, the show might be left as a shadow of its former, colourful self. However, we needn't have worried as tickets sold out in record time and there were a number of great gardens and displays.

The eight show gardens that won gold medals were fabulous (although did the aussies put bikini-clad girls in their hot tub to hide dodgy planting or to attract the less horticultural minded of the UK's press?) and although there were no surprises the medals were well deserved. One garden which did miss out was the Naturally Norway garden designed by Darren Saines, who must have been very close to getting a gold instead of silver-gilt. In the Great Pavilion, some of my favourites included: Bowden Hostas, Burncoose Nurseries, Hardy's Cottage Garden Plants, Hippopottering Nursery, Medwyns of Anglesey, Norfield Nurseries, Plantagogo.com and Westcountry Nurseries, all winning gold.

Ethel Gloves have continued to excite the public and both the Ethel team from the USA and the Quality Garden Tools staff are thrilled by the sales and interest that Ethel Gloves is generating, even as a newcomer to the Chelsea Flower Show.

And finally...
Before I finish this posting, I can reveal that a certain royal glove wearer was spotted in front of the Ethel Gloves stand on Monday evening (see picture) - unfortunately, I cannot possibly comment on whether or not her majesty bought a pair.

Hope to see you all at the 2011 Chelsea Flower Show!

And the Winner is...

Thu, 27 May 2010 17:58:18 +0100

Firstly, I must apologise for my tardiness in keeping my comments from Chelsea up to date. Flower Show time seems to be ten times quicker than normal earth time and I have been so busy over the last couple of days I have hardly had time to breathe!

However, the news from London SW3 is good, Ethel Gloves and Quality Garden Tools continued with their highly successful first show with the presentation of an RHS award. The Ethel Gloves Stand was the deserved recipient of a 'Certificate of Merit', presented by the RHS 'for the outstanding presentation of their stand'. After years of writing about great garden tools, it is a real pleasure to be able to use this blog to congratulate Quality Garden Tools and Ethel Gloves on winning this prestigious award.

I am also pleased to let you know that our friends at Nutscene won a certificate of merit and that Bulldog Tools won a certificate of commendation - congratulations to all!

You still have time to visit the Ethel Gloves stand at Cross Way (location CW/4).

On the Hunt for a Bargain?

Mon, 24 May 2010 21:13:00 +0100

In what appears to have become a daily post from Chelsea I am happy to report that today's press day went off without a hitch. Many of the rich and famous (and some of the not so famous!) turned up today for the first look at the 2010 Chelsea Flower Show.

I was lucky enough to snap the fantastically entertaining (and genuinely nice chap), Tim Wonnacott from BBC1's Bargain Hunt posing with Dominic Elsom (Director, Quality Garden Tools) and Kimberly Cortez (of Ethel Gloves USA) on the Ethel Gloves stand. He was at the show with his charming wife who is a keen gardener herself.

Also celeb-spotted by yours truly: Ringo Starr (legend), Ben Fogle (explorer), Jamie Oliver (cook), Alan Titchmarsh (quelle surprise), Stephen Hawking (genius), Sue Barker (Racketeer), Rob Bryden (funny welshman), Andrew Marr (newshound), Clare Balding (horsey lady) and Cleve West (great gardener, great guy).

Enjoy the rest of the week!

You can visit the Ethel Gloves stand at Cross Way (location CW/4).

Madness, Mayhem and Marguerites

Sun, 23 May 2010 22:13:00 +0100

This weekend has been hectic! I volunteered to help the teams from Quality Garden Tools and Ethel Gloves with their preparations for The RHS Chelsea Flower Show - little did I know what I was letting myself in for!

The stand was built by a company of professional exhibition booth builders (The London Display Company), who managed to construct the display in just 7 hours. The rest of 'the team' were then left to merchandise the stand with gloves, planting and displays.

Planting is obviously the main attraction of any stand at the show and so Ethel have utilised four low, metre long hedges of common box (Buxus Sempervirens) planted in matt black fibreglass troughs under each of the glove displays. The main counter includes two built-in planters which display single balls of common box (Buxus Sempervirens), surrounded by cranesbills (Geranium Maculatum Album), hostas, (Hosta 'Fire & Ice') and white bacopa bajas (Sutera Bacopa Baja). The planting is very understated and designed to be clean and light without detracting from the Ethel Gloves on display - plants were supplied by Langley Boxwood Nursery and The Plant Centre at the RHS garden at Wisley.

After two days of lifting, carrying, shifting and shoving, my back, neck, arms and legs are all very tired - however, the stand looks great. Let's hope that both Ethel Gloves and Quality Garden Tools have the success they deserve.

If you are attending Chelsea, you can visit the Ethel Gloves stand at Cross Way (location CW/4).

A Top Edge

Tue, 18 May 2010 14:51:18 +0100

There can be few more satisfying sights in a garden than a neatly edged lawn. Whether abutting a path or driveway, edging a formal border or surrounding the base of a favourite tree, the pulse begins to slow and in one's mind's eye a sense of order is restored to our otherwise chaotic and troubling lives.

Although the traditional English garden is often symbolised by miles of arrow-straight lawn edges, there can be few more time consuming and frankly mind-numbing tasks for a gardener. Many of my female gardening friends often say (with a dismissive flick of the wrist) 'oh dear me no, my husband always deals with the lawn' and move on to discuss the exciting planting plans that will frame his perfectly striped, geometric efforts!

The simple garden edger (sometimes referred to as half moon edger, edging iron or edging knife) must be one of the easiest garden tools to operate. Just place on the line of the edge you wish to cut and press down hard with either your left or right foot. Some edgers (along with other digging tools) utilise a 'tread' on the top of the blade which can not only make the job easier, but also save on your gardening boots! However, although these treads can be very useful with shallow cuts, you will need an edger without treads if you intend to make deep edges as the tread will damage your lawn if you push it into the turf.

Your edger will be required to slice through the grass, its roots and the topsoil and so developing a sharp edge will certainly make life easier. I would never recommend that you manually sharpen the edge of your own lawn edger as this can weaken the blade's strength, but with regular use the edge will sharpen naturally over time and will be as good as any pre-sharpened tool.

As with all good garden tools the best edgers are solid forged and made from one piece of good steel. Bulldog Tools (as is often the case) make a very good solid forged edger which, though fairly heavy will last for many, many years. Handles are available in both the traditional 'T' (my favourite for this tool) and YD, but like a spade this will be down to your personal preference. If weight is an issue then lightweight edgers are available including one from Fiskars (the new name for Wilkinson Sword) which has a stainless steel blade and lightweight shaft - it is however worth noting that the lighter the edger, the more force will be needed to cut the turf. You may also consider that a stainless steel bladed edger is likely to reduce soil adhesion although in my experience epoxy coated tool blades perform just as well.

My own Bulldog edging iron is one of the most used garden tools in the shed and has been honed to a sharp edge over the years due to the sandy, stone filled loam in my garden.

So with England winning the ICC Twenty20 World Cup at the weekend make sure you always hit a 'top edge' in your garden!

The Quality Garden Tools range of edgers can be found at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/cultivation-tools/edging-knifes-irons/viewcategory

Countdown to Chelsea

Thu, 13 May 2010 17:34:00 +0100

We are now just 10 days from the launch of Chelsea on 24th May (for the Queen & media) and the 25th May (for the 'ordinary' people!).

There are already many of our favourite garden tools manufacturers signed up to attend as well as for the first time Quality Garden Tools who will be helping Ethel Gloves to officially launch in the UK and Europe.

Among the suppliers and manufacturers of garden tools and accessories who will be there are: Bosch Garden, Felco (including Tina Knives), Bulldog, Fiskars, Nutscene, Tubtrugs, and Spear & Jackson. Although I am sure you would wish to buy everything from Quality Garden Tools, the show gives gardeners a great opportunity to see the very latest garden products on the market.

The Ethel Gloves stand is located in Cross Way, stand CW/4 and I am told everyone is most welcome to visit!

So 10, 9, 8, ...... The 2010 RHS Chelsea Flower Show is nearly ready for blast off!

You can visit Quality Garden Tools new UK Ethel Gloves site at: www.ethelgloves.co.uk

For last minute tickets for Chelsea try: www.theticketfactory.com/rhs/online/

Time to Split Up

Sun, 09 May 2010 17:48:00 +0100

In my last posting I commented on how garden forks are one of the best garden tools for splitting perennials to give you new, free plants. This is, of course dependent on the type of plant you are dividing - some seem to break up easily whilst with a few very tough old perennials I have resorted to sawing them in half with a razor sharp Silky Saw (to no ill-effects on the part of the plant)!

Splitting or dividing plants is one of the easiest ways of getting new plants - no waiting for the germination of seeds, no complex budding and grafting and no fiddly cuttings. You don't even need any expensive new garden tools, just split with a sharp spade, pull apart with two back-to-back forks, or cut up with a sharp knife or pruning saw (my mother uses an old bread knife!).

There is much debate regarding when in the year is best to divide plants. I have tried a number of tactics all of which seem to work, with the only negative occurring if you split a plant in bloom (although even this does not seem to harm growth in the following season). The plants I tend split most often are hardy geraniums, hostas, peonies, Irises, Agapanthus, Sedums, Primulas and grasses. I normally split the plants every 3 to 4 years because I have found that this gives them enough time to establish and do well before congestion causes a 'drop off' in performance.

The most important advice I can give when dividing your plants is to ensure that new plants are very well watered in - please ensure that you don't allow your newly split plants to dry out.

So please take this as a horticultural 'Dear John' letter - it's time to split up!

Garden Forks can be found here: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/forks/viewcategory

For Fork's Sake!

Fri, 30 Apr 2010 18:48:00 +0100

Please excuse the 'risqué' title - it must be the joys of Spring coursing through my tired, snow shrunk veins!

The humble fork is one of the 'essential' tools for the garden, they can be used to dig, weed, aerate, backfill, split, rake and lift. I use my old fork almost every day I am in the garden and it works just as well as ever.

Of all garden tools, forks are very much the unsung heroes of every garden shed, but what should you look for when choosing your own fork?

Make sure the fork is the right height and weight for your comfort. This may seem very obvious, but I often see gardeners (even the old 'pros' on TV) using tools that are completely the wrong size for them. Remember you will be using your fork a lot so make sure it's comfortable.
Buy a fork with a quality ash handle. Ash is a very strong timber, but with just a small amount of flexibility which is perfect for digging tools. Make sure the grain on the front of the fork handle is straight, running north to south and not an open grain which will reduce the handle strength.
Try and find a solid forged tool. Solid forged forks have much stronger tines and sockets than conventional forks. All four tines should be drawn from one piece of metal as welded prongs will twist and bend much more quickly than those that are solid forged.
Tines should be strong with a very slight flex. Most fork tines should be square for strength (this does not apply to potato forks which have flat tines) with sharp prongs that break the ground easily. If the tines are too flexible they will bend and if they are totally rigid they will snap.

Choosing the right fork will of course not be quite so easy if you are looking for a specialised fork. A rose fork, potato fork, manure fork, compost fork or lawn spiking fork should be selected on a combination of brand and quality. Look for British made products like Bulldog Tools, which have a great reputation for build quality and should with normal use last for many years.

One of my favourite forks is a very small fork which is only about 5" wide and is perfect for forking over small beds, splitting overgrown perennials and aerating small areas of lawn. It is a Bulldog shrubbery fork which sells for £35.34 on the Quality Garden Tools website, but is worth its weight in gold and I would defy any serious gardener not to love it!

As with all garden tools I have to offer a health warning - fork prongs are very sharp and really hurt when you stick them into your foot (I know!). So be careful and for fork's sake choose the right fork for you!

Our range of forks can be found here: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/forks/viewcategory

Preparations for Chelsea 2010

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 15:43:00 +0100

I can today confirm that Quality Garden Tools will be helping to launch Ethel Gloves at this year's Chelsea Flower Show. The show has become the most important gardening event of the year, with many grower's and garden designer's financial success dependent on what medal they receive from the RHS judges.

Fortunately, commercial concerns showing products in the tradestand areas of the show are not judged as critically as the show gardens, but high standards still apply. The RHS show guide for tradestand exhibitors is a mighty tome stretching to well over 100 pages and includes every possible detail an exhibitor may need to know. As with all public events health and safety regulations are overwhelming and much effort is made to ensure the wellbeing of all visitors to the show.

The Ethel Gloves stand is located at Cross Way (just off Eastern Avenue) stand number CW/4 and the whole Ethel Gloves range will be on 'show' (excuse the pun!) on a brand new stand made for the event.

As I have mentioned before in this blog Ethel Gloves are designed to perfectly fit a women's hands. Based in California, Ethel Gloves manufacture gloves purely for ladies, paying particularly attention to textile design - this has been recognised by the Victoria & Albert Museum who now stock the Ethel Gloves range in their museum shop. Technically, the gloves are designed to snugly fit the contours of a woman’s hands; all the palms and fingers are covered in synthetic suede which lasts up to four times longer than leather but is just as comfortable. The fingers are also reinforced for strength, but still offer excellent 'feel' and have rubberised grips and extended cuffs. The gloves are all machine washable, so however dirty they get they look as good as new next day! The gloves truly uphold Ethel's motto of 'Fashion. Function. Protection.'

Quality Garden Tools are very proud to have been chosen as Ethel Gloves UK agents and will be staffing the Chelsea stand along with representatives from Ethel Gloves who will be flying in from California. If you are attending the show (and you should be!), please feel free to call in at the stand between Tuesday 25th and Saturday 29th May - you will be made most welcome.

On the technology front, the new www.ethelgloves.co.uk website is almost finished and should also be launched around the time of Chelsea.

You can see Quality Garden Tools range of Ethel Gloves at: www.qualitygardentools.com/gardening-accessories/gardening-gloves/ethel-gloves/viewcategory

Tickets for the Chelsea Flower Show can be purchashed here: www.rhs.org.uk/Shows-Events/RHS-Chelsea-Flower-Show/2010/Tickets

A Bloggers Paradise?

Tue, 13 Apr 2010 17:14:00 +0100

In one of my previous postings I listed a group of gardening related blogs that I could recommend to keen gardeners (may I assure you that this list did not only contain blogs about garden tools!). Garden blogs are a great way to find out about other peoples gardens and how they have successfully (or not so successfully) rectified the same horticultural problems that you have encountered in your own backyard. You can also borrow (steal) lots of design & planting ideas and learn about new and interesting plants that will work in your area of the world.

Recently I found (almost by accident) a website that herds together lots of garden related blogs in one place - a garden bloggers paradise! The site is called www.blotanical.com and you can visit, read, review and generally 'nose around' loads of good (and not so good) garden blogs from around the world. Having visited the site and added The Fat Gardener's QGT Blog to the list I thought I would add to my recommendations of October last year.

The additional blogs that I think are really worth a visit are:

• Blogging from Blackpitts. James Alexander-Sinclair's seriously funny postings about the life of a garden designer/broadcaster/writer.
• Edith Hope's Garden Journal. Beautiful gardens and fascinating garden (and social) history - great writing.
• Going to the dogs. Garden writer Martyn Cox examines garden issues and news from his base in Walthamstow.
• Victoria's Backyard. The Independent journalist Victoria Summerley's fantastic and very readable blog (check out the beautiful image of her Montezuma pine on the homepage).
• The Idiot Gardener. Anonymous trials of an inexperienced gardener. Very funny with lots of mistakes and mishaps, but nothing we haven't done ourselves!
• Hot off the Press. The Bulldog Tools blog, which whilst maybe being (ever so slightly) tools biased, has some great video of garden tools being manufactured.
• Blotanical. Listing site for thousands of garden blogs. Find blogs from all around the horticultural world - including those listed above.

I hope that all of the above help keep you entertained and are a source of inspiration and/or information over the coming Spring months, but if you don't enjoy any of them why not try writing a blog yourself - it's easier than it looks (even I can do it!).

As ever, The Fat Gardener’s posts can always be read at: www.qualitygardentools.com/blog/

Free Bulldog Tools!

Tue, 06 Apr 2010 00:18:00 +0100

I often mention on this blog which garden tools I particularly like, or recommend for use in the garden. However, this is the first time I have let my blog followers know about the location of free tools! As I have previously said (a lot!), Bulldog Garden Tools are amongst the best in the world, so this competition is well worth entering.

My friends at Bulldog Tools are offering three sets of Bulldog's finest British made tools worth £100.00 for free this Easter. All you have to do is answer the following question:- What plant or tree best represents strength and durability, and why?

I can think of at least five great trees which are strong and durable - timber has been used in the manufacture of tools for hundreds of years. If you need a bit of help (it's not really cheating!); Oak, Ash, Beech, Hickory and Rosewood are all famed for both strength and durability. It might be wise not to suggest Pansies, Snowdrops or Buttercups unless you have a very convincing argument, I know the crew at Bulldog Tools and I don't think they are Marigold or Violet fans!

Please note that this is an Easter competition and entries close 23/4/10 - so if you want to enter you need to get your skates on.

Good luck in the competition and send me an email if you win!

Enter the competition at: www.bulldogtools.co.uk/blog/102/easter-competition

Sitting on the Fence

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 16:22:00 +0100

I recently had to help my aged(ish) parents to mend the fence around their small cottage garden in Hampshire. After assessing the strength of the rotten fence posts and broken palings in a number of the panels, we decided that replacement would be better than repair.

Having removed the non-functioning fence and purchased some very reasonable new panels and fencing posts (from a well known 'out of town' retailer), we went about digging the new holes for the posts. This is a much easier job if you use a Bulldog Tools fence hole digger (like two long handled, narrow shovels facing each other) and draining shovel (with very narrow blade).

With these two great garden tools (or landscaping tools to be more exact!) I made light(ish) work of the post holes (almost 2 feet deep each) and filled them with the slow curing concrete mix, adding the fence posts (spirit level and tape measure essential!) as I went. You can, if you wish to reduce your environmental impact use a Bulldog Tools post driver to push the fencing posts straight into the ground, although I find it difficult to keep the post exactly vertical using this method. I have also found that even treated fence posts rot much quicker in the soil than in concrete. The posts can look just as good in the concrete if you always leave room for a collar of turf to lay up close to the post.

Fortunately, my measuring was successful and all the fencing panels fitted perfectly(ish)! It was one of the best examples of a garden job being made much easier by having the right tools - if I had used a spade to dig all those post holes I might have still been there now!

So, don't sit on the fence - build one instead!

All the tools are available at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/fencing-tools/viewcategory

Allot of Old Rubbish?

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 17:49:00 +0000

I first visited an allotment in 1979 – I was 8. I remember being struck by the neat rows of green shapes lining the plots like fat, leafy soldiers on parade. There were also irregular rows of knurled old men bent over, lovingly tending their brassicine armies. Many of these gentlemen were not only producing crops for their own table, but also for friends and relatives. The thing that stayed with me for many years however, were the wonderful Heath Robinson contraptions that had been constructed by these allotment generals; yogurt pot seed scatterers, mechanical wind powered bird scarers, tractor tyres used to raise carrots out of the range of the hated eponymous fly, refuse sacks used as potato planters, plumbing pipes to frame fruit cages, old beer glasses used as mini individual cloches and even a bicycle driven irrigation system!

The above is not designed to be the nostalgic ramblings of a bitter, fat, balding gardener on the verge of his forties, but more an exercise in contrast to the current explosion in demand for allotments.

This week the gardening world heard the extremely sad news of the passing of Geoff Stokes, the general secretary of The National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners and tireless campaigner for allotment gardening. I spoke to Geoff many times on the telephone and there was little he didn’t know about allotments, including the very complicated area of allotment law/legislation, on which he was an expert.

Ever since the late 1500s the British poor were allowed to grow vegetables on allotments near their tenanted cottages. By the Enclosure acts of the mid 1800s, over two thousand acres were already marked as ‘field gardens’, again to produce food for the poor. The Allotment Acts of 1887 and 1908 put into law the responsibility of provision of allotments by councils for their own citizens. Since the high point of 1943 where there were 1,400,000 plots the number of British allotments has dwindled to the 1996 figure of 297,000 (although this will have almost certainly dropped again during the last decade).

With the roots of allotmenteering deeply buried in providing cheap soil to those with limited funds and no land, I wonder how today’s middle class ‘allotment land grab’ would strike the pioneers of the original allotment legislation. Ealing Council’s own report of April 2008 showed that over 50% of new plot holders fail within the first 12 months and yet there is an allotment waiting list of approximately 300 people each having to wait about 18 months before a new plot becomes available. Similarly, in December 2008 Woking Borough Council had 769 plots with 153 people on waiting lists. Have we yet reached the point where fundamental questions need to be asked about who qualifies for an allotment plot? Should families be given priority? Or perhaps the retired? Or unemployed? Should they be for people with no gardens (as was originally intended)? Or means tested? Are the plots too big? Or too small? Are allotments still a sanctuary for working men, brow-beaten by their demanding jobs and families?

With well intentioned suburban families now embracing the ‘grow your own’ explosion, are we seeing a shift in allotment culture from those original working class heroes with their ‘make do and mend’ philosophy to a media inspired, shinier sort of plot holder? Will my son’s first impressions of allotment gardening be car parks full of 4x4’s and Toyota Prius’, with brightly coloured, Boden clad families quickly transplanting newly delivered Thompson & Morgan ‘plug plants’ between violin lessons and family therapy sessions? Rather than seeing unhygienic cups of tea and greasy bacon sandwiches produced on ancient camping stoves, will my son come to think of ready-cut Waitrose carrot batons, washed down with Daylesford Organic grape juice and maybe an Oatmeal & Manuka Honey Savoury Biscuit (as an after prep school treat) as normal?

The ‘Grow Your Own’ Junta (both media and trade sponsored) have told us that many of the problems of life (obesity, healthy eating, children’s concentration, family cohesiveness, horticultural education, community spirit, etc) can all be improved by growing veg. I am sure that this ‘trend’ has helped to fuel the massive increase in allotment waiting lists with no consideration being given to those who have limited incomes and no garden.

The thing that upsets me the most though, is the disappearance of the wonderful inventions I saw on the allotment as a boy. When I recently visited an allotment in a Surrey commuter belt town, I was greeted by pressure-treated blond wood raised beds (with decorative corner finials), fruit cages with sweeping peaked roofs and Victorian ‘style’ cold frames – thousands of pounds worth of kitchen gardenalia with half a dozen rows of very ordinary looking vegetables trying to grow in the gaps! An allotment should not be a status symbol, nor should it be a place for the well-off middle classes to ‘do their bit’ for the environment. I think we need to make sure that every plot available is being used to produce good food for someone who really needs it.

You can visit the website of The National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners at: www.nsalg.org.uk

Victoria & Albert and Ethel Museum

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 10:49:00 +0000

Many of you will know that the Victoria & Albert Museum in London houses the national collection of textiles, covering a period of 2000 years. What you may not know is that Ethel Gloves are now available in the V&A shop.

New in the UK, Ethel’s gardening gloves have a proud reputation for fabric design and add some much needed glamour to the ladies gardening glove market. Let’s hope that the gloves will be a great success for both the museum and for Ethel Gloves.

You can shop with the V&A museum here.

Ethel Gloves are now available at: www.qualitygardentools.com/gardening-accessories/gardening-gloves/ethel-gloves/viewcategory and at: www.ethelgloves.co.uk

Addicted to Tools by Cleve West

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 11:35:00 +0000

I wouldn’t describe myself as obsessive but when it comes to tools there may well be something going on that’s not altogether healthy.

A well-made spade carries as much fascination for me as the flower of Michelia yunnanensis just about to burst its furry-brown indumentum (that’s a hairy casement to you and me). The sensation of a pair of loppers comfortably slicing through a one-inch woody stem is as satisfying as the smell of freshly cut grass.

Old tools carry the fascination a stage further. Well made; well used; each with its own peculiar dent, nick or scratch, they carry the ghosts, not to mention the sweat, of previous owners. But antique implements don’t always approve of being brought out of retirement. Shafts and handles tend to be more brittle and have to be used with respect if they are to last. Some that I’ve bought are never used but stored with the idea that someday I will find a suitable wall on which to display them as icons of honest hard work.

A brand new tool is always a treat and it pays to buy the best you can afford. It’s very much a personal thing so I would never buy anyone tools as a present unless I knew exactly what they needed. A tool must feel part of you; an extension of your being. The weight, height and shape all have a bearing on how comfortable or annoying a tool will be. A well-chosen tool can last you a lifetime.

Most of my time visiting garden centres is spent looking at tools rather than plants. Just the other day I was looking at a post-hole digger knowing full well that I don’t have any post-holes to dig and have no plans for any in the future either for me or anyone else. But tools, like the Sirens of Greek mythology, know the art of seduction and whisper things like “Ah yes, but look at how efficient we are.” I nod to myself thinking “yes you are a fine piece of invention, why on earth did I struggle with a spade all those years of building gardens?”

The next thing I know I’m holding it, slightly annoyed that the blades are taped up and there isn’t a patch of earth for me to dig a perfect post-hole. I set them back on the stand and consider their form before walking away. It’s a bit wanting in the aesthetic department if we’re honest and I really don’t need a post-hole digger. But it’s not finished with me yet. “OK I’m not as beautiful as the onion hoe you have in your loo at home,” (how on earth does it know that?) “But I could make light work of fencing your allotment in and keeping out all those pesky rabbits.” I have it in my hands again. Beads of sweat are now forming on my forehead and my hands are quivering as I do my best to wrench myself away. I know I don’t need it and money could be better spent on a pair of loppers or extendable pruners. “You know you want me,” it says nonchalantly knowing full well it has the upper hand.

People are looking at me now as a low, resigned moan goes on for little longer than would be considered normal in A & E let alone a garden centre. I make a last, Herculean effort to wrench myself away.
“The rabbits…remember the rabbits!!” it says panicking, “you lost half your crop of lettuce to them last summer, your carrots were a joke and this spring they’ll be multiplying like…well, rabbits. You need me!”

It has a point but at the same time it has told me exactly why I don’t need a post-hole digger. You see the rabbits live under my shed so in effect I’d be fencing them in. This is my chance. I make my way quickly to the exit, quietly pleased with this uncharacteristic measure of self-restraint but I’m stopped short of the door by another voice, this time the cashier. “So, er…shall I put that on your account then Mr West?”

I look at the post-hole digger in my hand with a mixture of contempt and unbridled joy. “Oh yes,” I say, meekly, “sorry about that…too much on my mind.” And I have. I’m thinking of my new toy, wooden posts, nails, chicken wire and how fencing the rabbits in and keeping them off other people’s plots is about as community-spirited as it gets at an allotment.

See? I needed it after all.

Thanks to Cleve for being our first ever 'Guest Blogger'. You can check out Cleve's website at: www.clevewest.com

Great Loppers

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:42:00 +0000

In the latest chapter of my occasional (very occasional!) series on my favourite gardening tools I will be looking at loppers.

Loppers are an interesting ‘in-between tool’ for jobs that are too small for a saw, but too big for secateurs. I use my loppers (I have about 3 sets) as much as I use my secateurs – they are great for getting low down without bending (I tend to creak) for cutting suckers on roses & trees and they are also perfect for making clean, precise cuts on the lower branches of fruit trees.

I often talk about how important it is to make neat, clean cuts on trees and shrubs so as to avoid diseases and loppers are perfect for this task. Technically loppers have very similarly shaped blades to secateurs and very similar handles to shears; this means they cut almost as precisely as secateurs, but offer more leverage and therefore more power because of the longer handles.

Because of this increase in power, branches up to 2" (50mm) can be severed relatively easily (although I tend to use a saw above 1½"). The ratchet and gearing mechanisms available in some loppers mean that thick branches can be cut with less effort and are particularly popular with older gardeners.

My pick of good loppers are:

1. Bahco P1980 Heavy Duty 800mm Bypass Loppers: The ‘daddy’ of all loppers. Cuts branches up to 2" (50mm) with aluminium handles and heavy duty cutting head. Suitable for prolonged use and tough jobs – these Bahco loppers won’t ever let you down!
2. Felco Bypass Loppers Carbon Fibre Handles: A very good idea from one of the best name in gardening tools. These loppers cut branches up to a diameter of 35mm, but the strong, light carbon fibre handles are interchangeable – long or short for different tasks.
3. Spear & Jackson Razorsharp 21" Geared Bypass Loppers: Heavy duty loppers with ‘a bit of help’. Although not light, these loppers have a geared mechanism decreasing the effort needed to cut. The large cutting head is PTFE coated to reduce friction and aid cleaning.
4. Bahco PG19 Expert Bypass Telescopic Loppers: Get some extra reach. These great quality loppers have extendable handles that with just a quarter turn increase the handle length from 60cm to 90cm. The extra reach is particularly useful for pruning low tree branches.
5. Bulldog Bypass Ratchet Lopping Shears: Best loppers for value. Bulldog’s ratchet action loppers can cut branches up to 4" thick and also have handy extending handles. These loppers are particularly good for those of us who aren’t as strong as we used to be!
6. Bahco P1660 600mm Bypass Loppers: The loppers I use. No fuss, no gimmiks, just a really great set of traditional loppers. Not to heavy, the length is just right for jobs above my head and at ground level (I try to avoid bending if possible!) and I keep them razor sharp.

As long as you keep the blades clean and sharp, your loppers will be one of the best garden tools in the shed.

All the above loppers can be seen at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/loppers/viewcategory

Ethel Gloves Now Available in the UK!

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:32:00 +0000

The Ethel has landed! I got a very excited email from the Quality Garden Tools office this afternoon announcing that the new range of Ethel Gloves are now available in the UK.

Ethel have developed their designs around the motto ‘Fashion. Function. Protection.’ and aim to not only protect women’s hands, but also to offer great ‘feel’ for the wearer as well as fashionable fabric design and colour co-ordination so that you always feel great wearing them.

Because I knew the gloves were arriving I had already sent ‘trial samples’ to many of the women in my life: My wife, daughter, mother, sister-in-law, sister-in-law’s neighbour and mother-in-law’s best friend. The response has been 100% positive from the gals, but I am still not satisfied as none of the sizes fits me (Ethel only currently manufacture ladies gloves). This means I cannot put the gloves through my own rigorous testing and have to rely on the testament of others (not easy for a closet control freak!).

What I can tell you about the gloves (priced at £12.99 per pair) is very impressive. They feature breathable two-way stretch fabric backs which not only keep hands cool and dry, but also ensure the gloves snugly fit the contours of a woman’s hands. All the palms and fingers are covered in synthetic suede which lasts up to four times longer than leather but is just as comfortable. The fingers are also reinforced for strength and have rubberised grips and extended cuffs.

The gloves come in both traditional fleur-de-lis and checked patterns and also more contemporary patterns inspired by snakeskin and seaweed. The suede palms also come in contrasting and complementary colours, but don’t worry about ruining them in the garden – all Ethel Gloves are machine washable!

Children are not forgotten either, with a couple of classic fleur-de-lis patterned gloves (£9.99 per pair) that are just the same as Mum’s grown-up versions.

My favourite glove in the range is the Rose gauntlet (priced at £21.99 per pair) which is made of snag resistant ballistic nylon keeping hands cool, dry and protected. Unlike other brands’ bigger leather versions, these gauntlets are light and close-fitting making them more touch responsive.

When I was asked to write about a range of gardening gloves for women I greeted the task with some trepidation, not to say a little scepticism, but I have learned a lot – mainly that women get much better deal when it comes to choosing decent gloves for gardening in!

Ethel Gloves are now available at: www.qualitygardentools.com/gardening-accessories/gardening-gloves/ethel-gloves/viewcategory and at: www.ethelgloves.co.uk

Try to Find a Happy Media

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:49:00 +0000

Last week the cream of British gardening media descended on the RHS Lawrence Hall in Vincent Square, London to hear about which garden tools, plants, accessories, machinery, seeds and other horticultural sundries would be ‘on trend’ in 2010.

The Garden Media Guild ‘Press Event’ is always a warm and friendly event (despite tons of snow for the last 2 years!), with much catching up, back slapping and general industry ‘chat’. Many of the attendees are ‘serious’ gardeners themselves and demonstrated this by wearing woolly hand-knitted angora jumpers, tousled twig-laden hair, muddied designer wellies and other items of ‘gardener’s chic’.

The ‘form’ is that manufacturers and suppliers line the impressive art-deco hall and wait, ready to pounce on the unwitting journalists walking around. Many of the exhibitors are well known names like Unwins Seeds, Bulldog Tools, Hilliers, Fiskars, Bosch Garden Tools, Haddonstone, Avon Bulbs and many more – all keen to show off new and exciting products.

This year I managed to meet up with many of ‘the great and the good’ of British gardening journalism, including the lovely Christine Walkden who is currently starring in ‘an evening with Christine Walkden’ touring theatres around the country. For details of venues and ticket availability please click here. Lila Das Gupta (a star) was also at the event; enthusiastic and knowledgeable about everything and loved by all (including me!). I also bumped into Adam Pascoe (a seriously nice guy) who is editor of Gardener’s World magazine, Helen Yemm (Telegraph), Cinead McTernan (The English Garden) and saw the fabulous Pippa Greenwood in the distance (running away?!) as I left.

Many of you will not be surprised to find out that the main trend in garden products for 2010 is ‘Grow Your Own’ and companies will continue to cash in on the phenomenon sweeping the country. I spotted loads of new varieties of vegetable seeds, and interesting planting containers along with new fertilizers and composts aimed at this sector of the market.

With a free lunch for all, the Garden Media Guild ‘Press Event’ was a guaranteed success – no problem finding a happy media!

To comment on this or any other posting please email me at: info@qualitygardentools.com

The World's Largest Spade

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:35:00 +0000

Many of us struggle with standard length garden tools and have found the increase in long handled tools a welcome development to the industry. Bulldog however have taken this trend a little too far and built a spade that measures 3.61 metres/11 feet 8 inches. Obviously the spade is not designed for human use (unless you happen to be a giant!), but was built to raise money for charity.

The spade has been awarded a ‘Guinness World Record’ for being the world’s biggest spade and weighs in at 180kg. It beats the previous world record holder by over 1½ feet and marks Bulldog’s 230^thanniversary for British manufacturing. On display for the first time yesterday at the Garden Media Guild press event in London the spade was greeted with amazement by the country’s gardening media personalities (including me!).

Over the coming year the world's largest spade will travel around the country and appear at various horticultural venues such as the Chelsea Flower Show, the Eden Project, Hampton Court and the RHS gardens at Wisley. Fred Foot marketing manager for Bulldog Tools told me that he ‘hopes that this feat of British manufacturing will raise many thousands of pounds for charities in the UK.’

As everyone who reads this blog regularly will know, I like to call a spade a spade – but this really is a very big spade indeed!

To see the Quality Garden Tools range of Bulldog Tools visit: www.qualitygardentools.com

You can read about this world record spade at: www.bulldogtools.co.uk/blog/94/the-worlds-largest-spade

Silky Smooth Sawing

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 18:11:00 +0000

One of the unwelcome side effects of this month’s snowy weather was the damage that the weight of snow did to the branches of shrubs and trees. My garden was not spared this ‘treat’ and so I have spent some of this week restoring my trees to their former glory.

When limbs are broken in this ‘mechanical’ fashion, the break is very rarely clean. Rough edges and breaks become collecting areas for disease or fungi and so making a smooth, clean cut close to the trunk is essential to encourage the healing process to take place. If the branch is about 1" (25mm) I can make a very clean cut with a pair of loppers, but if the branch is thicker than this I always use a Silky Saw.

Cuts should always be made slightly above a bud, or close to the ‘collar’ (the swollen area where the branch meets the trunk). In the case of cutting back to the main stem, take care not to damage the collar as this is the area that will ‘heal over’ the cut branch. It is also advisable to make an undercut about 12" from the trunk and then an overcut, this will prevent the bark tearing and will leave you with a small stub which can be cut more precisely.

A sharp saw is essential when performing these tasks and it is worth remembering that the bigger the saw’s teeth, the faster the cut and the rougher the finish. The best pruning saws like Silky will cut on the pull stroke and eject any chips efficiently to prevent the blade from clogging.

Many of you already know how much I like Silky Saws, but I was not aware of how much other garden journalists love these Japanese saws. They have been recommended by Lila Das Gupta in Gardener’s World Magazine, were the ‘Editor’s Choice’ in a recent test in The English Garden Magazine and have been listed by the Daily Telegraph ‘Gardening’ section as a great pruning tool.

For those of you who are mourning the lost limbs of your favourite trees and shrubs, I sympathise and hope that by pruning back the branches they will flourish anew over the coming years.

Remember that all sawing should be Silky Smooth Sawing!

Silky Saws are available here: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/saws/silky-saws/viewcategory

What's Hot!

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 23:42:00 +0000

Competitions, marks out of 10 and public votes seem to have become the (unsavoury) flavour of the televisual decade. Simon Cowell seems to have gone from a man who wore his trousers higher than your grandfather to a 21st century cultural Mao, whose opinion is valued above any politician and whose image is all-pervading. In this blog posting I hope my comments will be a little kinder and less judgemental than those we have come to expect from Mr. Cowell!

Each year readers of this blog ask me which garden tools and accessories are the bestsellers at Quality Garden Tools. So, ever the people’s servant, I have managed to get hold of the ‘Hot List’ for 2009.

Quality Garden Tools have told me that this Top 10 list has been ‘averaged’ to take into account both bestsellers in volume and in sales value. Many of the tools have been previously recommended not only on my blog, but also on other websites and blogs.

So if you want to own only the most popular garden tools on the market then this is what every up-to-date garden shed should contain!

1. Bulldog Wizard Rake – This rake continues to be the most popular tool Quality Garden Tools sell. This result comes as no surprise to those of us who own this fantastic all surface rubber tined rake.
2. Kärcher K365 Jubilee Pressure Washer – A national TV campaign and great free accessories led to big sales of this pressure washer in 2009. The pricing also helped make this the best selling power tool of the year.
3. Briers Lined Hide Gloves – The first of the Briers range in this list is a classic soft, fully lined leather gardening glove, especially good during the first chilly months of the year.
4. Silky Gomtaro 300mm Saw – At last gardeners are beginning to realise how good Silky Saws really are. I have used this saw for a number years and it is so much better than anything available at your local garden centre.
5. Spear & Jackson Stainless Steel Children's Trowel & Fork Set – Really popular, with massive sales in the last few weeks before Christmas. A great present for any junior allotmenteer or gardener!
6. Briers Children’s Rigger Gloves – Always a good seller, these rugged rigger style gloves protect little hands and offer great value for money (especially if being bought with pocket money).
7. Bulldog Pedigree Stainless Steel Digging Spade – An essential garden tool that looks and feels great. The stainless steel blade ensures that soil does not stick and the Ash handle adds strength.
8. Haemmerlin 5200G Pick Up Wheelbarrow – Regular readers of this blog will know how I feel about this great wheelbarrow. All I can say is if you haven’t already bought one, why not!
9. Toro Super Electric Blower Vac – This is one of only two power tools on the list. Voted as a ‘Which?’ magazine choice, the sales of this blower vac in 2009 were more than all previous years combined!
10. Tina 605 Grafting/General Purpose Knife – A really useful tool for every gardener. This handmade, extra sharp horticultural knife will last for years and years.

All of these tools are great for both professional and keen amateur gardeners alike and are available from: www.qualitygardentools.com

The Good Book

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 17:14:00 +0000

With Great Britain ‘enjoying’ one of the coldest Winters on record, I thought it might be the perfect time to list a few books for gardeners to curl up by the fire and read.

Choosing (and reading!) good gardening books is a favourite hobby of mine – the fat gardener doesn’t just spend all his time thinking about secateurs and other garden tools! Reading is a great way to relax and improve the soul and by reading a good gardening book you can sometimes learn how to improve the soil as well!

The books I particularly recommend (in no particular order) are:

• Dear Friend and Gardener: Letters on Life and Gardening by Beth Chatto & Christopher Lloyd. This is a wonderful book by two of the world’s most brilliant gardeners.
• RHS A-Z Encyclopaedia of Garden Plants edited by Christopher Brickell. I just keep returning to this great book month after month, year after year. Two boxed volumes packed with great plants.
• The Tulip by Anna Pavord. A bestselling book, this is a work of obsession and all the better for it!
• Of Flowers and a Village: An Entertainment for Flower Lovers by Wilfrid Blunt. A lovely, perceptive book about a Surrey garden and its eccentric, but insightful owner.
• Jekka's Complete Herb Book by Jekka McVicar. Britain’s foremost herb gardener and herb expert’s guide to herb varieties and many of their uses.
• Grow Your Own Veg by Carol Klein & the RHS. Written by the doyenne of home veg production, this book is for those gardeners who have embraced the ‘grow your own’ revolution.
• Perfect Plant, Perfect Place by Roy Lancaster. The Godfather of gardeners, Roy Lancaster knows more about plants than anyone alive! This book helps us mere mortals find the right plant for every spot in the garden.
• Designing Gardens by Arabella Lennox-Boyd. Pure, unadulterated garden porn! Beautiful designs, planting ideas and garden features fill this fantastically photographed (by Andrew Lawson) volume.
• A Year in Christine's Garden by Christine Walkden. A gentle and relaxing look at what happens when a professional gardener suddenly becomes a television personality.
• Cassell's Trees of Britain and Northern Europe by John White & David More. This wonderfully illustrated book is a must-have for any tree lover.
• Plant Names Explained: Botanical Terms and Their Meaning, a Hillier Gardeners Guide. Ever wondered how and why plants are given such odd sounding names? This book explains many of those tricky Latin terms.
• Garden Tools: An Illustrated Guide to Choosing, Using and Maintaining by John Negus & Valerie Bradley. Until I write my own, the only reference book for those interested on the inside of the garden shed!

The above is not designed to be a ‘best of’ list, but simply some of the books I have enjoyed reading over the last few years. So make yourself a hot chocolate, turn up the heating and dream of Spring. Remember that many of these books will be best enjoyed ‘dipping in and out of’ not to be read in one session!

If you have any comments or suggestions about this list please email me on: info@qualitygardentools.com

Snow Place Like Home

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 13:43:15 +0000

Its days like this when you start to wonder whether the whole ‘global warming’ community have been playing a huge practical joke on us all. If you look at my garden this morning you may have just cause in worrying more about the coming of the next ice age rather than the popular theory that southern England will soon be enjoying the climate of the Mediterranean!

This is certainly not the time for me to be writing about spades, forks, secateurs or indeed any other types of garden tools – although a garden shovel would be useful for clearing snow from doors, gates, driveways and paths.

We all either enjoy the snow or loathe it, but what does it mean for our gardens? Much of the damage done to plants in this weather is mechanical – the weight of the snow can break the limbs of plants, even trees and large shrubs which can accumulate quite a lot of weight on their branches. Frost damage is another problem, with new buds and foliage being worst affected as they tend to be located on the top or on the outer margins of plants, where it is colder.

This snowy weather is not all bad for the garden with much needed moisture being added to the soil as thawing comes into effect. There are also many plants and seeds that require the changes in temperature to trigger growth from the soil in Spring, with many native seeds actually needing the frost for their germination.

I always try to take a photograph of the garden when there is fresh snowfall. I think the garden gets a fairytale quality with the structural plants giving just a hint of the garden’s shape beneath the pristine white blanket of snow. This year’s photograph is attached (taken this morning) it shows the cottage garden almost completely covered and was taken from almost the same position as the photo in an earlier posting here.

Hopefully you can enjoy your garden, even in the current snowy conditions either from the heated safety of the indoors or by building a snowman with the children outside!

The bulldog garden shovel can be found at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/cultivation-tools/other-cultivation-tools/id-BUL-7120772890/view

A New Range for the New Year

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 17:09:50 +0000

First, let me wish you all a very happy, healthy and prosperous 2010!

It is with great excitement that I write regarding a considerable commercial development for Quality Garden Tools in the New Year. Over the last year the company have been in talks with Ethel Gloves (a subsidiary of Mechanix Wear Inc), an American glove manufacturer to establish a distribution for the product in the UK.

Ethel Gloves began life on 1st April in the great (and sunny) state of California and have quickly become known in the USA as a leading brand of ladies gardening gloves. Quality Garden Tools is recognised throughout the UK and Ireland as distributors and retailers of garden tools and accessories and feel that the 3 qualities of ‘Fashion. Function. Protection.’ exemplified by Ethel Gloves will be well received by British gardeners.

The gloves are due into the UK towards the middle of February and should be available to www.qualitygardentools.com customers by the beginning of March and through select garden retail outlets shortly afterwards. The gloves are all made to fit the contours of a lady’s hand and feature durable synthetic suede palms with reinforced finger tips, rubberized grips and two way stretch fabric backs. The colours and designs bring a much needed ‘breath of fresh air’ to the garden gloves we have all got used to seeing in garden centres.

I can also confirm that in partnership with Quality Garden Tools, Ethel Gloves have applied for stand space at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show – so let’s keep our fingers crossed we will see them at Chelsea in May.

I managed to get my hands on (if you’ll pardon the pun) a few pairs of Ethel Gloves in advance and they have all been very well received by friends, journalists and most importantly my mother!

So why not join the Ethel Gloves family yourself in 2010?

You can have a sneak peek at the Ethel Gloves range at: www.ethelgloves.com

A Big Christmas Thank You

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 16:50:00 +0000

The Fat Gardener and all the team at www.qualitygardentools.com would like to wish all customers and website visitors a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

The last twelve months have been tough economically, but gardeners are a resourceful lot and the leap in popularity of ‘Grow your Own’ is testament to this. We all know that gardens are worth investing in because they repay with years of pleasure and vegetable gardens repay your investment even more quickly and with more tangible (or edible) benefits!

My blogging will continue into 2010 with lots of interesting things to write about; Quality Garden Tools will be adding some new power tools to the range, as well as one of gardening’s best loved British brands (watch this space!). There will also be the announcement of a very exciting new venture for Quality Garden Tools with a company in the USA – I will be breaking the news on this blog in the New Year.

Once again I hope you have a great Christmas and a peaceful New Year.

Send comments or questions on the QGT Blog to: info@qualitygardentools.com

A Visit to an English Garden

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 23:30:00 +0000

When one is invited to visit an English Garden, one is entitled to assume there will be flower borders, shrubs, a pond and maybe a few fruit trees and a vegetable garden. Last week I visited the offices of The English Garden magazine, a different type of English Garden admittedly, but no less interesting in its own way!

I managed to meet up with Cinead Mcternan, the magazine’s Deputy Editor who had just returned from a successful evening at the 2009 Garden Media Guild Awards. The English Garden had won two ‘gongs’; the first a ‘new talent’ award for Stephanie Mahon and also the ‘Garden Column of the Year’ for Jackie Bennett. The magazine was also short-listed for a number of other awards at the lavish ceremony.

The English Garden magazine has always been one of my favourites, with a great mix of fabulous gardens, quality advice from top writers and gardeners, beautiful photography and the best in garden tools, accessories and products. There is a US version also available with the same high levels and blend of content.

The magazine is situated in a modern, open plan office in Cheltenham whose walls are covered in a complicated mini-version of the next month’s publication, with articles and features fitting together like a jigsaw puzzle. I was introduced to some of the editorial team (sadly missing Tamsin Westhorpe, the editor) who are all rightly proud of the magazine.

Interestingly, Quality Garden Tools provide the e-commerce for The English Garden’s online tool shop and in the coming months The English Garden editorial team will be giving the site some great new seasonal tips as well as some advice on each of the featured garden tools. The tool shop will be offering some exclusive garden tool sets which should make great presents for gardeners.

If you are interested in benefitting from the excellent Christmas offers and taking out a subscription for The English Garden magazine, click here.

The English Garden Tool Shop can be visited at: www.qualitygardentools.com/english-garden/

Garden Tool Awards 2009

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 11:44:00 +0000

With the gardening industry handing out gongs for almost anything at this time of year, I thought I would add my own garden tools ‘oscars’ to this already cluttered marketplace. The criteria, voting procedures and rules for the awards are very simple: I choose whatever I like! So, without further ado…

• The best ‘new’ garden tool award goes to Spear & Jackson for their Razorsharp secateurs with interchangeable blades – perfect for those of us who still use different secateurs for different garden tasks.
• The ‘value for money’ tool award is awarded to Felco for their really useful model 310 pruning shears (currently just £8.99).
• The pruning tool award goes to Silky Saws for the amazing (and popular) Gomtaro fixed blade saw with sheath – so much better than other brands of saw.
• The best digging tool award is won by Bulldog Tools for their Shrubbery spade – a very useful miniature spade which I use constantly.
• The best cultivating tool award is awarded to Bulldog Tools for their Evergreen compost fork – it is both strong and essential for compost producers.
• The best gardening power tool award goes to Bosch for the AHS52Li 18volt cordless hedge cutter which is light and environmentally friendly without sacrificing any power.
• The best children’s garden tool award is won by Spear & Jackson for their beautifully made mini stainless steel trowel and fork set – my daughter wouldn’t be without them!
• The most innovative tool award is awarded to Haemmerlin for their 5200GG ‘Pick-Up’ wheelbarrow – so many great features I would not/could not be without it.
• The best garden accessory award goes to Briers for their fantastic Royale gauntlets – comfortable, warm and protective!

Finally, (cue drum roll and palpable sense of anticipation) my most prestigious awards:

• Best garden tool for 2009 is awarded to Kärcher for the K365 Jubilee pressure washer – a power tool which was not only hugely popular, but also well made with a fantastic range of ‘extras’ included.
• Best garden tool manufacturer for 2009 goes to Silky Saws for their faultless product quality, excellent availability and impeccable customer service.

So it just leaves me to finish my cigar, bag up my dinner jacket for another year and congratulate all the award winners for a successful 2009.

All these ‘award winning’ garden tools (plus many more) can be purchased at: www.qualitygardentools.com/

Put to the Sword

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:47:00 +0000

For many years Wilkinson Sword products have graced the shelves and display stands of our local garden centres and have become known for straddling both the keen gardener and the professional retail sectors. Their garden tools are not cheap, but do offer good value for money when you take into account the amount of innovation and design that goes into their products.

Sadly, from 2010 Fiskars will no longer use the Wilkinson Sword brand on their gardening tools and will revert back to the parent company’s name, Fiskars. With many of their products this process has already started and the black and orange is unlikely to ever bear the name Wilkinson Sword again.

Fiskars have promised to spend £2 million on marketing support over the next three years, but this is unlikely to win over all of the loyal customers who have come to recognise Wilkinson Sword as a brand they can trust and tend to associate Fiskars with the ubiquitous orange – handled scissors. On the positive side there has been almost no change to the range of garden tools Fiskars are selling, they just appear with a different label.

This follows a long tradition of British shoppers having to get used to rebranding with Marathon bars, Jif, Midland Bank, Dixon’s and Norwich Union just some of the brand names we have had to mourn in the past (Snickers, Cif, HSBC, Currys.digital and Aviva if you’re interested).

Wilkinson Sword is unlikely to be as upsetting a loss to many as some of the high street’s bigger names, but it is never the less sad to see it go even if I still get to use my PowerGear loppers, hedge shears and secateurs!

Will Wilkinson Sword’s loyal customers back the newly branded Fiskars tools or will they put them to the sword? Only time will tell.

The whole Quality Garden Tools range of Wilkinson Sword/Fiskars tools can be found here.

Santa's Little Helpers

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 14:38:00 +0000

One of the most important results of the ‘Grow Your Own’ revolution has been the ‘growing’ interest in gardening for children. Many kids now know the difference between carrots and cabbages – a major step forward!

Christmas is often a time when expensive garden tools can be given as presents (either to yourself or someone else!) and anything that makes gardening easier is always a treat. My daughter’s garden tools have been a real success, not only is she often to be seen tending her own little patch, but also sometimes offers to help me with my tasks.

Remember, when choosing garden tools for children it is important to get the right kit – weak, breakable ‘toy’ tools will not allow children to develop the right skills needed for digging and cultivating and may also be dangerous if they break. Good, strong tools like Bulldog’s children’s tools are made in exactly the same way as the adult versions and will allow you to teach your protégé how to dig, weed, hoe and rake correctly.

Size is also important when it comes to children and very large, heavy spades and forks are likely to strain any child trying to use them and not only will this put them off gardening (possibly forever), but it may also cause injury. Children have small hands, so hand tools such as trowels and weed forks should be proportionately smaller that an adult’s, not in this case because of the weight, but so that children can grip the tool safely and securely. Spear & Jackson’s stainless steel children’s hand trowel and fork set is perfect for those small planting and weeding jobs in the garden or on the allotment.

Please also remember there are bacteria populations of anything from 100 million to 3 billion per gram of soil (very few are harmful) and some areas may also have discarded glass and other rubbish lurking beneath the surface, so children should try and wear gloves when gardening (tetanus shots are painful!).

With your son, daughter, grandson, granddaughter, niece, nephew, friend, sister or brother properly kitted out and ready to garden, the gardening world is your oyster and if you take the time to show your new little helper how fulfilling growing plants and vegetables can be, then you should (all being well) have a free gardener for life!

The children’s garden tools range can be found at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/childrens-garden-tools/viewcategory

Great Garden Tools Ideas

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:22:00 +0000

When I first started writing The Fat Gardener blog during the pre-credit crunch era of March 2008, one of the Quality Garden Tools products that most surprised me was the Silky Saw. For many years I had used one of the original orange Sandvik (now rebranded Bahco) bow saws which although not great had been used regularly for 10 years without problem (please see earlier article ‘A Cut Above the Rest’). The Silky Saws are lighter, easier to use and cut much, much quicker – a pretty unbeatable combination.

This got me thinking – how many of the other garden tools sitting in our sheds should we be upgrading to make life easier? I have listed a few of my ‘most improved garden tools’ below.

• The Haemmerlin 5200G Pick-Up Wheelbarrow – This barrow not only has none of the normal, annoying bolts in the tray, but also has notches in the tray so you can carry gardening tools without them rolling off.
• Spear & Jackson Razorsharp Secateurs with Interchangeable Blades – An easy way to cut down on the amount of secateurs you carry. Whether you need anvil, bypass or snips, just change the blades.
• Wilkinson Sword (Fiskars) PowerGear Bypass Loppers – The revolutionary gearing mechanism multiplies cutting power by three times. Great if you ever struggle with meaty branches.
• Briers Lavender Washable Gardener Leather Gloves – All the strength and comfort of leather with the easy care of cotton. Just pop in the washing machine after use and tumble dry on low heat.
• Silky Saws – A fantastic improvement on standard saws with faster cutting blades and comfortable handles. For many years these Silky saws were only available to professional tree surgeons, but not any more!
• Bulldog Treaded Tree Planting Spade – Bulldog’s great new spade for planting hedges, trees and bulbs. The narrow blade is perfect to dig small planting holes even in heavy soils.
• Black & Decker Electric Lawnraker – Forget the back-breaking work of scarifying the lawn. This lawnraker is the perfect garden tool to remove the thatch of dead grass from your own lawn and leave it looking really healthy.
• Bosch Rotak 36v Lithium-Ion Cordless Lawnmower – A real innovation in cordless battery power. This lawnmower is lightweight, economical and very environmentally friendly with very consistent battery power.
• Hozelock AC+ Water Timer – Perfect for when you go on holiday, but need your precious plants and pots watered. No need to bribe the next door neighbour, this timer will ensure that when you get back your plants will still look great.
• Bosch Ciso 3.6v Cordless Secateurs – I often get asked by elderly and arthritic gardeners whether there is anything they can use to continue pruning. These cordless secateurs are rechargeable and work with a simple trigger action.

I hope the above will be useful for those of you looking to update or replace garden tools – remember, life isn’t always meant to be hard and nor is gardening!

All the above tools can be seen at: www.qualitygardentools.com

Delivering Service

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:12:00 +0000

First can I apologise for sneaking into the territory of The Fat Gardener uninvited like this. However, I thought that this might be a useful forum for me to discuss the challenges facing Quality Garden Tools (and other mail order companies) with the delivery of our products.

Quality Garden Tools use three main carriers to deliver items ordered by customers. For bulky items (mainly Haemmerlin wheelbarrows) we use Nightfreight, on a 3 – 5 day service (the quickest available). For long handled, heavy and oddly shaped hand tools like Bulldog Tools and most power tools we use UK Mail (formerly Business Post) and their 24 hour (next working day) delivery. Finally, small items like Felco secateurs, Silky Saws and Briers Gloves we use 1st Class recorded delivery with Royal Mail.

Over the last 5 years we have managed to keep our postage and packaging charges unaltered at £3.95 which we feel offers good value to our customers. The only time that this varies is with wheelbarrows, which because of their bulky nature incur a £5.00 supplement. It may be worthwhile knowing that with the exception of some of the lighter items which are posted we make a loss delivering everything else.

The recent Royal Mail strike has caused us some delays, not only with regards to the post, but also with the overworked carrier companies – so at this busy time please bear with us.

Next posting: The Fat Gardener as normal!

If you have any comments or suggestions please email me on: info@qualitygardentools.com

Gardening Blogs

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:59:00 +0100

Blogging is one of the success stories of the internet revolution. It has captured the imaginations of many ordinary (and some not so ordinary!) people around the world. You can now read a blog about almost anything – even garden tools!

Gardening has become a very popular bloggers’ topic and there are hundreds of blogs available to the intrepid (online) explorer.

Some of my favourites are (in no particular order):

• Pippa’s Gardening News. Pippa Greenwood's very useful and informative blog about all matters garden.
• Matthew Appleby’s Gardening Blog. A sometimes irreverent look at the horticultural industry.
• Veg Plotting. Prolific (and very good) blog from rural Wiltshire – recommended by everyone!
• Garden Rant. Some very cross American ladies who hate traditional gardening stereotypes.
• My Garden. The RHS community site with loads of blogs and more gardening info than you could ever need.
• In The Green House. Lila Das Gupta’s blog on all things greenhouse.
• Guerrilla Gardening. The ‘movement’ started by Richard Reynolds to illicitly cultivate neglected city space.
• My Tiny Plot. Great little blog from Bath about vegetable gardening and some cooking tips.
• Suttons Grow Your Own Club. The blog of the famous seed supplier with lots of information and not just about seeds.
• The Garden Monkey. Funny, interesting and knowledgeable blogger whose real identity is (as yet) unknown.

Hopefully the ten blogs mentioned above will give you loads of interesting garden biased information, but please don’t forget to keep reading (and writing to) The Fat Gardener – even if I only ever blog about garden tools!

The Fat Gardener’s posts can always be read at: www.qualitygardentools.com/blog/

Essential Tools for Autumn

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 22:38:00 +0100

As the leaves begin to colour, fade and fall I begin to think about the vast amount of jobs I need to do in the garden before Winter arrives.

I have written about rakes and blowers in the past and we always sell many of each during the Autumn. Blower vacs are especially popular these days as they reduce leaves into such small particles which aid their decomposition and speed up the production of a really good leaf mould compost.

It is important to rake up your fallen leaves, not only for the sake of presentation, but also because pests and diseases like to over-winter under piles of leaves. These pests include the Horse Chestnut leaf minor which are disfiguring (if not destroying) Chestnut stocks in the south of England and Photinia leaf spot.

The best rake available is the Bulldog Wizard or Merlin rake which allows the gardener to ‘sweep’ leaves on uneven surfaces like drives, paths, decking and patios whilst not damaging underlying lawns or borders. If you want a light leaf rake that will rake up large amounts of leaves then a plastic leaf rake will be the right choice particularly if it has a strong, long handle.

With cold, wet, windy weather coming, a pair of good gloves like Briers Royales will help to protect your hands (the best garden tools you own) from the elements. Gardening gloves are especially useful if you are picking up piles of leaves which may have hidden spikes in them!

Scarifying your lawn with a Bulldog Springbok rake will pay dividends in the long run, removing all the dead thatch and allowing new grass shoots to grow through in the Spring. Your lawn would also benefit from using a spiking fork to stop compaction occurring in the roots.

This time of year is when many of us decide to prune trees and hedges. Whilst I prefer to do this in the Spring, there is no denying that with fewer leaves on the trees ‘shaping’ can become a much easier task. It is important to keep any cuts you make smooth and clean. Sawing with a Silky Saw will ensure a very quick, clean cut and using the best loppers you can afford will mean that the wound on the tree will heal quicker and with less chance of infection.

Late season planting can also be effective while the soil is still warm(ish) and a good stainless steel trowel will make life much easier, whilst a strong border spade is perfect for digging bigger planting holes for shrubs.

If you look after your tools during the Autumn months they will certainly look after you and you will really reap the benefits of your hard work when Spring comes.

You can comment on this blog by emailing me at: info@qualitygardentools.com

Indian Summer

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:36:53 +0100

It is not very often in the UK that we get to celebrate surprisingly good weather. We often complain that Summers are unusually cold or Winters unusually wet, but for the weather to be helpful to the gardener is a new sensation for us all! As I write this, there is what can only be described as an azure blue sky above me and the sun is actually warm on my face. This has meant that there is very little leaf drop in the garden and I still have the colour in the borders not only of the Autumn favourites, but also some Salvias, roses and even Agapanthus to remind me of July.

The soil being warm this late in the year is allowing me to clear up some of the beds and borders without losing fingers to frostbite (always a concern). I am also not so worried about the more tender perennials being killed of by an early frost before I have time to move them under cover.

Many gardeners I speak to ‘close shop’ during the Autumn and Winter months and leave the garden alone, preferring a warm cup of cocoa in front of a warm fire. Whilst I sympathise with this point of view (especially the cocoa – I’m not called The Fat Gardener for nothing!) it is a pity to lose the months of the year when you can get many jobs done which you don’t have time to do during the growing season.

I will be writing soon on this blog about gardening jobs for the Autumn, but scarifying the lawn, mulching borders or trimming hedges are great jobs to get on with now and I promise they will ensure an even better garden come the Spring. With these three jobs in mind, if I had to recommend the essential garden tools for Autumn they would be:

1. Bulldog Springbok rake for scarifying the lawn.
2. Bulldog Compost fork for mulching the beds and borders.
3. Bahco Professional hedge shears for giving boundaries some Winter shape.

I should have probably mentioned a leaf rake – too late now, but I’m sure you have one of those already!

Enjoy what could be the last of this year’s sun and let’s hope we have an Indian Winter as well as an Indian Summer!

Quality Garden Tools Leaf rakes can be found at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/rakes/lawn-and-leaf-rakes/viewcategory

Where the Axe Falls

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:12:13 +0100

With Autumn almost here those of us with open fires start thinking about chopping up all the firewood we will need for the cold months ahead.

If you need to remove a dying or dead tree in your garden then you will probably need to use a chainsaw, but most logs can be easily reduced to a manageable size by using an axe, splitting wedge or splitting maul.

Whilst a felling axe can be used to chop a tree down, a hatchet or hand axe is normally used for reducing cut logs to kindling and taking off branches which make the logs unwieldy. I keep a very small hatchet by the fireside at home to split off combustible kindling from logs that are too big to fit into the grate.

A good splitting wedge or splitting maul is an essential tool for the amateur woodsman. Often when a large tree has been felled the timber is cut into very large logs, a splitting maul or wedge (struck with a sledge or club hammer) will allow you to quickly reduce these logs into smaller segments. The reduction in size will help in shortening the ‘drying out’ time of the timber and also reduce the chances of damp or mould affecting the wood.

Axes are precision striking tools and when you need to use them, they must be sharp. Keeping your axe sharp will require little effort as long as you are prepared to ensure that blades are not left to stand wet, are not used in soil (to remove roots) and are wiped down with an oily rag after use. Sharpening should be undertaken little and often to maintain a razor sharp edge; either a flat or curved sharpening stone will work, but I find a rectangular stone anchored to a work bench is best for me. Try to ensure that you remove any burrs on the steel blade as these, if left unchecked will cause splits along the blade’s edge.

To ensure that you do not come to any harm whilst using your axe or splitting tool you should ensure that you have some good leather gloves and at the very least are wearing goggles or safety glasses to protect your eyes from flying debris. Of all the garden tools that you own, your axe is amongst the most lethal so please be careful as fingers and toes are hard to replace!

Remember, when you sit in front of your roaring December fire all the work you did to produce the logs will be long forgotten – enjoy!

Quality Garden Tool’s range of axes and splitting tools can be seen at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/axes-and-splitting-tools/viewcategory

The Spear is Here

Sun, 06 Sep 2009 15:02:00 +0100

Earlier this year I wrote about the chance that Quality Garden Tools would be stocking products from Spear & Jacksons excellent range of garden tools. This week the first Spear & Jackson garden tools order arrived at the Quality Garden Tools warehouse ready to be despatched.

The initial range covers secateurs and other cutting tools (including the Razorsharp secateurs with interchangeable blades) and hand tools including trowels and weed forks.

I have used the same Spear & Jackson Neverbend stainless steel hand trowel and fork for about 8 years and they are still working perfectly (even though they are a little worn down!). The trowel has a gratifyingly sharp edge having been plunged into the soil many, many times and whilst I do look after my tools well they are the longest lasting trowel and weed fork I have ever owned.

Spear & Jackson’s history goes back to 1760 and they use all this experience to design and manufacture great gardening tools. Blades stay sharp for longer and tools are robust, yet easy to use and comfortable to hold. The Select range of hand tools that Quality Garden Tools are now stocking exemplify these standards with tough, easily cleaned and rust resistant mirror polished stainless steel heads and comfortable, contoured, ergonomic bi-material handles. The tools available in the select range include a weed fork, hand trowel, soil or compost scoop and a handy weeder for weeds with long tap roots.

Stainless steel tools are not now just for grown ups either, there is now a great set of children’s hand trowel and weed fork that is perfect for those who have keen gardening youngsters at home. The stainless steel heads are easy to clean and the hardwood handles are tough and hard wearing.

I am also very impressed with the larger cutting tools, particularly the ergonomic, geared loppers which reduce the workload and yet still give a very quick, clean cut. They feel solid and sturdy, but are still not that heavy because they utilise strong, lightweight aluminium in their handles. Similarly the ergonomic hedge shears have great build quality and will last well if looked after.

Hopefully the new Spear & Jackson garden tools will give Quality Garden Tools customers even more choice when it comes to choosing great tools for the garden.

You can see all the new Spear & Jackson tools by clicking here

Water Water Everywhere

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 09:32:00 +0100

We seem to be enjoying a rather dry spell at the moment – this is welcomed by sun worshippers, but is it any good for our gardens?

It is true that climate change is still much at the forefront of gardener’s minds and with the Gardener’s World programme encouraging us to plant gravel gardens each year, it is difficult to forget. However, if we are being affected by climate change at all it seems that we are more likely to ‘enjoy’ very changeable weather rather than sun-kissed Mediterranean Summers and mild Winters.

Over the years our Summer climate has been a mixture of hot sunshine mixed with showers and clouds, leading to unpredictable growing conditions for our plants. Trees particularly find it difficult to cope with long, dry spells an often exhibit premature leaf drop and patches of ‘die back’ in the top branches during very dry periods.

Many of us (like camels) have become very adept at recycling and collecting water during the ‘rainy season’ to use when the sun appears. My mother, after enjoying a relaxing bath is always keen to share the used water with her roses, delphiniums, geraniums, etc. I use my Haemmerlin wheelbarrow to collect water and then move it to inaccessible parts of the garden, using it to (slowly) fill watering cans.

Going on holiday is a particular problem for plant lovers; we are always worried that whoever we have asked to water the borders in our absence will not do a ‘proper’ job, leading to wilting blooms on our return. I am now using a Hozelock automatic water timer which allows me to set a time for watering each day and means I know that my plants will be getting some refreshment on hot days even if I’m not there. This is a very useful garden tool and fits onto my existing Hozelock system allowing water to pass only during preselected times.

Collecting rain water is the easiest way to conserve water over the Summer months and it is not too difficult (even now) to get enough rain over Spring to fill even the largest tank. Many gardeners write to me asking how to efficiently move this collected water around the garden (constantly filling watering cans is back breaking work). The easiest way to integrate this collected water into your established hose system is to buy a Kärcher garden irrigation pump, which will fit onto your standard hose and supply it with water from your water butt or tank. If you want to try something cheaper then you can purchase a small pump that attaches to your drill and will pump water when the drill is switched on.

Hopefully this advice will convince you that despite fluctuations in the British weather you can always find water, water everywhere (but I wouldn’t recommend a drop to drink!).

To find watering products visit: www.qualitygardentools.com/hoses-and-watering-systems/imgview

Glove, Glove Me Do

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 10:58:00 +0100

This Summer has seen an explosion in demand for one particular type of gardening accessories – gloves.

Quality Garden Tools have been supplying Briers gloves for almost exactly three years, but 2009 figures for the gloves show a marked increase in sales.

There are a number of reasons why gardeners use gardening gloves – not only for protection of the hands from thorns, allergies, and infections, but also to improve grip, protect nails and most important in this country, to keep hands warm! Many gardeners complain of problems with their hands cracking during prolonged spells of gardening and because soil contains so many bacteria, infection can then become a problem. Allergies to elements in soil (particularly fertilizers) seem to be becoming more common each year and for the sufferers a well fitting pair of waterproof gloves is essential to their enjoyment of gardening. When gardening at allotments, schools or public spaces gloves are essential (particularly for children) as ‘sharps’ are often concealed in the dirt and pushing your naked hand into a planting hole and encountering broken glass, a decomposing tin can or worse is not a pleasant experience.

My favourite Briers gloves include the following:

• Briers Junior Digger Glove – A great garden glove for children aged 5 to 9 years which is snug fitting with water proof fingers and palm.
• Briers Seedling Glove – A glove designed for touch and feel with non-slip rubber fingers and palm. Available in small, medium and large.
• Briers Lavender Washable Leather Gardener Glove – A leather glove that can be washed and tumble dried. Available in small and medium.
• Briers Professional Glove – A fantastic synthetic leather glove that is both tough and dextrous. Available in medium and large.
• Briers Royale Gauntlet Glove – This glove offers a combination of great protection and maximum comfort. Available in small, medium and large.

Many of the gloves I have recommended are designed for certain tasks within the garden. They will all be great for general gardening, but it may well be worth thinking about investing in more than one pair. I use a pair of gauntlets for maximum protection when I am clearing brambles or pruning roses or pyracanthas and a pair of professional gloves when I am planting or weeding. Many of us have a small spade for planting and a bigger one for digging, bypass secateurs for green wood and anvil secateurs for dry or dead wood, so why not use two pairs of gloves?

With a mesmerising range of gloves now available to British gardeners it is sometimes difficult to know what to choose when you decide your old gloves are worn out. First look at the quality of the glove – is it likely to fall apart the first time you use it? Then check the size – does it fit properly, will it rub and can you move your hand easily with it on? Lastly, look at the materials – is the fabric breathable, can you wash it or is it water proof? Answering these questions will help determine whether the gloves you are looking at will suit you.

Remember to clean your gloves after heavy use – if you love your gardening gloves they will love you back!

To see the Quality Garden Tools range of Briers Gloves visit: http://www.qualitygardentools.com/gardening-accessories/gardening-gloves/briers-gloves/viewcategory

Bring me my Spear!

Sun, 26 Jul 2009 23:13:00 +0100

It never fails to amaze me when a company or individual ‘invents’ a new garden tool or even just improves an old favourite, making life easier for all us overworked gardeners. After hundreds of years of mankind toiling in the fields as well as in the garden you might be forgiven for assuming that every kind of garden gadget that could be invented has been already.

I often get sent emails from crazy and not so crazy inventers from up and down the country asking me how they can launch their ‘wonderful’ gizmo onto an unsuspecting gardening public. However, every now and then something really interesting comes along.

Spear & Jackson’s Razorsharp secateurs with interchangeable blades are just such a product. Secateurs are one of the few garden tools that every gardener owns, but many of us don’t have just one pair. If you’re anything like me you will have a pair (or 3!) of normal bypass secateurs, a strong set of anvil secateurs, some snips, maybe even a set of pruning shears (like short scissors). The Spear & Jackson secateurs are supplied with a set of blades as standard for an rrp of £22.99 which is about ‘mid price’ for a pair of decent secateurs. However, the costs begin to tumble when you consider that the replacement blades are just £9.49 rrp each, meaning that for £41.97 you can have three great pairs of secateurs and that’s just £13.99 each!

To change the blades you just loosen the central nut with the allen key provided, remove one set of blades and replace with another – simple! The most important thing I have found is not to over tighten the central nut which means the blades start to stick, but after a couple of changes I got the hang of it and had no further problems.

Spear & Jackson have been around since 1760 so it is great to see they are still innovating 250 years later! Their name is synonymous with great quality garden tools and the Razorsharp interchangeable secateurs are sure to be a real hit with British gardeners.

At Quality Garden Tools we are always looking to improve our ranges and we are hoping that by the end of the Summer we will be able to offer Spear & Jackson garden tools to our customers.

All Show

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 21:56:00 +0100

As mentioned previously I am a great fan of the RHS show at Hampton Court. I love the relaxed atmosphere, the extra space and the effort of the organisers to innovate each year.

This year’s show took place in trying economic conditions and this was evident by the loss of The Daily Mail tent. The competition tried hard to take up the mantle, but The Daily Telegraph’s gardening theatre whilst highly informative and eminently manned by some of the best known names in horticulture was often poorly attended.

However, the economy aside I was impressed with the floral (see my last posting on this site) and rose marquees and there were still numerous exciting trade stands and nursery stands where keen gardeners could part with their hard earned cash. The weak point this year, in my opinion was the general standard of the show gardens. With some notable exceptions I thought the quality of design and planting was much weaker than last year and showed none of the inventive cost savings of this year’s Chelsea show.

Best in show went to the Winchester Growers ‘Growing Tastes Allotment Garden’ which was a beautifully planted vegetable garden – designed and planted with skill, but offering no more ideas than the average allotment. My favourite was the ‘Sandolin Nature to Nurture Garden’ by Philippa Pearson a thought provoking garden with an evident juxtaposition between the ‘natural’ wildflower meadow and the ‘nurtured’ ornamental beds planted in a wildflower meadow style. The ‘Quilted Velvet Garden’ by Tony Smith showcased 3 different plants: 30,000 miniature Oaks, 3 cedars and a row of heathers surrounding a sectioned tree trunk. This garden is a conceptual design to reflect how Quilted Velvet ‘protects and manages its forests responsibly’ (sorry if you are now feeling nauseous!). The Six Wives of Henry VIII gardens were a classic example of a good idea gone wrong. They had the look of ‘last minute’ about them and it would have been far better had the RHS commissioned one single garden to reflect all 6 wives and used an established designer and contractor.

My comments above should not detract from the huge effort that all garden designers and builders go to in constructing a show garden. The work involved is massive and almost every garden I saw at Hampton Court had something interesting in it even if the eventual finished effect was not the sum of the better parts.

If I had to offer the RHS any advice about future Hampton Court show gardens, it would be to look to the success of the Chelsea show and concentrate on a few very high quality gardens. These gardens should be innovative and exciting, packed with new ideas, but above all it should be about great plants. Extra interest is always provided by the little additions like the hanging basket competitions and the window boxes that make Hampton Court the show it is.

Remember, you can still visit the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show this weekend and decide for yourself if it is ‘All Show’.

Tickets are available at: www.keithprowse.com/hosted/rhs/

Court in the Act

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:47:51 +0100

The RHS Hampton Court flower show always attracts two things; loads of enthusiastic gardeners and rain.

So it was with sunglasses, umbrella, flip-flops, wellies, sunscreen and Beecham’s powders that I ventured into our nation’s secondary most important flower show. Fortunately I was well prepared; visitors to the show enjoyed a heady mix of downpours and warm sunshine in equal measure. However, I can never work out why it always rains when I am outside looking at the show gardens and yet as soon as I enter the floral marquee the sun beats down with unrelenting ferocity!

The Hampton Court flower show has always been used to experiment with concepts that either do not fit ideologically or geographically with the Chelsea show. Over the last few years not only have we seen the new ‘conceptual’ gardens, but also an ever increasing emphasis on organic gardening, grow-your-own and climate change.

These are all interesting developments, but I do believe that many RHS members are there to see trees, shrubs and above all, flowers. Many of the show gardens now look more like ‘show allotments’ and whilst growing fruit and vegetables has always been an important aspect of gardening and something I love to do myself, I go to the shows to see new and innovative garden designs and plants.

The floral marquees, as normal are beautiful this year, although I did miss seeing Jekka McVicar the doyenne of herb gardening and gold medal winner par excellence. Jekka has a stall selling herbs just outside the marquee, which although not quite the same as her fantastic mixed herbs exhibit of 2008, puts many of the other exhibitors to shame. I was also impressed with Jacques Amand International’s (Silver-Gilt) mini forest of Eremurus (foxtail lily) that whilst not for everyone was very striking. The Big Plant Nursery (Silver-Gilt) had a great display of Ginkgo cultivars and other rare trees & shrubs, whilst Downderry Nursery’s (Gold) lavender exhibit was stunning. Bowden Hostas and Fernatix both won Gold medals for their wonderful exhibits showing that green is the ‘coolest’ colour of all.

It does bring a small smile to my face that this is the third year in a row that sustainability, global warning and drought have been an important theme for show organisers – only to be rewarded with driving rain. We all know that the environment is a serious issue for gardeners; it’s just more difficult to concentrate on reductions in the ozone layer when you are cold and wet!

So, if you are going to the flower show this week, don’t get ‘court’ out by the weather.

Website Addresses:
Jekka’s Herb Farm: www.jekkasherbfarm.com
Jacques Amand International: www.jacquesamand.com
Big Plant Nursery: www.bigplantnursery.co.uk
Downderry Nursery: www.downderry-nursery.co.uk
Bowden Hostas: www.bowdenhostas.com
Fernatix: www.fernatix.co.uk

Tall Tales

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:12:00 +0100

I sometimes regret only making it to 5' 11". It’s not that I am short, in fact I am two inches taller than the UK average, but in the world of horticulture 5' 11" is not tall enough to prune the average hedge!

So what is available in the way of long handled and extendable garden tools?

Many hand tools come with longer handles. One of the most popular ranges has been the Bulldog stainless steel hand trowel and fork. These tools come with 12" handles so are perfect for using whilst seated or just for extending your reach a little.

Spades and forks are also available with either longer standard handles or even long 48" straight handles. Similarly some Bulldog rakes are available with extra long handles.

However, the area where extra height is needed is pruning. Whether you are carefully shaping your favourite fruit tree, trimming a boundary hedge or removing a damaged branch extra reach will be a priority.

For lower branches Bahco make some great bypass loppers with telescopic handles and in the same range the Bahco telescopic hedge shears are great for taller hedges. When the really big jobs come along, you will need an extendable lopper or saw. For great value, you could do a lot worse than use the Wilkinson Sword telescopic tree pruner and saw which reaches 2.4m and is not too heavy. But if nothing other than the highest reach is needed you should purchase a Silky Hayauchi Pole Saw with a Silky Sintung Lopper reaching up to a giant 6.3m!

If your hedge extends a bit further than average then you will need a power pole hedge trimmer. The Black & Decker cordless pole hedge trimmer offers great value and is used by Christine Walkden in her own garden. If you require a bit more power then the Husqvarna 325HE4X 24.5cc petrol pole hedge trimmer is a fantastic machine that will last for many years, even when used in the toughest conditions. Garden power tools can reduce your workload considerably and the Black & Decker cordless pole pruner is an example of this. It reaches 2.5m and will quickly and easily trim away branches up to this height.

So in future, rather than swaying at the top of a high ladder or breaking your back with a short handled garden tool, why not invest in something with a little more reach? This is not a tall tale!

All the tools mentioned and many more can be found at: http://www.qualitygardentools.com

Twitter While You Work

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 22:52:00 +0100

You can now keep up to date with everything I'm up to by checking out The Fat Gardener twitter page.

For those of you who don't know what twitter is, the best way to describe it is as a free way of keeping in touch with what people are up to. Many high profile and famous people regularly 'twitter' including: Stephen Fry, Demi Moore, Britney Spears, Jonathon Ross even newly elected President Obama used twitter in his recent presidential campaign.

I have never been a 'twitterer' before and am a bit nervous about how this will work.

Hopefully some of you will follow The Fat Gardener's progress!

Follow my progress at: https://twitter.com/thefatgardener

Shell Out for this Flower

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 17:38:00 +0100

At the end of 2008 I decided that in 2009 I would grow some plants I have never grown before.

Unfortunately many of my experiments ended in disaster, Black Arum Lilies perished followed by a number of tender Hebes. Some Paeonias refused to flower whilst others produced flowers the size of melons. Irises, lovingly and carefully planted refused to show at all – composting themselves underground.

One plant however has restored my faith in my own gardening ability. Tigridia pavonia, commonly known as the Tiger Lily or Mexican Shell flower is described by the BBC Gardeners World website as ‘barely hardy’. This does not on the face of it bode well for growing in Britain! This Mexican beauty requires high levels of sunshine and should be planted in well-drained soil, kept moist. Its bulbs need lifting at the end of summer to ensure that they do not get cold – this plant does not make it easy!

However, any difficulties with looking after the plant are compensated by the wonderful flowers which are produced during the Summer (the photo with this Blog is from my own plant). Like all the best things in life they only come through hard work and last just one fleeting day each. The orchid-like flowers come in bright shades of red, orange, yellow, white and pink delivering a touch of the exotic to your garden.

I would encourage all gardeners to push the boundaries of their expertise; it’s a great way to learn about plants and about oneself.

Tigridia pavonia can be purchased from: www.unwins.co.uk/tigridia-pavonia-mixed-peacock-tiger-flower-pid1842.html

Green Power

Sat, 13 Jun 2009 20:00:12 +0100

Green gardening is now firmly established in the country’s psyche. The BBC use organic products in all their TV shows and chemical solutions are mentioned less and less or not at all. We are also constantly told to recycle, compost, ‘grow-our-own’ and use FSC timber products.

I am a real believer in all of the above, but how many of these measures really make an impact on our environment, let alone our pockets?

For many years I have bought and used both electric and petrol powered garden tools. Battery powered electric gardening tools allowed the user to enjoy the mobility of a petrol powered tool with the convenience of electricity. However, using batteries often meant lower levels of power and ever decreasing battery performance.

Bosch Garden Tools have long been at the forefront of electric garden tool design and manufacture, but it wasn’t until 2003 that things got really exciting. This was the year they launched the Ixo drill, the first power tool on the market with lithium-ion battery technology. It proved an instant success and since then over eight million units have been sold worldwide.

Lithium-ion technology is now reasonably widespread, so what makes it so special? The main features are:
• A very high weight to power ratio.
• Very slow loss of charge when not being used.
• No reduction of charge over time (memory effect).
Along with the features listed above, lithium-ion batteries have much lower emmissions than petrol driven machines. For example, Bosch sat that a lithium-ion Bosch cordless lawnmower will emit 60g of CO2 while mowing an area of 300m², but a petrol mower cutting the same area will produce 780g of CO2 – 1300% more!

I have used a number of the Bosch range and have been really impressed with the level of power as well as the reduced weight, manoeuvrability, convenience and general ease of use. I particularly enjoyed using the hedgecutters which delayed the point when I have to stop due to arm fatigue by a good 15 minutes!

Bosch now offers their lithium-ion technology in a number of tools including: lawnmowers, hedgecutters, Ciso cordless secateurs and the Isio shape & edge. Quality Garden Tools are very excited with this range and the news that Bosch will be releasing more tools with lithium-ion technology over the coming months will be a boost for environmentally aware customers.

While many of these machines may seem initially expensive, they pay for themselves very quickly – even the 36volt lithium-ion Rotak battery only costs £0.01 to recharge. This means that a Bosch lithium-ion garden tool will start to repay its cost the minute you start using it – here’s to green power!

All our Bosch lithium-ion products are at: http://www.qualitygardentools.com/power-tools/imgview

Can You Handle It?

Sun, 07 Jun 2009 22:07:42 +0100

Most of us have broken a spade or fork handle at one time or another; it is usually during normal use and is always inconvenient.

Over a year ago Quality Garden Tools started stocking a couple of replacement fork and spade handles, which instantly became very popular. This led to many other types of replacement garden tool handles being added to the range including: pick and mattock handles, axe handles, hatchet handles, scythe handles, sledge hammer handles and various T and YD shovel and spade or fork handles.

All replacement handles should be made of Hickory or Ash, which are hardwoods with a straight grain that offers both strength and flexibility. We are now seeing low cost hardwood alternatives in the UK market, but these can be dry and brittle. Fibreglass pick and sledge hammer handles have existed for a number of years and what they lose in price they make up for in reliability – they are seriously hard to break!

Unfortunately, even though green issues seem to be at the forefront of gardening news and recycling tools should be encouraged, Quality Garden Tools find it harder with each passing year to find suppliers of handles. It is now almost impossible to find specific handles for border spades and forks which are traditionally ⅛" narrower than the standard 1⅜", this means that you will have to remove more wood to make it fit your border spade or fork.

Each year our customers ask us about the sustainability of our handles. In the case of our Bulldog tools, all handles are currently made from Grade ‘A’ German Ash certificated by the PEFC from renewable plantations. Our replacement handles are made from Hickory and Ash grown in the USA and Germany in certified mixed renewable plantations. It is particularly important to buy timber from mixed plantations as the diversity of tree species not only strengthens the timber, but can also sustain a much broader ecosystem.

Putting new handles on garden tools is nothing new and many of us have an old spade or fork which we wouldn’t be without. However, over recent months Wyevale and the RHS have been collecting broken tools which, in conjunction with The Conservation Foundation are being renovated by HMP Wandsworth and then given to London schools. This means that repairing old tools is not only environmentally sustainable, but also is going towards teaching young children how to garden.

So before you throw away that old tool think about replacing the handle – it will be as good as new and you will be helping the environment. Can you handle that?

See the whole range of Quality Garden Tools replacement handles at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/replacement-handles/viewcategory

Haemmerlin and Sickle

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 18:05:33 +0100

The hammer and sickle has come to symbolise the industrial and agricultural worker and was most famously used as the emblem of the USSR. Today, Quality Garden Tools still supply a symbol of industrial and agricultural hard work in the form of the Haemmerlin wheelbarrow.

Builders, gardeners, landscapers and agricultural workers have long relied on Haemmerlin’s single and twin wheeled barrows. They are the world’s biggest manufacturer of wheelbarrows and have been established for more than 140 years.

Most wheelbarrows that Haemmerlin produce come in a choice of an epoxy coated (green) or a galvanised (silver) tray to prevent weather damage, although the 5200G Pick Up with its plastic ‘no rivets’ tray is now our best selling barrow.

I often compare my Haemmerlin wheelbarrow to an old Land Rover that despite being battered and often repaired it keeps going! You can purchase many Haemmerlin spare parts including: handle grips, wheels, inner tubes, axles and tray fixings, which mean that your faithful wheelbarrow should last for years to come.

One question I am often asked is about the availability of a solid wheeled version of the wheelbarrows. I am happy to be able to point Quality Garden Tools customers in the direction of the Haemmerlin 1041P wheelbarrow which offers all the features of the standard garden models, but with a hard wearing solid wheel. This is particularly worth looking at if you carry very heavy objects in your barrow like grit, rocks, or garden statuary and have lumps and bumps in the garden which are likely to force the air out of a pneumatic tyre. Also if sharp grit or glass in your garden makes your current wheelbarrow prone to punctures, this is well worth looking at.

I once had the opportunity to try one of the huge Haemmerlin twin wheeled equestrian wheelbarrows at an estate in Surrey and was very impressed. The wheelbarrow’s tray was 230 litres (three times the size of a standard wheelbarrow) and although it was great for carrying large amounts of compost, it would be a little unwieldy in my smallish garden!

In recent years Haemmerlin have started to manufacture and assemble some of their wheelbarrows in the UK alongside the Chillington brand (which is also owned by Haemmerlin) from their base in Walsall. This has meant that Quality Garden Tools can offer a better service to their UK customers and delivery is now between 3 – 5 days with children’s Mini Star and Twiny wheelbarrows normally delivered in 48 hours.

My Haemmerlin wheelbarrow is one of my most used garden tools and although it is a bit bumped and battered I wouldn’t be without it.

I hope that in the future the Haemmerlin and sickle will come to be known as a symbol of the hard working British gardener!

See all our range of Haemmerlin wheelbarrows and spare parts at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/haemmerlin-wheelbarrows/viewcategory

Garden Show Gear

Wed, 27 May 2009 23:14:00 +0100

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show never fails to inspire me when it comes to its garden and plant displays, but what about all the other ‘stuff’ that fills the site? There is almost no type of garden sundry that cannot be bought at Chelsea – from tractor mowers to hygrometers and from wellington boots to bird boxes. This year I spent a couple of hours walking down Eastern Avenue assessing the garden tools and accessories on display.

Bulldog Tools have now been showing at Chelsea for four years and their products look great in one of the few planted stands (many exhibitors stands resemble Moroccan souks) in the Eastern Avenue. The new Alan Titchmarsh Garden Tools range was shown off well and was proving successful with visitors.

Wilkinson Sword continues to innovate and redesign garden tools. They are in the process of changing their name to Fiskars, but this has not stopped them continue to produce good value well made tools. PowerGear is still the easiest way to chop, prune and trim and with the new PowerStep design Wilkinson Sword’s loppers are set to be even easier on the arms!

Spear & Jackson made a very welcome return to Chelsea this year after many years of absence. Their best products in my opinion are the revolutionary ‘E’ series digging tools and my favourite tool at the show, the Razorsharp secateurs with interchangeable blades. These secateurs can be bought with standard bypass blades, anvil blades and flower snip blades giving you three different secateurs for a great price.

As always Felco showed off their great range of secateurs, loppers and knives with great success. Tubtrug (who manufacture our super-strong Gorilla Tubs) used this year’s show to launch their fully recycled Tubtrug in a range of new muted colours. Bosch, as ever had a fantastic looking stand – almost as good as some of the show gardens and packed with their great tools. The new Bosch Ciso cordless secateurs were very popular with visitors and are sure to be a massive hit.

The show as always was filled to the (metaphorical) rafters with garden lovers of all shapes, sizes, nationalities and ages. While there was a healthy smattering of £100,000 greenhouses, £25,000 statues and £2,500 plant pots, there were also 99p gloves, £1 packets of seeds and a thermometer for £2.50! The variety at Chelsea has always contributed to it being one of the best garden shows in the world.

I hope that the RHS continue to see the Eastern Avenue as an important part of the Chelsea Flower Show.

Chelsea Charms

Mon, 25 May 2009 23:22:18 +0100

If the rest of the world is in financial meltdown, then the horticultural world hasn’t heard! This year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show may have had fewer £¼ million gardens, but was none the poorer for it.

This year’s ‘Best Show Garden’ winner was The Daily Telegraph garden designed by Ulf Nordfjell. With a dark framed timber and glass building and big, rough cut granite slabs, this garden is a modern Swedish interpretation of the traditional cottage garden. The garden is stocked with Irises, Violas, Salvias, Harebells (Campanula) and tall, white spikes of Eremurus. Trees include multi-stemmed Pinus, silver-grey Pyrus and the obligatory pleached hornbeams surround the garden and offer privacy. This is a strong, unique garden deserving of its gold medal. However, it reminds me a little of a Saab motor car; esoteric, edgy design, well built, with quirky features, but perhaps trying to be just a little too ‘cool’.

My favourite at the show was the gold medal winning über relaxed Champagne Laurent-Perrier garden by Chelsea newcomer Luciano Giubbilei. This man designs gardens that look serene, but actually need huge amounts of effort to achieve the tranquil style. The structure of the garden is provided by box headed hornbeams (again!) and tiered hedges of hornbeam, yew and box along with a decorated limestone wall and water features. Box surrounded beds are filled with and edged in Alliums, Aquilegias, Astrantias, Salvias, Peonies and no less than five types of Iris. The water falls gently from square gutters and disappears between gaps in the paving beneath giving the garden a calm, laid-back atmosphere.

Other gardens worthy of special mention were the Perfume garden by Laurie Chetwood and Patrick Collins who apart from collecting a wonderful group of scented plants included one of the best structures seen at Chelsea for years; part lava lamp, part stainless steel spaceship and part wind turbine. I also loved the stylish timber wave forms that undulate through F & C’s silver medal winning wetland garden designed by Thomas Hoblyn. The Children’s Society Garden designed by Mark Gregory must feature in this blog for his practical rotary dryer cunningly hidden in the wall of the garden room – a justifiable gold for sense of humour!

Finally, this year’s Chelsea Flower Show could not be written about without mention of the James May Paradise in Plasticine ‘garden’. I have no particular opinion on giving space to this kind of exhibit and indeed it received an RHS ‘Special Letter’ (whatever that is) and a fitting plasticine medal!

With all the economic tales of doom, gardening seems to continue to bring happiness and positivity into many lives – I don’t know this for sure, but all I saw at Chelsea were sunshine and smiles!

Meeting Ethel

Sat, 23 May 2009 22:52:00 +0100

I often write about how hard we try to find exciting new garden products for Quality Garden Tools, but this year at the Chelsea Flower Show I think we have found a whole range!

Ethel Gloves have designed and manufactured a great range of stylish ladies gloves. Their motto is ‘fashion, function and protection’ and from what I’ve seen so far they deliver this ‘in spades’!

Kimberley, the Ethel Gloves senior account specialist was visiting the Chelsea Flower Show for the first time from California and took time out to meet me at the famous Chelsea bandstand.

Although only just over a year old Ethel is fast establishing itself as one of the best glove brands in the US market. The gloves are incredibly comfortable with a two way stretch fabric back, super-soft synthetic leather palm with rubberised grip, extended cuffs and reinforced fingers. For the ultimate in ease of care all gloves are also machine washable.

Many brands of gloves already available in the UK offer some protection and comfort, but I don’t think that anything available at the moment offers Ethel’s keen sense of style. From patterns like houndstooth to fleur-de-lis in colours from the coolest lemon yellow to the brightest red; these gloves are not only up to the toughest gardening jobs, but also will make any lady wearing them look and feel fantastic.

Hopefully Quality Garden Tools will be able to negotiate supply of these lovely gloves for all our UK customers. I promise to let you know of any developments as soon as I hear them myself.

Kimberley returned to the USA with no doubts of my regard for her company’s great product – who knows, next year you might be able to see Ethel Gloves on display at Chelsea itself!

You can check out the great Ethel Gloves website at: http://www.ethelgloves.com

What a Snip!

Tue, 19 May 2009 23:37:29 +0100

I wrote some weeks ago about a few of my favourite garden tools and today I am following this by writing about the UK’s best selling garden tools – secateurs.

Secateurs now come with a variety of new and traditional features including: soft grips, bypass blades, ratchet actions, revolving handles, non-stick blades, geared cutting, anvil blades, etc. However, I think the two most important features other than quality are size and weight. It is amazing how often ladies write to me saying that their hands get very tired when pruning, only to find out they are using a very large pair of heavy secateurs – often not knowing that the same brand make a smaller size.

A very good example of this are the Felco No.8 Secateurs which are often bought by smaller ladies who are then disappointed with the hand and wrist pain they experience when pruning over long periods, when the smaller and lighter Felco No.6 secateurs are very similar and would be much better for smaller hands.

Many Quality Garden Tools customers use anvil bladed secateurs which traditionally were used on dead or dry wood, but although a number of years ago these were much stronger than bypass blades, this is no longer the case.

My favourites are Bahco’s P122 Hi-Tech professional secateurs which are very light, but with very strong blades that are favoured by orchard workers on the continent. They are available in two sizes and have replacement parts.

Felco are the UK’s most famous secateurs brand and with many television garden presenters using them they have developed a well earned reputation for quality. One of Felco’s major selling points is that not only can you obtain spare parts for your secateurs, but by calling Felco’s UK agents you can arrange for them to be refurbished.

Remember to keep your secateurs sharp and clean and they will repay you by giving clean disease-free cuts for years and years – what a snip!

To contact Burton McCall (Felco’s UK agents) for refurbishment call: 0116 234 4611

Amazing Acers

Sat, 16 May 2009 20:53:00 +0100

As we enter the second half of May we start to see the beautiful Summer foliage of Japanese Maples.

Everyone is aware of the wonderful firework display of oranges, reds & yellows that Acers produce in the Autumn, but the leaves are also startling in shape and colour early in the season.

There is an Acer for almost any garden. If, like me you enjoy the smaller Acer Palmatum species, these can remain no more than a couple of feet even after many years. However, if you wish to plant a large form there are plenty that exceed 6 metres (20 feet) in height.

When planting I tend to dig a hole only slightly larger than the pot the Acer is delivered in. The main garden tool I use for planting is the Bulldog Rabbiting spade which is small and rounded to give me a straight-sided roundish hole, perfect for the new tree. The hole need not be very deep as Acer’s have a lot of surface roots and no long tap root. I always add some compost to the bottom of the hole and water the new tree liberally. It is also worth noting that Acers look fantastic and also do very well in large pots if fed and watered regularly.

Once planted, Japanese Maples are very easy to look after. Pruning can be used to remove leading shoots and restrict height or to improve shape. Also annual mulching will help improve water retention and therefore healthy growth.

Over the last couple of years I have noticed an explosion in the numbers of aphids on the underside of my Acer leaves – certain varieties like Acer Palmatum ‘Butterfly’ seem to be particularly appealing to the little blighters! These aphids are very difficult to see and have not, in my experienced hurt any of the trees they congregate on, however if they spread to other plants they may become a nuisance and you may wish to spray them early in the season.

I have a number of favourites which I would not be without, but I particularly like Acer Palmatums: ‘Ukigumo’ (almost white variegation with touches of pink), ‘Garnet’ (has leaves that look like lace and are dark red in colour), ‘Viridis’ (many cultivars of this name which form a lovely cascading mound of bright green leaves) and the wonderful gold foliage of Acer shirasawanum ‘Aureum’ makes it a justifiably popular tree in many gardens.

So try an amazing Acer – they are great for Spring, not just for Autumn!

The Bulldog Rabbiting spade is at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/cultivation-tools/other-cultivation-tools/id-BUL-5514T28N/view

The Fat Gardener & Daughter

Sun, 10 May 2009 22:05:18 +0100

This weekend my daughter planted her first garden. This was a big deal for two reasons; firstly because my daughter would be free to design her own ‘patch’ and secondly because I would have to relinquish some of my precious space!

I was keen to impress upon my daughter the importance of preparation – compulsory digging over of the patch was an unpopular, but necessary operation! Also she needed to research which plants would best suit the plot as it is sited in the dappled shade of an apple tree with protection of a hedge and walls on three sides – not easy.

My daughter was given a set of Bulldog’s children’s tools for Christmas last year and has been helping me tend the beds and borders ever since. She is never happier than when she is holding her trusty Bulldog spade! Over this time she has learned about how to plant and prune, water and feed – she is now ready to take responsibility for her own plants.

We found some great plants at the local nursery that provided the expected levels of colour whilst still being happy in semi-shade. Hardy Geraniums provide the ground cover with a standard Camellia and some Lilies giving the garden some height. To allow her some ‘changeability’ my daughter also chose some shade tolerant Impatiens and Fuchsias that could be replaced in future years.

I am now hoping that although she will have to work hard to maintain the garden’s beauty, it will be worth it and give her the same love of gardening that I have – who knows, The Fat Gardener & Daughter could become a regular article on this blog!

Bulldog children’s tools can be seen at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/childrens-garden-tools/viewcategory

Thank You

Wed, 06 May 2009 22:10:00 +0100

A big thanks from Quality Garden Tools to all our customers who helped us enjoy our best month ever in April.

The whole team at Quality Garden Tools have been much over-worked (and under-paid!) over the last month, but have still managed to get out almost all the orders on time and correct.

The two bestselling products of the month were the Kärcher K365 Jubilee pressure washer (on value of sales) and the Briers Lined Hide Gloves (on quantity of sales).

So whilst we are not sending a bottle of champagne to Gordon Brown, it is apparent that gardeners are battling through the credit crunch and are still prepared to invest in good quality garden tools for their own patch of paradise.

See what all the fuss is about, and check out the Kärcher K365 Jubilee pressure washer at: www.qualitygardentools.com/power-tools/pressure-washers/karcher-pressure-washers/id-KARK365JUBLE/view and the Briers Lined Hide Gloves at: www.qualitygardentools.com/gardening-accessories/gardening-gloves/briers-gloves/id-B0021/view.

K�rcher�s Golden Jubilee

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 12:47:00 +0100

This Spring has seen the launch of a very special pressure washer.

Kärcher launched the K365 Jubilee Limited Edition pressure washer on the 4th April 2009 with a fanfare including primetime TV advertising.

The pressure washer not only offers Kärcher’s normal high levels of performance, but is also equipped with £100.00 worth of great added extras.

The machine houses an efficient 1700 watt induction motor that generates a maximum pressure of 120bar ensuring a water flow rate of 420 litres per hour.

The standard accessories for this pressure washer surpass anything previously offered by Kärcher and include:

• Low Pressure Trigger Gun.
• Dirtblaster Lance.
• Vario Lance.
• Wash Brush.
• Universal Detergent Pouch.
• T200 Patio Cleaner.
• Hose Set:
o Tap Adapter.
o Universal Hose Connector.
o Universal Hose Connector with Aquastop.
o Spray Nozzle.
o 15m Hose.
o Hose Hanger.

This specification makes the K365 an ideal buy for someone who is new to pressure washers and wants a kit that is complete requiring no extras.

With all this in their favour, I am sure Kärcher will have a really golden jubilee!

See the Kärcher K365 Jubilee pressure washer: www.qualitygardentools.com/power-tools/pressure-washers/karcher-pressure-washers/id-KARK365JUBLE/view

The Forlawn Hope!

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 12:31:00 +0100

Well, after the wonderful March sunshine we have been treated to a wet Easter bank holiday. Despite humanity’s love of hot, sunny days I am sure mild, wet conditions are much favoured by plants. My garden is exploding into life in all areas except one – the lawn.

My house is located in a wooded area and whilst I do not require bowling green fine lawns with equidistant stripes running up and down, it would be nice to have some grass – not just a soft carpet of moss!

This year has been particularly bad as I have treated the lawn with a lawn feed/moss killer which has meant that dark patches of dead moss now predominate. I am hoping however, that by regularly treating the lawn in future I will be able to bring the ratio of grass to moss back to where it should be.

The maintenance of a healthy lawn (if not a show lawn) can be time consuming, but the results of your labour will be a lawn that everyone (including you) can enjoy. Some of the procedures which can go towards creating a great lawn are listed below, if you can manage to do even some of them you will notice the change in a matter of a couple of weeks.

Remove any large weeds. Removing the larger weeds will immediately give your lawn (and your outlook) a lift. I have some wild violets growing in my lawn which I like and I know that many gardeners like daisies and even clover showing through. So use a daisy grubber to remove what you don’t like and leave what you do like.

Aerating the lawn will allow a compacted lawn to spread and encourage new healthy root growth. This can be done very simply with a spiking fork to create small holes in the lawn or an automatic machine that will cut furrows and allow fertilizer or sand to be added.

Dethatching your lawn will remove the thatch of dead grass that builds up under the top of the turf. This will improve the quality of the ‘carpet’ of your lawn promoting new, strong growth. Dethatching can be achieved with a spring tine rake, which effectively removes thatch and moss but is hard work. The other alternative is an electric rake which achieves the same overall effect, but without the effort.

Top dressing, reseeding, and treating your lawn will all help your lawn improve, however it is always hard to distribute the product evenly over your lawn. To broadcast the seed/product consistently, a spreader will be invaluable – especially if you have a large area to cover.

I will be writing about selecting a lawnmower at a later date, but there are some general rules that should be applied to mowing a lawn. I always recommend cutting the lawn a good inch higher than you want it – removing more than a third of the leaf blade can reduce the health and density of your lawn. Do not mow wet grass – this often ‘rips’ the leaf blade and can even pull it out of the ground as well as clogging up your lawnmower.

The use of edging shears will give your lawn a neat and tidy look and reduce the spread of grass onto paths and borders. You will also need some grass shears which will help to trim grass in hard-to-reach areas of the garden as well as around the bottom of ornamental trees (grass should be kept longer here so that it does not die out).

Lastly, investing in a lawn roller will remove bumps and air pockets from your newly restored lawn giving it the flat look of a bowling green or the centre court at Wimbledon!

So don’t let a great lawn become a forlorn hope!

Please send any suggestions or comments to The Fat Gardener at info@qualitygardentools.com

A Hostage to Fortune

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 21:48:00 +0100

One of my favourite sights during April is seeing the new Hosta shoots begin to poke their heads into the warm(ish) Springtime sunshine.

I have always loved Hostas. I love the big, green leaves that give wet, shady areas of the garden a cool, relaxed look. They are undemanding (once you have the slugs under control) and have a long season from early Spring to early Autumn.

When I say Hostas are undemanding, I should qualify this by pointing out the three main Hosta enemies. The first is the slug. Slugs can be managed in many different ways as has been published for years. Some methods are more effective than others - I’m afraid I use a non-organic chemical slug killer which I have found to be the most successful slug stopper. The second enemy is the rabbit which eats young shoots. I have seen complex systems with wire netting used, but I tend to favour a cloche for early protection (as soon as the leaves open the rabbits seem to lose interest). The last enemy is mainly a problem for potted Hostas. If smallish round holes appear in the leaves of your potted Hosta, it could be the dreaded Vine Weevil – this requires immediate attention as Vine Weevil may spread to your other pot plants.

If you avoid the above you will begin to love your Hostas as I do. There is a Hosta for every garden with varying sizes, colours and shapes available. I tend to mix and match/mismatch them and not much in the garden gives me as much pleasure as those mounds of glossy, ribbed leaves in a shady corner.

Hostas are also great for mixed planting schemes with Acers, Alliums, Foxgloves, Ferns, Irises and Silver Birch looking particularly effective planted alongside them. Yellow and variegated leaved varieties also add a splash of light foliage in a border and will last the whole season.

If all the details previously mentioned haven’t convinced you to try a Hosta in your garden, then maybe this will – free plants! Every other year you can split your plants with a pair of forks (available as always from Quality Garden Tools!) and you will have twice as many Hostas. It is almost impossible to damage the plant by doing this as the roots are so fibrous and is by far the easiest way to propagate a Hosta (seeds do not come true to variety).

Don’t be a Hosta-age to Fortune (sorry!) go and buy Hosta – you won’t regret it.

Hostas are available from: www.bowdenhostas.com

Living with Pressure

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 13:29:25 +0100

March has seen some wonderful early Spring weather for most (if not all) of us. This has meant that many ‘Seasonal Gardeners’ have stepped outside earlier than usual this year.

A while ago I wrote about how useful a pressure washer is to a gardener. Obviously many of you took notice of me because Quality Garden Tools have announced record Karcher pressure washer sales this month! Interestingly the Karcher 675 machine has raced to the top of the best sellers list as it is tailor-made with gardeners in mind.

The recession has brought bad news and diminishing confidence to us all, but I am pleased that many of you have decided that a great garden boosts a feeling of well-being in otherwise worrying times.

One way to instantly improve the look of your garden is to clean your patio or decking – you may be surprised by the colour of the stone or wood beneath! Most stubborn dirt can be removed with a dirtblaster lance and then thoroughly cleaned with a special Karcher patio cleaner. Your friends will be amazed at how quickly you managed to put down your sparkling new patio and you will be the only one to know the truth!

So in these difficult economic times why not just learn to live with pressure? Invest in a Karcher pressure washer.

Karcher pressure washers can be seen at: http://www.qualitygardentools.com/power-tools/pressure-washers/karcher-pressure-washers/viewcategory

Hoze me Down!

Sat, 21 Mar 2009 21:32:00 +0000

One of my major concerns when it comes to gardening is not unduly hurting the environment. I am not an organic gardener, but I do try as much as possible to reduce any negative environmental impact I may cause.

The process of making garden hose is not environmentally friendly, which is why Quality Garden Tools are always looking to source the ‘greenest’ hose possible.

For many years we have sold Rehau watering products, which are Cadmium, Barium and Lead free, but also have reinforced hose walls and an abrasion resistant skin to stop precious water leaking away through leakage. Rehau also have a range of hard wearing brass fittings which are very long lasting and fit with other hose systems.

A number of customers have asked us in the past if we would add Hozelock products to our range – this year Quality Garden Tools have obliged and customers can now buy products from the biggest name in hoses.

The reason for this is mainly environmental. Hozelock have removed Cadmium, Barium and Lead from their hoses. They have tried with some success to reduce packaging from their products and also harvest and reuse the water at their factory sites. They have also committed to a reduction of 30% for carbon emissions from their factories by 2011.

Hozelock’s range includes great sprinklers, spray guns, hoses, fittings, reels, storage, automatic watering and hand sprays all at a discount. The popular size for fitting is still ½" and therefore fits with almost every other brand of hose on the market, this means you can mix and match your favourite hose, spray gun and reel without losing any system performance.

My advice would always be to select a spray gun with variable spray patterns. This will allow you to undertake a number of different tasks in the garden and around the house. When watering plants always water at the base of the plant not at the top and use a soft spray so you don’t remove soil from around the roots or damage stems.

With all this warm weather we are having, I am off to hose myself down!

See all our watering products at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hoses-and-watering-systems/imgview

Sunshine (for a while)

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 16:41:00 +0000

A beautiful Sunday is always a great day for gardeners, but even better when it’s in March!

I have spent today tidying up my ‘patch’. The most pressing job was to remove a dead branch from a Sweet Chestnut (Castanea Sativa I think – but could be wrong!). I hate to remove limbs from big, healthy trees, but in this case the whole limb had died suddenly leaving me with little choice. When removing a dead branch, try to cut back into living, healthy wood which is much less likely to spread disease and much more likely to heal properly and send out new shoots. I always think that if you remove a lot of wood from one side of a tree, you should try and remove a similar amount from the opposite side. This is not just for aesthetic reasons, but also to ensure the tree does not become lopsided in weight which is a cause for trees falling during storms.

I removed the branch with my favourite Silky Hayauchi pole saw which makes short work of anything wooden and then used my Silky Zübat hand saw to chop the branch into more manageable pieces. As with all debris in my garden (please read previous blog entry ‘Mulch Ado about Nothing’) the smaller branches are shredded with my Bosch garden shredder and the resulting mulch put into the compost and spread on the woodland garden.

I have also planted up some basins with early flowering Tulips which I had been growing in pots and add a bit of Spring colour to the patio garden. Also the potted Alliums ‘Purple Sensation’ have been planted deep into the borders – when these flower I really feel Spring has ‘sprung’. After writing this I will start to plant out some of the Summer ‘stars’ like Lupins, Penstemons and Delphiniums in the sheltered borders which have been growing in pots under glass over Winter.

Let’s all enjoy the sunshine today and hope that it lasts a while longer.

The BBC weather forecast can be seen at: www.metoffice.gov.uk/

Tree-mendous Topiary Shears!

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 12:08:37 +0000

Topiary is gardening’s answer to sculpture – the training and pruning of trees and shrubs into works of art.

Topiary has been popular since Roman gardens and has enjoyed varying popularity down the centuries. It is a great way to give your garden some structure and interest all year round, but particularly during the quiet Winter months when not a lot is going on.

The most effective plants for topiary are box and yew although I have seen hornbeam, holly and even the dreaded leylandii used to great success.

Most gardeners use specialist topiary shears to keep their masterpieces in top shape, however if you have a lot of topiary or larger scale shapes you may use hedge shears or even power tools.

One of the best garden power tools on the market is the Bosch Isio cordless pruner which takes some of the hard work out of the job. You can see the Bosch Isio pruner at: www.qualitygardentools.com/power-tools/hedge-trimmers/electric-hedge-trimmers/cordless-hedge-trimmers/id-ISIOCSAE/view.

Topiary shears are based on the same design used by sheep shearers many years ago and the twin bladed tool still works by that same one handed action. As with all gardening tools, it is important to keep your shears sharp and a rub over with oil will keep them protected.

Quality Garden Tools have a number of these shears in stock and I would particularly recommend a pair with stainless steel blades. These may take longer to sharpen, but will last longer and the blades will stick less.

I hope that whichever shears you buy, you have a go at topiary – it really is tree-mendous fun!

See our topiary shears at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/hedge-and-hand-shears/topiary-shears/viewcategory

Is it a Potato Fork or a Bait Digging Fork?

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 22:37:33 +0000

Two of the most common searches that come to www.qualitygardentools.com from the Google search engine are ‘Potato Fork’ and ‘Bait Digging Fork’.

This is particularly interesting as they are actually the same product!

Bulldog Tool’s 4 prong potato fork has flatter, wider, reinforced prongs without sharp ends. This ensures that potatoes are not ‘speared’ and large crops can be lifted without breaking the handle.

This tool has long been a friend of allotment growers and vegetable gardeners of all ages. However, there is also another group of fans of this fork – fishermen!

Fishermen use the fork for hand digging Lug and Rag Worms from the beach at low tide. The wide prongs reduce the ‘suction effect’ that occurs when using a spade, but still allow the worms to be collected.

I think it is great that not only is the fork a brilliant garden tool, but also a fantastic tool for fisherman. The Bulldog Potato Fork is also still solid forged at the Bulldog factory in Wigan, meaning that the tool you use to dig up your food or bait hasn’t travelled half way round the world to get here.

The best news is that whether you are having fish or chips for supper then this Bulldog fork is the tool for you!

The Bulldog Potato or Bait Digging for can be seen at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/forks/id-BUL-5707043010/view

Cheap Garden Tools!

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 22:22:00 +0000

The current economic climate means that we have all become a little more thoughtful before spending money. Quality Garden Tools is no exception to the ‘belt tightening’ phenomenon and have accordingly enlarged our ‘Special Offers’ section.

Although every single product we sell is reduced below the manufacturer’s rrp, we are sometimes able to negotiate extra special deals and these tend to be included in the ‘Special Offers’ section. Also some manufacturers offer us special product ‘added value’ combinations.

Whilst many of the brands we deal with are not offering as many deals in these uncertain times as others, we have some brave suppliers trying to kick start the economy single handed! We have been offered great promotions by Bulldog Tools (coming soon), Hozelock, Felco, Wilkinson Sword, Briers Gloves and Bahco which are currently gracing the offers page.

One of the best offers is the Bahco lopper & secateurs twin pack which is at half price giving customer a great pruning kit for almost 50% off. Secateurs are always popular on the ‘Special Offers’ page as they are amongst the most useful garden tools that a gardener needs and many of us regularly drop them, lose them and leave them in our gardens.

So, if you are looking for great garden tools at really competitive prices then look no further than Quality Garden Tools ‘Special Offers’ page and get your garden tools – cheap!

Our special offers can be seen at: www.qualitygardentools.com/special-offers

A Few of my Favourite Things

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:23:00 +0000

I am often asked to recommend garden tools to Quality Garden Tools customers, blog readers, friends and relatives. They often ask ‘What do you use?’ or ‘What’s the best?’ So I have decided to use this blog to list a few favourites.

Over the coming months I may add some more specialised lists, but I think that the following are probably my ultimate garden tools ‘Top 5’.

1. Tina 605 Grafting and General Purpose Horticultural Knife. A great knife which I keep in my pocket all the time. The Tina knife is still made pretty much by hand with a walnut handle and hand forged blade. Great for loads of jobs in the garden. See this knife at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/horticultural-knives/tina-horticultural-knives/id-TINA-L2774/view
2. Silky Zübat Pruning Saw. Watch your fingers if you have never used a Silky Saw before! This razor sharp Japanese saw works on the pull stroke and comes equipped with sheath. The hardened teeth and rubber handle make this both an effective and comfortable garden tool to use. The Silky Zübat can be seen at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/saws/silky-saws/silky-fixed-blade-saws/id-SILKY-270/30/view
3. Felco Special Edition Model 8 Secateurs. Secateurs are the garden tools that no serious gardener can do without and these Felco Special Editions are the best of the best. Built to the famous high standards of all Felco secateurs they also come with anodised heads, brown leather handles and a leather pouch to keep them in. This is luxury gardening at its best! The secateurs are at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/secateurs/felco-secateurs/id-FELCO8SE/view - Limited stocks only!
4. Bulldog 9149N Wizard Lawn Rake. This rake is loved by gardeners all over the world and is one of the most popular gardening tools that Quality Garden Tools sell. The rake is equipped with a 20" head loaded with rubber tines that can rake up leaves on most surfaces including lawns, paths, patios, driveways and decking. The best thing about the Bulldog Wizard rake is that it doesn’t damage the lawn. See it at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/rakes/wizard-and-merlin-rakes/id-BUL-9149N/view
5. Bahco P51 Professional Hedge Shears. If like me you prefer to cut your hedges and topiary by hand, then you can’t do better than these professional quality shears. The blades are hollow ground, heavy duty steel aligned for accurate, clean cuts and the rubber buffers prevent jarring during use. These shears are the best we’ve seen. See them for yourselves at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/hedge-and-hand-shears/hedge-shears/id-SANP51/view

All of the above are available at a discount to rrp on: www.qualitygardentools.com

Press Gang

Sat, 07 Feb 2009 17:00:00 +0000

While many of you were tucked up safely (and sensibly!) in bed on Thursday morning, I ventured out into cold, murky London. The reason for my brave trek into the nation’s capital was for ‘The Garden Press Event’, an exhibition strictly for garden writers and journalists.

I have been invited to this show by Bulldog Tools for the last 3 years and it is one of the best shows in the calendar. The companies showing include garden tool makers Bosch, Wilkinson Sword, Bahco, Bulldog Tools and Stihl alongside some of the best known manufacturers of fertilizers, seeds, hard landscaping materials and the top nurseries from around the country.

Many of the exhibitors use the show as a way of introducing new and innovative products to the press. Of particular interest to me were the new garden tools on show.

Bosch are a business at the forefront of electric power tool development and this year they were showing a variety of new garden tools including their fabulous new Ciso Cordless Secateurs. Bahco introduced me to their new range of lightweight garden tools including a very light pair of shears with extending handles.

Many top journalists and writers use the show as a way to keep up to date with new products and initiatives in the horticultural industry and this year I saw Toby Buckland (Gardener’s World presenter), Helen Yemm (Daily Telegraph/The English Garden), Pippa Greenwood (Gardener’s World), Peter Seabrook (The Sun) and many more.

I really enjoy the opportunity to visit these shows to make sure Quality Garden Tools continue to offer the very best in branded garden tools – whatever the weather!

Many of the products shown at ‘The Garden Press Event’ will be added to this site as and when they are available to order.

Hand in Glove

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:47:15 +0000

The very white (and cold) weather we have been ‘enjoying’ over the last couple of days has reminded me (painfully) of the need for good quality gardening gloves. There cannot be many more painful experiences than knocking frozen fingers against the ice cold steel of a hand trowel as it hits solid frozen earth!

Wearing gardening gloves is the perfect solution to this problem, but picking the right pair is now a bewildering task. When I first started gardening, choosing a pair of good gardening gloves was very easy. There were only about four different brands on the market and only a maximum of 2 or 3 styles. These days there are hundreds of different brands of gardening gloves and finding the right pair can be a real struggle.

Quality Garden Tools main brand of glove is Briers (we also stock Town & Country), supplied by Monro Brands, a manufacturer that have supplied the horticultural industry for more than 100 years.

Briers gloves are made to a high standard using the best quality natural and manmade materials. All leathers used in the range are very high quality and selected to stay softer for longer and all manmade fibres are designed to be tough and hard wearing.
Many of the gloves have adjustable features such as Velcro fastenings, stretch backs or elastic cuffs to ensure the maximum comfort of fit.

With the country gripped by Arctic weather conditions, a pair of warm lined garden gloves is essential. I can thoroughly recommend the Briers Royale fully lined glove for cold weather. Made of soft palomino leather and fully lined with a warm comfort lining, these gloves are perfect for Winter gardening. The Briers Royale range also includes a full length gauntlet (with long suede cuffs) and a very comfortable stretch back leather glove.

No matter what sex you are, how hot or cold the weather is or how big or small you are there are a pair of Briers gloves to suit you – we even have children’s gardening gloves (made the same way as the full size adult versions) for your little helpers!

Please remember that your hands are as important as any of your other garden tools!

See our range of Briers gloves at: www.qualitygardentools.com/gardening-accessories/gardening-gloves/briers-gloves/viewcategory

Kids & Cabbages

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 21:59:35 +0000

About 5 months ago, I explained on this Blog about how Quality Garden Tools has committed itself to ensuring that children learn to use proper gardening tools and receive all the help possible in learning about Horticulture.

It appears that we are not the only garden tool company with this philosophy. Bulldog Tools have announced that they will be supplying £15,000 of free garden tools to schools as part of the RHS Campaign for School Gardening. The RHS campaign now has more than 6,500 schools registered; meaning that over one million children have access to the very best gardening advice.

The RHS Campaign for School Gardening can be found at: www.rhs.org.uk/SCHOOLGARDENING/ and is a great resource for parents, teachers and students with loads of great ideas and advice on horticultural matters.

It is great that children will get not only great quality information, but great quality garden tools as well. We hope that instead of becoming cabbages in front of the TV in future, children will become more used to growing and eating cabbages!

Bulldog children’s tools can be seen at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/childrens-garden-tools/childrens-tools/viewcategory

Power to the People

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 22:16:26 +0000

In August, I wrote on this Blog about Quality Garden Tools plans for adding new ranges of garden power tools to the website.

Over the subsequent months we have created a really comprehensive range of powered gardening tools from some of the best manufacturers not only in Britain, but from around the world.

Our power tool brands now include Agrifab, Atco, Echo, Eliet, Flymo, Gardena, Garden Groom, Hayter, Husqvarna, McCulloch, Mountfield, Qualcast, Suffolk Punch and Toro as well as all our old favourites like Black & Decker, Bosch, Einhell, Oleo-Mac and Ryobi.

At Quality Garden Tools we are committed to supplying our customers with the best garden tool for the job, so customers are welcome to ring the freephone number to make sure the tool they have chosen is right for their needs. Many gardeners have questions regarding specifications or even whether to buy petrol or electric machines.

I will be writing in the future about some of the tools that I have tried and tested, but what has already surprised me is that even a technophobe like me can make their gardening much, much easier.

Power to the people!

See all our Garden Power Tools at: www.qualitygardentools.com/power-tools/imgview

Essentiel Equipment

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 12:37:50 +0000

No, the spell check on my computer has not broken; ‘Essentiel’ is the name of Felco’s great new secateurs.

Many of you will know that Felco secateurs are amongst the most famous and best garden tools in the world. They are made to the very highest standards in Switzerland and unlike many of their competitors a comprehensive range of spare parts is available. If you would rather have someone else do the work, you can send your secateurs to the manufacturer’s agent to be refurbished.

The first thing a Felco lover will notice about these secateurs is the modern design. This new innovative design has allowed Felco to reduce the weight of these secateurs substantially, with the ‘Essentiel’ large weighing 50g (or 20%) less than the Felco model 2 Original. Fibreglass has been used to reinforce the strong composite material handles which are black with a red grip (unlike all standard Felco secateurs which universally have red handles). The inclined head has been developed to reduce wrist strain and make use more comfortable. Both the blade and anvil are manufactured from high quality hardened steel giving a precise and clean cut. As always, parts can be replaced as they wear out.

The ‘Essentiel’ comes in both a small and a large size to offer comfort to any size of gardener and with the weight reduction prolonged use becomes easier.

Felco have also given this product a price which makes it competitive in the mainstream of secateurs sales. At just £18.50 (current Quality Garden Tools price) per pair these secateurs have become available to many customers who have long admired Felco products, but have previously found them out of their price range.

With a great design, lighter weight, lower price and still made to Felco’s high standards in Switzerland, these secateurs really do become Essentiel equipment!

See the Essentiel Felco Secateurs at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/secateurs/felco-secateurs/viewcategory

A Frosty Reception

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 17:05:35 +0000

The New Year has now arrived and we have been immediately seized in a frozen grip (similar to the one we had just before Christmas).

The Quality Garden Tools team are wrapped up well against the icy winds and whilst Silky Saws, loppers, Tina Knives and Felco Secateurs are selling well, not many Bulldog spades and forks are being sold. Could it be that the ground is now too frost hardened even for the hardy British gardener – don’t forget digging is a good way to keep warm!

On a more serious note, many of us believed all the garden writers who wrote in the Spring of 2008 warning us about the horticultural dangers of global warming. Many of us instantly filled our borders with Mediterranean and tropical plants, the only problem being that the wind is now blowing from Siberia rather than the Sahara. I have tried to protect my best specimens of plants like Dicksonia Antartica, Cordyline Australis and Agave Americana (This becomes hardier the bigger it grows) by wrapping them up against the cold with straw, fleece and garden twine.

The temperature in my garden has been as low as -5°C this week (not as low as some areas of Great Britain) and even my potted Olea Europea standards which have always survived Winter without any protection are showing signs of frost damage (despite a protective October pruning).

All this leaves us sturdy gardeners in a bit of a dilemma: the Summer was wet and the Winter so far has been very cold. How much fun can a Mediterranean plant be having? I know that 2008 was probably a better year in Southern Spain than in Southern England for this type of plant!

On the positive side, my garden looks great with the frost hanging on old seedheads, box topiary shapes, grasses and plant supports. A clear frosty morning can be very beautiful as the fragile morning light appears and the frost crystals shimmer. It is also very important to the successful germination of many seeds that they undergo a period of low temperature, not breaking out of their Winter dormancy until the rising temperatures of Spring.

Let’s all hope that this Winter’s frosty reception is not too hard on our plant stocks, remember Spring will be here sooner than we think.

Silky Skills

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 21:58:00 +0000

I have written previously in this blog that Silky Saws are some of the best garden tools that we stock. This, I assure you is not because Silky pay me vast amounts of commission (or any commission, for that matter!), but because I think every gardener should have one!

Silky have long been the favourite choice of saws for tree surgeons and arborists, but not until recently have these long admired blades been available to keen gardeners.

The saws have been manufactured in Japan by UM-KOGYO inc. since 1919. Their unique Silky design and technology have produced a fantastic range of the finest quality hand saws with great cutting ability. In the UK these saws are often known by the name Silky Fox Saws, but are in fact exactly the same.

There are a number of different Silky Saws in the range all designed to perform different cutting tasks, but some of my favourites are:

• The Zübat 330mm saw has a big, curved, fixed blade that is great for all types of branch pruning.
• The Super Accel 210mm saw is a really handy folding bladed saw that fits into the pocket and can be opened in two blade positions.
• The Hayauchi 3 extension pole saw can extend to 6.3m reaching really high branches and can also be fitted with the Sintung lopper for precise pruning.
• One of the most amazing Silky saws is the Ibuki. Nicknamed ‘the chainsaw’ by tree surgeons it has a big, beefy curved 390mm blade that cuts like a knife through butter.

Quality Garden Tools stock many more saws in the range, most of which will be really useful garden tools for keen and professional gardeners alike.

I regularly use my Silky saws and would not hesitate to recommend them, but please remember that they are extremely sharp and tend to cut through fingers in the same effortless way they cut through branches. To reduce this problem the fixed bladed saws all come with sheaths which fit easily onto your belt.

All our Silky Saws can be seen at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/saws/silky-saws/viewcategory

A Very Merry Christmas!

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 21:15:00 +0000

The Fat Gardener and the team at www.qualitygardentools.com would like to wish all customers and website visitors a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

This year has seen an increase in the company’s ranges as well as website traffic so although the economic forecast is decidedly bleak, we are hoping gardeners will have a bumper twelve months (well we are all used to dealing with ‘bleak forecasts’!).

Next year I hope to continue to write about gardening tools, my own problems in the garden and maybe even some triumphs (if I have any!). I am particularly looking forward to writing about some of the new power tools that are now in stock – perfect for the petrol heads amongst you!

Once again I hope you have a great Christmas and a peaceful New Year.

Send comments or questions on the QGT Blog to: info@qualitygardentools.com

It's a Wonderful Knife

Sat, 13 Dec 2008 10:57:10 +0000

Everyone should carry a knife with them in the garden. I do not say this because I am worried about being attacked by Acers or mugged by Magnolias, but because of how useful a good knife can be.

Of all my gardening tools, the one I could not do without is my Tina knife. I use it for so many jobs including: pruning, taking cuttings, grafting, cutting open packaging, cutting string and cutting open plastic plant pots of root bound plants.

The Tina knife is a beautifully made garden tool with a Walnut handle and brass and steel fittings all shaped and manufactured by hand. The knives have been made in Reutlingen, Germany since 1887 and are still manufactured to the original high standards.

There are a number of different Tina knives in the range all designed to perform different horticultural and gardening tasks.

Some of my favourite knives are:
• The curved Tina 635/12.5 is a big, curved bladed knife, great for heavy pruning.
• The Tina 605 is a multi-purpose knife that is great for most jobs and is one of two knives we can offer in left handed as well as right handed.
• The Tina 650E/10.5 is a beautiful, traditional budding knife with a buffalo horn handle.
• The most popular grafting knife is the Tina 640/10 with Walnut handle and bark lifter on the back of the blade – available in right and left handed.
There are many more Tina knives available, so don’t accept imitations!

My knife has been worn to the shape of my hand over the 10 years I’ve owned it and even though I regularly sharpen it, the Tina knife still has a good blade.

It really is a wonderful knife!

All our Tina knives can be seen at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/horticultural-knives/tina-horticultural-knives/viewcategory

The Best Just Got Better!

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 10:53:38 +0000

In August I wrote about some very special Felco Limited Edition Secateurs we were lucky enough to be able to offer Quality Garden Tools customers. Unfortunately, these secateurs did not last long and we sold out soon after the article appeared on the QGT Blog.

This quick sell-out was not a surprise, Felco secateurs have been manufactured to very high standards in Switzerland since Félix Flisch designed the first pair of forged aluminium pruning shears in 1945. Felco’s factory now employs over 150 people in Switzerland and exports to 100 countries around the world.

Due to the popularity of the initial products, Felco have launched an updated and improved version of these secateurs as a Felco ‘Special Edition’.

The two new Felco Special Edition secateurs are still based on the popular 6 and 8 models of the Classic range. Their parts are made from forged aluminium, but have been specially anodised giving them a golden colour that complements the steel blade of the cutting head. The elegant look is enhanced by the chocolate brown leather casing of the secateurs’ two handles and further complemented by a chocolate brown leather case and gold embossed black packaging to create a very stylish effect. Each pair come with a glossy guide booklet and guarantee.

These secateurs will make a great present for a Felco collector (yes, they do exist!) or a keen gardener. The Fat Gardener himself (me!) has bought a pair and they really are great. The gardening tools we sell at Quality Garden Tools are always functional, but these new secateurs are both functional and luxurious – a winning combination!

The Felco Special Edition secateurs retail at £149.99 per pair and are only available from Quality Garden Tools and one other retailer in the whole UK.

See our Special Edition Felco secateurs at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/secateurs/felco-secateurs/viewcategory

The Power of the Press

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:04:00 +0000

Last Saturday the Gardening section of the Daily Telegraph featured an article entitled ‘50 must-haves for a perfect Winter garden’ written by Helen Yemm and Ursula Buchan.

The section featured some 20 gardening tools which were considered to be tools which gardeners could not do without. Five of the garden tools mentioned are available from Quality Garden Tools – we have hit the headlines!

The gardening tools on the ‘50 must-haves for a perfect Winter garden’ we sell on our website are listed below:

1. Bosch lithium battery cordless lawnmower ROTAK 37 Li (£269.99) – a favourite; lightweight and environmentally efficient, this lawnmower can be found at: www.qualitygardentools.com/power-tools/lawnmowers/electric-lawnmowers/cordless-electric-lawnmowers/id-ROTAK37LI/view
2. Bosch lithium battery cordless hedge trimmer AHS 52 Li (£89.99) – in our opinion the best cordless hedge trimmer on the market. The battery lasts longer and runs down more slowly, see it at: www.qualitygardentools.com/power-tools/hedge-trimmers/electric-hedge-trimmers/cordless-hedge-trimmers/id-AHS52LI/view
3. Bosch AXT 2200HP shredder (£248.50) – a really great ‘quiet’ shredder that has a fantastic build quality and will serve you for many years (this is the shredder I own), you can see it at: www.qualitygardentools.com/power-tools/shredders/electric-shredders/id-AXT2200HP/view
4. Bulldog 1073SR Switch & Reach spring wire shrub rake (£4.01) – a very useful small garden tool that can be used to ‘grub out’ under shrubs and other plants. This rake can be seen at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/hand-tools/switch-and-reach-tools/id-BUL-1073SR/view
5. Wilkinson Sword 220656 telescopic tree pruner (£69.50) – a long reach lightweight pruner that extends up to 4 metres and is easy to use. It is shown at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/extension-poles-and-pruners/id-W/S220656/view

These items are not necessarily the best tools that we sell, but are tools that Helen Yemm and Ursula Buchan particularly find useful. We love all of the tools they chose and we are excited that they are part of the Quality Garden Tools range.

Since this article appeared we have had countless enquiries and sales, showing not only the power of the press, but also the power of Helen and Ursula!

If you would like to see the original Daily Telegraph article it is at: www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/3391643/50-must-haves-for-a-perfect-winter-garden.html

I�ll Rake the High Road

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 22:10:09 +0000

It is the time of year again to get raking! Many of us have already started the tedious job of raking the fallen leaves from our trees, but with each passing Autumn it seems to become harder and harder.

I have many theories about why, after having collected all the fallen leaves from your Chestnut tree, your Maple tree decides that this is the perfect time to shed its own leaves! However, life can become a lot easier if you have the right rake for the job and even the help of a powered leafblower.

There are two main types of rake that are best suited for raking and collecting leaves. The first type is the lightweight plastic leaf rake which is both popular and cheap. This should not be confused with a spring tine rake which will annoyingly ‘spear’ most of the leaves! The second type is a rubber fingered rake like Bulldog’s famous Wizard rake which will ‘sweep’ up leaves, but not damage your lawn and can be used on paths, driveways and borders – a really great gardening tool.

If raking up leaves bores you rigid (you are not alone), then please consider the powered leafblower option. Leafblowers are available in many shapes and sizes with either electric motors or petrol engines. Many of the leafblowers, particularly the electric corded type also offer a vacuum option, to make life even easier. Many customers complain to us that their neighbours use a leafblower to blow leaves into their driveway or into their gardens. This is not the proper use for a leafblower, which when used properly should blow the leaves into a pile for collection.

Please also remember that leaf mould is one of the best composts available, and whilst it takes a while for leaves to break down – it is mulch worth waiting for! Vacuum leafblowers will often mulch leaves down to 10% of their volume accelerating the composting process.

I hope that this advice will mean your Autumn leaf debris will be a bit less back (b)raking than usual (sorry for the pun)!

Leaf & Wizard rakes can be found at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/rakes/viewcategory and all our leafblowers are at: http://www.qualitygardentools.com/power-tools/leafblowers/viewcategory

Any K�rcher as Long as it�s Yellow!

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 14:16:00 +0100

At Quality Garden Tools we spend most of our professional lives trying to make gardening easier. Gardening tools are very often useful, but hardly ever fun – until now!

We have stocked the ubiquitous black and yellow Kärcher pressure washers since 2005 and over that period of time have introduced many of our customers to the brand.

The Kärcher range has long offered a machine for any cleaning job, but now offers a pressure washer particularly designed for use in the garden. The 675MB+ is a great new machine that offers lots of features particularly useful for your outdoor and garden cleaning needs. The machine features a powerful 2500watt motor that generates an eye-watering maximum pressure of 135bar at 530 litres per hour, strong enough to clean heavily soiled surfaces like patios and driveways.

Like most of our Kärcher pressure washers the 675MB+ comes with a large array of accessories including:
• 9m high pressure hose
• 10m retractable garden hose & reel
• Low-pressure trigger gun
• T 200 patio & decking cleaner
• Vario lance
• Dirtblaster lance
• Washing brush
• Integrated fine mesh water filter
• Auto start/stop facility

When I used this machine, I was particularly impressed with the drum style design which makes moving this pressure washer around the uneven surfaces of the garden much easier than conventional pressure washers which can be a bit top heavy. The fact that all the accessories fix onto the cart also makes life easier as everything you need is always within close reach. The Kärcher 675MB+ also made light work of cleaning my driveway, patio, paved paths and garden furniture – I was having so much fun I even gave the conservatory a quick clean!

This is a really, really useful machine for any gardener, not only is it tough and functional, but also uses much less water than a traditional garden hose kit. What’s more it’s available in any colour – as long as it’s yellow!

See the Kärcher 675MB+ pressure washer at: http://www.qualitygardentools.com/power-tools/pressure-washers/karcher-pressure-washers/id-KARK675MB/view

Catalogue Amongst the Pigeons

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:05:41 +0100

One of the most demanding (and important) jobs we do all year at Quality Garden Tools is to write the catalogue. We send out thousands of them to customers, so we try to do our best to make them interesting!

Over the course of a year, many garden tools are discontinued or updated by manufacturers and almost all the prices change at some point during the twelve months between catalogues. This means we have to constantly check and update our catalogue database throughout the year to make sure that the information it contains is as up-to-date as possible.

This year we have been working especially hard on the garden power tool section of the catalogue, making sure that the new ranges are shown at their best. The new ranges of Husqvarna, Echo, Hayter, Mountfield, Toro, Flymo, McCulloch and Eliet are all included and really have improved the balance of our garden tool ranges. It is often very difficult to give all the technical information needed on each power tool (we all know how large and difficult to understand instruction leaflets are!) in the catalogue, so we hope customers will use the website alongside their new catalogues.

The hand tools ranges will be very similar (no one is reinventing the spade!) to our previous catalogues, but will be peppered with new products to entice customers into parting with their hard-earned cash! These new products include a super-luxury pair of deluxe edition secateurs from Felco, the new range of Alan Titchmarsh Garden Tools, a larger range of Haemmerlin wheelbarrows, two new Tina horticultural knives, fantastic pruning shears from Felco (only available from us in the UK) and much more.

The design of the catalogue also creates a number of headaches – as we try to make the new catalogue look fresh and interesting, whilst still ensuring our customers recognise it as a Quality Garden Tools catalogue. This can prove the subject of many long and often tense discussions! One thing is certain though, we always make the catalogue with solid, good quality paper so that no matter whether you leave it lying on your desk, or in the rather less exulted surroundings of the potting shed bench it should last until the next one arrives. We hate the shiny, tissue paper catalogues that fall out of our newspapers every weekend and hope that the Quality Garden Tools catalogue stands out above them!

So when, on a cold November morning your new copy of the Quality Garden Tools catalogue drops onto your hall floor, take a moment before you discard it – please!

To ensure you receive a copy of our new catalogue, please send us your details at: www.qualitygardentools.com/contact

Tool Aid!

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:43:59 +0100

As a wet cold Autumn seems to have arrived in the UK (uninvited), I think that now is the time to think about preserving unused tools over the Winter period.

You will undoubtedly still need to do some pruning, raking and maybe the last couple of mows of the year, but a number of your tools may now sit in the shed for a few long, cold months.

Cleaning mud and grime off gardening tools and then giving them a wipe over with an oily rag (including wooden handles) will help reduce the chance of damp damaging the tools over Winter.

Now is also a good time to think about sharpening all your shears, secateurs, pruners, scissors and loppers. Sharp, clean blades not only make future cutting easier, but also help reduce the risk of diseases spreading between your plants. A good quality sharpening stone will be expensive, but makes the job much easier and should last many years with correct use. If you are unsure of how to use a sharpening stone then Multi-Sharp products offer easy-to-use solutions to sharpening most garden tools.

Power tools with petrol engines such as lawnmowers, chainsaws, hedge trimmers and brush cutters will benefit from having their fuel tanks fully emptied before being put away for Winter. Drain all the fuel into a spare can and then start the motor until it runs dry, but remember to use new petrol in the new year! All garden power tools will also benefit from being thoroughly cleaned as chemicals, sap and dirt will corrode the working parts.

Looking after your gardening tools will mean less breakages, a longer life and better performance for your tools in 2009.

Please remember when sharpening all your tools to wear gloves and eye protection, so I don’t have to advise on First Aid as well as tool aid!

Useful products for cleaning and sharpening tools can be found at: www.qualitygardentools.com/gardening-accessories/imgview

Christine's Corner

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 23:09:47 +0100

Quality Garden Tools was founded to bring branded gardening tools to keen and professional gardeners throughout the country. However, we also wanted to give interesting gardening hints and tips to all of our customers. With this in mind we looked for a ‘gardening guru’ who was as passionate about horticulture as we were about garden tools.

One early evening I found myself tuned into a BBC2 programme called ‘Christine’s Garden’ and was stunned by the presenter’s enthusiasm not only for her own garden, but for all things horticultural. I immediately thought that Christine Walkden would be the perfect writer for the www.qualitygardentools.com website and she was kind enough to accept our offer!

Christine is an absolute breath of fresh air in a gardening industry that can sometimes appear a bit snobbish and unapproachable. She is happy to talk to window box owners as well as advise on garden projects for large estates.

Christine has had a great background in the industry as well as an exciting television career. She started at the Lancashire College of Agriculture going on to work for The Royal Botanic Gardens at Wakehurst Place. Later she went back to college at Pershore and Writtle College before becoming a lecturer in Horticulture at Capel Manor. She has worked for both the Baby Bio company and Dobies, Carter, Cuthbert & Dom seedsmen. Her books include: ‘A year in Christine's garden - The secret diary of a garden lover’ and ‘The Houseplant Almanac’ and she has written and writes for a number of gardening magazines. Christine became more famous when the programme about her garden ‘Christine’s Garden’ was shown on BBC2, a second series was shown in the Spring of 2007 and she now presents for BBC1’s ‘The One Show’ and Channel 4’s ‘The Paul O’Grady Show’.

As well as being a star, Christine is a lovely person who is happy to give advice to all. We know how lucky we are to have her at Quality Garden Tools and look forward to seeing her inspire, educate and come to love gardening, as she undoubtedly does.

Check out Christine’s Corner helpful hints at: www.qualitygardentools.com/articles

Price Pruning

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 16:38:00 +0100

One of the founding principles of Quality Garden Tools was that we would always supply our products at below the manufacturers recommended retail price (rrp). This principle is still core to our success, we are not always the cheapest supplier in the country for everything we sell, but I hope that customers who buy from us know that they are getting a ‘good deal’.

Over the last 8 months we have seen our suppliers rapidly increase the prices we pay (in the case of one manufacturer 3 times!). This has meant that our margins have reduced to the point that on some products we make no money at all.

Most of our suppliers blame the increase in energy prices, a steep rise in the price of raw materials (including steel), currency changes and increased transport costs. We have spent our time trying to explain to them that many gardeners and landscapers have also been feeling the pinch and urging manufacturers to keep price rises to a minimum. I am sad to report that we have failed in this task and we now find almost every manufacturer presenting us (and all other garden and tool suppliers) with increases from 10% to 50%. What this means for Quality Garden Tools customers is a gradual price rise over the next month to reflect these changes.

Delivery costs have also risen to eye-watering levels. We are keeping our delivery charge at £3.95 for orders under £100 and free thereafter (£5.00 supplement for wheelbarrows). This is painful because our average delivery cost is now £8.00 per order!

We have always offered an ‘equal opportunity delivery’ policy, meaning a flat delivery cost across the whole of the UK. This is now presenting problems as due to the increase in fuel costs, some carriers are refusing to deliver to any area of the country which involves a water crossing. This is particularly hard on our customers in Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands, the Scottish Isles, etc.

Let’s all hope that these problems are temporary and we will soon have much better news, maybe even price pruning! Please also remember that every single product at Quality Garden Tools is still sold at below the rrp and that will continue for years to come.

If you wish to give us your views on the price increases please email The Fat Gardener at: info@qualitygardentools.com

Tools 4 Schools

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:57:47 +0100

Over the last couple of years the horticultural industry has spent a lot of money, time and effort marketing horticulture to schools and school children. Many of the benefits of learning about growing plants are easy to understand; healthy eating, working outside, food understanding & identification, botanical science and the responsibility of nurturing plants from sowing seed to harvest.

Quality Garden Tools are no exception in these endeavours and we spend a lot of our time talking to schools and charities that are committed to bringing horticulture to children around the country. As well as supplying children’s tools to over 40 schools we have also been involved with supplying the Diggin’ it! project (www.digginit.org.uk) and the Green Apprentices scheme (www.greenapprentices.org.uk) which both do great work in their local areas.

The most important thing about our children’s garden tools is that they are real tools. Many toy shops and garden centres sell toy garden tools which break and bend when used to do real chores around the garden. Our Bulldog Tools, Haemmerlin and Briers products are all small scale versions of the full sized tools and gloves, which mean that they are robust enough to do the job. Also, at Quality Garden Tools we believe it is important that children learn how to use tools in the correct way; not only to facilitate ease of use, but also to avoid injury.

Children get a great sense of achievement from growing, not only do the successful harvests teach them that hard work can literally bear fruit, but also failures teach young gardeners important lessons about plants that will stay with them all their lives.

In line with our policy to discount all the tools we sell, we decided to try to make garden tools as accessible as possible for hard-pushed schools and charities. Customers can currently buy a set of four Bulldog children’s tools (spade, fork, rake and hoe) for £46.00; a big discount on the rrp of £62.96, but most importantly this gets good quality tools in the hands of keen young gardeners.

One benefit of selling so many of these smaller scale tools is that we have had lots of extra sales from both shorter and wheelchair gardeners who have found these tools much lighter and easier to use than the full size versions. Let’s hope that while we are encouraging young gardeners to enjoy all the aspects of horticulture, they remember Quality Garden Tools when they are grown-ups!

See our range of children’s garden tools at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/childrens-garden-tools/viewcategory

A Mow by Mow Account

Sun, 10 Aug 2008 17:32:00 +0100

Since we started Quality Garden Tools, we have always been seen to specialise in garden hand tools like spades, forks, rakes, hoes, secateurs, loppers and saws. We have now decided that we will start to increase our ranges of garden power tools.

Many of the power tools we currently stock are aimed mainly at domestic gardening. Brands like Bosch, Black & Decker and Flymo offer great value for the gardener, but sometimes are not robust enough for professionals using their tools all day, every day or for gardeners who have very large gardens. For these demanding landscapers and gardeners we have decided to add machines from Husqvarna, Hayter, Toro, Mountfield and Echo to name a few.

This new area of the business will provide new challenges for Quality Garden Tools; carriage charges increase for these heavy goods, investment in this kind of stock is very expensive and we do not offer service or maintenance for the machines we sell. However, many customers have local garden tool machinery workshops nearby and with all manufacturers offering countrywide warranty and service, customers can buy these tools cheaply from us and support their local workshop with service and warranty work.

Selecting manufacturers has been difficult for us; Husqvarna was an easy choice, as in our opinion they make the best garden tools in the world. The build quality is great and they offer machines for every size of garden (or park!). Toro are famously used at golf courses around the world and make lawns look fabulous. Hayter mowers have a great pedigree and are famous holders of royal warrants. All of these companies have a real commitment to making great power tools that will last for years and we will be adding them to our site over the next month.

In future months I will be writing about some of these tools in greater detail, but I hope that this gives you an insight into the important decisions we make on behalf of our customers – sorry for the mow by mow account!

See all our garden power tools at: www.qualitygardentools.com/power-tools/imgview

The Best of the Best

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 22:21:33 +0100

Ever since we first started Quality Garden Tools, there was one brand of garden tools that was always top of our shopping list – Felco secateurs.

Felco secateurs have been manufactured in Switzerland since Félix Flisch designed the first pair of forged aluminium pruning shears in 1945. The Felco factory, in the heart of the Swiss Jura now employs over 150 people and exports to 100 countries around the world.

The reason we thought it so important to include a brand like Felco is that not only do they make a really good product, but they also offer great customer services. Not many gardeners know that they can send their old Felco secateurs to the head office and for a one-off charge can have them refurbished and returned as good as new.

Recently, we managed to get an allocation of a couple of very special Felco models. These secateurs are made to the usual very high standards of Felco products and are based on the most popular sizes: the compact model 6 and the classic model 8. They have luxurious chocolate brown leather handles for comfort and come in a leather (No.8) or leather and hessian (No.6) soft folding case.

The run for each model was limited to just 1750 secateurs worldwide and each pair comes with a certificate of authenticity. These secateurs are certainly not cheap, but at £75.00 (No.6) and £85.00 (No.8) they make great gifts for gardeners and in the opinion of Quality Garden Tools are definitely the best of the best.

See these Felco secateurs at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/secateurs/felco-secateurs/viewcategory

La Vie en Rose

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:04:00 +0100

After 10 derrière-numbing hours in a car designed more for carrying drug dealers around inner city council estates and less for driving on French motorways, we arrived at our destination - Château Tillac in the pretty Gers region of south west France.

Sited in a cleft between gentle sunflower covered hills it is a mirage of white stone in a rolling ocean of bright yellow. The château itself dates from the 11th century and over the last 8 years has been restored beautifully by the current owners who live here most of the year.

In the central courtyard there is a path flanked by ancient olive trees and a fig tree fruits over a retaining wall. In the middle of the flag stoned courtyard floor are geometric beds filled with lavenders, verbena, Perovskia Blue Spire and floating pink and white Guara (to name but a few). On the opposite side the area is lawned, but surrounded by borders filled with tall Cannas in jewel-like colours and even the pomegranates fruit (for those of us who may never have seen a pomegranate plant; they are bush-like in rather a scruffy form producing large amounts of fire engine red blooms, resulting in round fruit with waxy skin).

Although our hostess is a keen gardener most of the gardens are kept under control by a single part-time gardener (who I am told mows furiously!) and some hedge cutting help from the local farm workers. This means that although the gardens retain their shape and design, there is a wonderful romantic feel to them as plants spill over each other and the edge of the borders.

Those of you who read the QGT Blog for its hardcore garden tool content; you will be pleased to hear that I have surveyed the shed (actually it is more like a barn!) and not found the tools wanting. Most of the garden tools have long 4' or 5' handles (even the spades and forks) which allow the user to rest his chin for a well earned rest during the heat of the day. Power tool brands are now universal and the Château use a wide variety of Husqvarna, Stihl and Ryobi products.

Well it seems the perfect time for me to say au revoir, sit out under the shade of the Fig tree and enjoy some lunch.

Rain, Rain Go Away

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 21:13:30 +0100

For those of us who have to spend at least a portion of each week working, the recent wet weather comes as a big disappointment. Many of us rely on balmy summer evenings not only to enjoy our gardens, but also to undertake some light evening deadheading, pruning weeding and tidying.

I realise that had the weather been constantly sunny over the last few weeks I would be complaining about the pressures brought on by drought. This being fully accepted on my part, I do wonder if we couldn’t have little of both; with healthy gardens and warm scent-filled evenings. Perhaps if I have a word with The Met Office this could be arranged!

Running Quality Garden Tools also has weather-based troubles at this time of year. Customers do not enjoy digging, weeding or chopping if the temperature is in the 90s, nor do they do much garden work if there is a downpour. We sometimes sit and wait for the telephone to ring with the July hailstones drumming on the office windows.

This is also the second year in a row that the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show has been disrupted by rain, ruining some exhibitor’s very careful plans. This is always a great show, but it does get a bit disheartening seeing the boatmen of the Thai market paddling against rain driven horizontal by the wind!

Mostly though, I feel sorry for the plants. Whilst the ferns and Hostas look as if they are in horticultural heaven, seeing my lavenders sitting in puddles (despite much grit added to the soil for drainage) is soul destroying. Most of my roses have had flowers ruined by the rain and the Cosmos I put into pots have had their petals destroyed by wind. The wind has also split the trunk of an old apple tree (which I have had to remove) and knocked about the Delphiniums and Lupins (which I have left with extra support).

So Met Office, if you’re listening please give us nice sunny days and evenings with little or no breeze and gentle rain between the hours of one o’clock and four in the morning!

Bulldog Goes Green

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:33:56 +0100

It is almost impossible to watch any gardening television programme these days without hearing the words ‘environment’, ‘organic’ and ‘green’ often in the same sentence. My children often make me feel like a chemical weapons dealer every time I sprinkle a couple of slug pellets around a treasured Hosta or even think about spraying a much-loved rose.

As a child I remember watching Gardener’s World with the late Percy Thrower who seemed to spray everything with chemicals – flowers, shrubs, roses, lawns all received toxic attention. Those bugs that were not killed by the downpour of chemical weaponry were no doubt exterminated by the profuse smoke produced by Percy’s ever-present pipe!

Percy Thrower was not a bad man, he was a great gardener, but our gardening culture has moved on. Geoff Hamilton introduced organic principles to his gardening and this trend continued with Alan Titchmarsh. Monty Don has been the greenest Gardener’s World presenter to date and with a new presenter to be announced we can only assume the trend will continue. Perhaps the new presenter will be Bill Oddie and Berryfields will be left to grow wild with Bill hiding in the long borders waiting for a robin or a hedgehog to appear!

Many garden tools manufacturers send us catalogues with copious amounts of information on how ‘green’ they are. Quality Garden Tools encourages all its suppliers to embrace green principles in order to protect our wider environment and it is true that almost all the companies we deal with have ‘cleaned up their acts’ over the last few years.

Bulldog Tools are a particular case in point. Over the last few years they have tried to find a renewable source of timber for their tool handles, but from suppliers who can also offer the very highest quality of Ash and Hickory. This quest led them in 2006 to become certified by the PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes) a scheme which builds upon inter-governmental promotion of sustainable forest management. These schemes include a series of mechanisms supported by 149 governments in the world covering 85% of the world's forest area, meaning that the timber used in the Bulldog handles comes from independently audited, sustainable forests making these products an environmentally positive choice.

Bulldog also manufacture in Wigan, England which means that their garden tools travel just a fraction of the 5,000 miles that Chinese tools travel to stock garden centres and diy stores. As the price of fuel continues to increase it cannot make sense to transport tools for thousands of miles across oceans to reach our shores. The Wigan factory is also undergoing environmental changes as they try to reduce noise pollution, use the heat from the forges to warm offices and warehousing and improve insulation around the 4 acre site.

Bulldog Tools can be found throughout the www.qualitygardentools.com website.

Can you take the Pressure?

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 23:23:00 +0100

As summer starts to warm up we all try and spend more time outside enjoying our gardens in the all-to-temporary sunshine. So when you invite the neighbours over to enjoy your prize winning dahlias don’t allow dirty furniture or a scruffy patio to let the side down!

When Quality Garden Tools first started selling Kärcher we were in the middle of an almost nationwide hosepipe ban – not an easy sell. So we set about trying to work out the difference in the water usage between a standard hosepipe spray kit and a Kärcher pressure washer. The results are that Kärcher pressure washers use only 40% of the water that a hose pipe does, but the real benefit is that the pressure means that cleaning time is reduced dramatically. Kärcher pressure washers can now also draw water from static water supplies, like water butts and ponds – a suction hose and filter kit is required with the filter used to remove any particles in the water.

Environmentally the pressure washers are an improvement on the standard hose, but what can they do? Quality Garden Tools have tested a number of the Kärcher pressure washers on some ‘tough tasks’ around the garden and found them particularly good for cleaning paths, driveways, patios and brickwork. The patio & decking cleaner is a very useful accessory, but only works effectively on flat surfaces, for much rivened stone slabs the jet blaster lance can be used to good effect. The large glass panes in conservatories, glasshouses and orangeries can be cleaned well by reducing the pressure and using a soft brush although it is difficult to not leave ‘droplet’ marks without using a chamois. Garden furniture can be cleaned quite well with the jet blaster lance, but although effective, it is time consuming and I am not sure of the long term effects on wooden items. I am also told the pressure washers are good for cleaning cars, but we have a very nice Polish man who cleans our cars and I would not want to recommend anything that would reduce his business!

Although patio stones can look great with their lichens and mosses intact, it is well worth investing in a Kärcher pressure washer to make sure that your garden is spotless for evenings drinking Pimms with the neighbours!

Our Kärcher pressure washers are at: www.qualitygardentools.com/power-tools/pressure-washers/karcher-pressure-washers/viewcategory

Poles Apart

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 12:47:00 +0100

About four years ago I was forced to call in a tree surgeon because a noble Beech tree in my front garden not only had branches over-hanging a public road, but was also dying. Being particularly fond of this Beech I decided to have not just the dangerous branches removed but also the corresponding branches on the garden side to ensure the weight displacement of the tree remained consistent, in an effort to save the tree for a few more years. A price was agreed (a few hundred pounds) with the tree surgeon, but when he arrived he simply sent his assistant up the tree to rope the branches securely and then pulled out a long pole saw from his van and 25 minutes later six large branches were safely sitting on my front lawn! This taught me a very important lesson – using the right tool sometimes makes a seemingly impossible task very simple.

Exactly one week later I bought myself the exact same Silky pole saw that the tree surgeon had used so effectively and since then whenever I have had a diseased branch or a tree that needs its crown thinning, I use this great tool. The Silky Hayauchi saw I own reaches from 2.3 metres up to an impressive 4.9 metres, however it is possible to buy Silky saws that reach an unbelievable 6.3 metres when extended. Although I imagine that it must be difficult to control a saw at 6.3 metres, it must be great to be able to fell a high branch and be on your way home whilst most tree surgeons are still trying to get their chainsaws started!

The Silky range of pole saws all utilise the razor-sharp blades for which Silky saws have become famous and depending on which model you choose they also include sickles for underscoring bark or removing vines. The poles are made aluminium alloy which whilst being very light is also very strong. Poles have shaped profiles to keep them rigid during sawing and good quality grips to ensure comfort during use.

I still use a tree surgeon for any serious tree work I need doing in the garden, but for the odd branch that needs removing, I just remember how easy it is when you have the right tools for the job!

The Silky pole saw range can be found at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/saws/silky-saws/silky-extending-pole-saws/viewcategory

The Start of a Beautiful Friendship

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:27:00 +0100

Alan Titchmarsh and Bulldog Tools have announced that they have designed a new range of garden tools together. The new Alan Titchmarsh Garden Tools range will be manufactured by Bulldog to their usual high standards and include digging and cultivating tools as well as a range of cutting tools.

Alan says: ‘Bulldog has an enviable reputation synonymous with high quality skills and craftsmanship as the top priority. My new range holds true to this testament, due to the high specification of steel used in the forging process and durable ash wood shafts creating a robust and reliable tool.’

The tools are arranged in three distinct categories to suit all gardeners. The first is the traditional British made solid forged range made to Bulldog’s exacting standards. The second category is a range of modern Stainless Steel tools designed not only to look good, but also reduce soil adhesion during use. The third is a range of cutting tools to suit any pruning job a gardener may have.

The range is undoubtedly of good quality and is designed to introduce new customers to quality British made hand tools. Alan Titchmarsh is extremely well liked and respected both as a journalist, writer and broadcaster and with Bulldog’s position as manufacturers of the best garden tools in the UK success should be assured.

We at Quality Garden Tools have not yet had a chance to try any of the new tools, but on first inspection they look very smart indeed. The range has already had positive comments from The Daily Telegraph in their Chelsea Flower Show 2008 special supplement and I am sure that many others will soon add their own words of praise. With all this in mind I am sure that this will be the start of a really beautiful friendship!

See the full range of Alan Titchmarsh Garden Tools at: www.alantitchmarshgardentools.com

Colour Blind?

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 22:32:00 +0100

After years of purchasing plants from nurseries and garden centres around the UK I am moved to ask the question ‘Are all nurserymen colour blind?’

To many of you this may seem like an odd question and to some of you just the ranting of a paranoid conspiracy theorist! However, over the years I must have bought dozens of plants that are wrongly labelled and when they burst into flower give me a surprise. My favourite example is the pink Hagley Hybrid Clematis that turned out to be a pale blue double flowered Clematis (as yet unidentified) or there is the James Galway Rose that turned out to be a Geoff Hamilton (there must be a joke in there somewhere!).

Many nurseries and garden centres offer money-back guarantees, but will only pay up or produce a replacement plant if you dig up and produce the plant that has been wrongly labelled. This goes against almost everything I want to do as a gardener and I am simply not prepared to dig up perfectly healthy plants just to prove to the garden centre that they were wrong. Surely we live in an age where plant nurseries can produce ‘true’ plant stocks when they seem to bring new creations to market with increasing regularity.

My local nursery blames customers who they say take labels out of one pot and then push them back into another – although this may occasionally happen I cannot see it leading to the amount of problems I hear about from friends and colleagues. I now find myself waiting and buying plants when in flower, this is not ideal and I have often noticed that plants planted when in flower take longer to put on root growth and therefore take longer to become established.

Many other businesses could not afford to let such poor quality control blight their companies. It would be very strange if Quality Garden Tools supplied a four pronged fork that when delivered was found to have only two prongs! Or maybe a rake with a 48" handle which when it arrived at its destination was only 24" long! So, even if you don’t want to dig up your wrongly labelled plants, please make sure you complain to whoever sold them to you.

Hubble, Bubble, Toil & Tubble

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 22:50:32 +0100

Whilst most of us do not spend much time mixing magic potions in our gardens, even the most old-fashioned gardener can find a use for the Gorilla Tub!

When we first saw the Tubtrug range a couple of years ago, the whole Quality Garden Tools team instantly agreed it was a product for us. However, we were not satisfied with the standard Tubtrug (good as it is) and after much discussion decided to supply the Gorilla Tub to our customers. The Gorilla Tub is made by the Tubtrug Company and has all the same properties as the standard range, but is a very strong version aimed at the construction industry. The Gorilla Tub is quite simply the roughest, toughest tub we could find.

The Gorilla Tub has super-strong handles, is highly flexible, is both UV and frost proof (so won’t degrade in sunlight or frost) and comes in five different sizes – suitable for any gardener. They can be used in so many ways (there are almost too many to count), but here are a few: bucket, pourer, scooper, store for tools and other gardening paraphernalia, for watering plants, spray mixer, pan for sweeping into, weed carrier, basket for cut flowers, manure/compost collector or carrier, compost mixer, stone/gravel carrier, recycling tub and for carrying rubble.

The tubs are supplied in a ‘Brilliant Yellow’ that will bring cheer to even the darkest English Summer and no matter what potions you need to mix in your garden this year the Gorilla Tub will be the perfect cauldron!

See the Gorilla Tub range at: www.qualitygardentools.com/gardening-accessories/garden-tubs/viewcategory

The British Bulldog

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 23:06:04 +0100

British manufacturing has taken a hammering over the last 50 years. It is therefore ironic that one of the industries that has taken the biggest ‘hammering’ is the tool industry!

Most British-made hand tools were traditionally made in Sheffield, the ‘home’ of the UK steel industry. Sadly over time many of the forges and the factories producing hand and edged tools have closed down. When I started Quality Garden Tools, I was shocked by the lack of British-made garden tools available. Many old names with years of great pedigree no longer manufacture in the UK; the names still exist, but the products are imported from China or India – Quel Dommage!

One exception to this is Bulldog Tools. They have been using a very similar process to make their solid forged hand tools since 1780. Solid forging tools from one piece of steel makes them a lot stronger than welding or fabricating as no weak spots are left in the construction. The tools are also tempered with a special process called austempering which means that whilst the products are very strong, they retain their flexibility. The shafts are manufactured from high quality ash handles selected for the straightness of grain and obtained from renewable resources. Bulldog Tools’ fifty employees now manufacture 2000 tools every day – in Britain!

If this sounds like a commercial success story then Bulldog are not resting on their laurels. At the Chelsea Flower Show this year they launched the Alan Titchmarsh Garden Tool range – endorsed by the great man himself! There have also been new tool designs such as the tree planting spear, the nurseryman’s spade and the shrubbery spade and fork. The Bulldog Tools stainless steel ‘Pedigree’ range was launched just last year, surely a sign that a British manufacturer can succeed in the new century.

Our favourite from the Bulldog Tools range has to be the Wizard rubber lawn rake. The soft rubber fingers are particularly good for sweeping uneven surfaces and do not damage surfaces including lawns. They are particularly suited to paths, patios, driveways, decking and for those with perfect lawns or gravel drives then the Wizard rake is the only tool that will rake up leaves on these difficult surfaces.

The Bulldog Wizard lawn rake can be found at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/rakes/wizard-and-merlin-rakes/id-BUL-9149N/view

Time for a Hoedown

Sat, 07 Jun 2008 16:34:00 +0100

They stalk the earth ruining gardens, infesting cracks in walls and patios, spreading their seeds and multiplying quicker than we can destroy them. No, this is not a warning regarding a Martian invasion or a newly germinated superbug, but the humble garden weed!

Hoes are one of the weapons we have in our armoury to fight this hardy and recurring foe. They are not designed to entirely remove the whole plant, rather to remove the foliage before seedheads can form and mature. When you also consider that they can be used for breaking up topsoil, make seed drills and backfill, they have to be one of the most useful garden tools available.

Over time the shape of the hoe has changed and evolved to more efficiently perform the different tasks they are used for. Long gone are the times when the hoe was the sole preserve of the allotment gardener; making seed drills and removing weeds between vegetables. The Dutch hoe and Swoe are now very popular amongst gardeners who often find that regular hoe use is much easier (and quicker) than getting down on the knees and removing all a weed’s roots with a hand fork.

Hoeing, is not however just for those of us short of weeding time. A Warren hoe is a perfect hoe for those of us who plant a large amount of annuals by seed directly sowing into the border. The sharp point of the hoe makes a perfect seed drill, whilst turning the hoe on its side gives an edge with which to backfill. The Clarice Flower hoe is also much in demand as a great miniature hoe that works on a push/pull action and is small enough to remove weeds from between individual stems. For those gardeners who prefer to use a ‘chopping’ motion when hoeing, then a Scotch or a Draw hoe is the perfect choice. These are also great hoes for building up mulch or compost around the base of ornamental shrubs and roses.

So whether you grow vegetables, have flower borders, (or a bit of both) then one or two good hoes should never be far away!

Our hoes can be found at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/hoes/viewcategory

Chelsea Flower Show vs Chelsea FC

Thu, 22 May 2008 22:42:00 +0100

If you heard corks popping in Chelsea this week it was probably not because of the football! Tom Stuart-Smith may have opened a few bottles of fizz (his garden is bank rolled by Laurent Perrier) and with good reason, he now has more gold medals than Sir Steve Redgrave. While many Chelsea fans were heading for Moscow, I was striding along the Chelsea Embankment intent on seeing the best in international horticulture.

Tom’s show winning design features absolutely no colour (apart from green) instead using different textures, shapes and tones of green to create a very peaceful almost dreamy environment. There are also overflowing zinc troughs reflecting the sky and the planting in the darkest black water, this adds to the feeling of serene calm. My favourite element of the garden is the grove of 30-year-old hornbeams pruned so that the foliage forms ‘clouds’ on the branches.

There were other good designs; Arabella Lennox-Boyd’s garden showed her trademark style of seemingly disorganised romantic planting exercised with incredible control and precision – her pool of water was one of the biggest I have seen at Chelsea and the garden as a whole showed oriental influence almost everywhere. The Cancer Research garden designed by Andy Sturgeon is another example of what a good designer Andy is. He shows a new side to his planting style with a garden that is influenced more by a primeval swamp than an English country garden. Rippling pools are surrounded by tree ferns, irises and grasses with a cutting edge modern circle design on the rear wall. Clare Agnew was unlucky to get a Silver Gilt medal with some great structured and some less formal planting. Cleve West’s Bupa garden also deserved its gold with some beautiful borders and my favourite sculpture at the show, a huge spherical ball of textured concrete.

However there were also misses; the Dairmuid Gavin garden, as usual was embroiled in controversy. To my mind it was a garden of two halves – The back of the garden is a wonderfully mysterious forest of lollipop laurels inter-planted with daisies, ferns and box balls with paths running through to hidden seating areas. The front half however is typical of many of Dairmund’s designs, but now we have seen this planting style with the novelty outsize daisies it seems to have become boring quickly.
The less said about the wooden box in the middle of the garden (described as a café) the better. I am a Dairmuid Gavin fan, I know he can do better and hope he will challenge us anew next year. The worst garden at the show was undoubtedly Paul Cooper’s Simply Italian – homage to Builders Merchants everywhere! The limestone stretched as far as the eye could see with fountains ensuring the said limestone became as slippery as an ice rink. The final insult was planting lime hating rhododendrons in – yes; you guessed it, limestone planters!

Check out the Chelsea Flower Show for yourself at: www.rhs.org.uk/chelsea/2008/

How Does This Grab You?

Mon, 19 May 2008 22:11:36 +0100

Every week the Quality Garden Tools office receives one or two unsolicited e-mails from inventors and manufacturers of garden tools. These e-mails come from all around the world (although the bias is definitely towards China) and we trash most of them without a second thought.

However, about six months ago I received a curious message from a man who claimed that his 70 year old father had invented a ‘miracle’ tool that every gardener should own. I assumed that this individual must be a devoted (but clearly mad) son hoping to curry favour with his eccentric father!

For a number of weeks I ignored the persistent stream of e-mails which continued to reassure me that this newly invented tool was everything that Quality Garden Tools needed! The e-mail that got me interested arrived just before Christmas with the words ‘…has been designed and manufactured in the UK’ immediately catching my attention.

After contacting the sender, I found that the product was called Grab-O-Saurus, but it was definitely not a dinosaur! The Grab-O-Saurus was invented by 70 (something) engineer Graham Renny who had watched his wife struggling to pick up leaves, grass cuttings and compost in the garden. He decided to try to make her life easier and set about designing the two identically sized ‘paddle’ grabs, one with a toothed end, and handle lengths designed so that the pressure exerted by the person using a Grab-O-Saurus is increased three fold at the ‘grabbing’ end.

It is a great tool for picking up garden waste without bending – I own one myself and the Grab-O-Saurus really is very strong. It is manufactured in easy-clean polypropylene, which is robust and lightweight. The teeth are reinforced and it is recyclable - an issue which becomes more important as each year passes. Picking up leaves and grass clippings has never been this easy!

The Grab-O-Saurus can be found at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/grabosaurus-*new*/id-GRAB1/view

If I had a Haemmerlin

Thu, 15 May 2008 22:11:00 +0100

Haemmerlin wheelbarrows are one of the best brands we offer at Quality Garden Tools. They are big, tough and handle the worst conditions your garden can throw at them.

When we first started our company we did not supply wheelbarrows of any kind, but it soon became apparent that the wheelbarrow was a perfect candidate for mail order supply; it is a really bulky item that suits being delivered in a van, rather than balancing on your roof rack!

We chose Haemmerlin wheelbarrows because they have a great history of quality products. Georges Haemmerlin made his first wheelbarrow in 1895 and they have not looked back since – the factory now occupies 45,000 sq. metres. The wheelbarrows are primarily still made on their original principles, a thick metal tray and strong tubular steel frame with a single or twin wheel. However, we can now offer customers strong polypro trays as well as steel, pneumatic wheels as well as solid ones and tipping bars to help support the tray with heavy loads.

Haemmerlin wheelbarrows have never been cheap, their forte is not fast delivery or presentation, but their wheelbarrows are second to none in terms of quality and are very tough, in no small part due to their galvanised or epoxy coated frames and trays.

The Quality Garden Tools team are constantly working with Haemmerlin to improve their customer services and the speed at which they deliver (which can be longer than our other items). We now offer a comprehensive range of spare parts and despite the ridiculously high costs of delivery of wheelbarrows we still only charge a £5.00 supplement to our customers.

I bought a 5200G Haemmerlin Pick Up about three months ago and it is easily the best wheelbarrow I have ever owned. There are no fixings in the tray, it has a tipping bar, comfortable handles and the tray is designed to carry garden tools without them falling off. A great wheelbarrow that will last for years!

The Haemmerlin 5200G Pick Up Wheelbarrow can be found at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/haemmerlin-wheelbarrows/wheelbarrows/id-HAE-5200G/view

Size Does Matter

Sun, 20 Apr 2008 17:01:00 +0100

When it comes to gardening I am not an expert. I can dig, plant and even weed, but I have a major gardening weakness – size.

Strolling around my local garden centre I often stumble across great looking plants that suit my garden in terms of soil ph, colour, texture, but my 20/20 vision fails me when it comes to the plant dimensions! Someone once told me ‘looking is not the same as seeing’ and this is certainly the case when I study plant labels. I have had to transplant so many plants in my garden that I have been sought by friends, family and even neighbours to advise on the re-siting of one or other overgrown shrub!

My advice with transplanting mature plants would be to try and do it in late March or early April when the soil is warming but still wet. I was once forced to replant a Bay Standard (Laurus Nobilis) in early February in the snow and although the noble tree survived, I nearly did not.

When lifting the rootball give a wide margin around the trunk and always use a fork, never a spade. Using a spade tends to cut all the thin, hair-like roots which are so important to any plant getting food and water. Snapping the thick wooded roots is surprisingly less important, they are mainly used to anchor the plant (something that can be effectively achieved by properly firming in or the use of a stout stake).

Always carry your shrub or tree on your fork or if too big in a barrow with as much soil as possible – again to protect those all important fibrous roots. Select a strong solid forged fork like the Bulldog ‘Premier’ digging fork which will not bend, twist or buckle under the weight of the soil.

Having dug the hole where the plant is to be re-sited approximately 100% wider than the rootball, but at the same height; add in some plant food or compost. Place the plant very carefully into the hole and back fill ensuring that the soil height around the trunk of the plant remains the same as before lifting. Then water the plant in well – some plants (particularly roses) will also appreciate a top feed, but this is not essential.

I would ask you not to expect too much from your newly transplanted shrub – when you move to a new house it takes time for you to settle into a new environment, it’s the same for your relocated plants! Finally, as with prescriptions from the chemist always read the label – if the label says that your new Viburnum will grow to 3m by 2m then don’t put it in a window box!

The Bulldog 'Premier' digging fork can be found at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/forks/id-BUL-5704042820/view

Four Seasons in One Day

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 12:54:14 +0100

Working in the garden at this time of year is a full time job – I am often told off by other members of the Quality Garden Tools team for disappearing during the day to do one of many ‘little jobs’ that are needed in April. This busy time in my own garden coincides with the busy period in everyone else’s so Quality Garden Tools is especially hectic and I have to rely on weekend gardening more than ever.

I had planned to mulch and compost some hedge cuttings yesterday (6th April), but woke to find 3 inches of snow covering the garden! I waited patiently for things to change and by lunchtime they had – sadly only to driving rain and wind. After a fortifying Sunday lunch and some time reading the weekend papers I found that by 3pm all the snow had melted and the sun was out (and warm). With another busy week ahead I decided to be brave and managed to shred and compost most of the hedge cuttings after all.

It was only to be expected that we would have a frost last night, but as I speak the sun is out again! Anyone able to predict the weather at the moment would have had no problem finding the winner in The Grand National – enjoy your winnings!

A Cut above the Rest

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 13:40:00 +0100

No matter how many sheds I see (people always seem very keen to show me their garden tools!) one tool always seems to be in attendance. The ubiquitous bright orange bowsaw seems to be a staple in every garden shed up and down the country. This saw is the classic Bahco (formerly called Sandvik) bowsaw which benefits from being strong and lightweight with replaceable blades and is available in a number of different sizes.

However, we now have a new pretender to the old workhorse’s throne – Silky Saws.
For many years Silky Saws have been prized by tree surgeons even above their Husqvarna chainsaws! The saws cut on the pull stroke which makes cuts faster and more efficient with a greater discharge of the chips. When you cut on the pull stroke you use much less energy and get a lot more control over the saw blade. The blades themselves are made from SK-4 high carbon steel, especially high frequency heat treated to harden and then hard chrome plated to give a wipe clean surface. All Silky Saws have razor sharp teeth hardened for long life allowing for quick clean cuts designed to reduce the risk of infection.

The Silky range have a number of different designs from a 130mm bladed Pocketboy folding saw through to the Hayauchi pole saw which reaches an amazing 6.3metres!
Although I cannot see a time when the Bahco orange bowsaw disappears completely, I feel I have seen the future and it is called Silky.

Our range of fantastic Silky saws can be found at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/saws/silky-saws/viewcategory

Mulch Ado about Nothing

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 19:25:00 +0000

At middle class dinner parties up and down the country you are almost as likely to hear the words ‘do you compost?’ as ‘my house has doubled in value over the last 10 years’ or ‘only very bright children like little Tarquin have ADHD’ over Nigella’s crudités.

This is because gardening newspapers, magazines and television shows constantly tell us we must compost. They are, of course, right – nothing is better than making your own ‘brown gold’ and spreading it over your flower beds and borders to help them grow.

Composting is not new, my grandfather composted before the current Gardeners World presenters were born; he like many others had learned not to waste anything during the 1930s and 40s. He piled his garden waste high, occasionally turning with a fork which would release steam from the hot core alternately heating and cooling the mix until all that was left was a beautiful fine compost, bursting with goodness.

Over the years I have tried to emulate my grandfather, but have always been bothered by the amount of woody waste I was burning. No matter how small I chop it, branches take years to break down, ruining the texture of my compost. However, a year ago we became a supplier of Bosch garden products, including their AXT2200HP Quiet Shredder; a machine that has become my new ‘branch mulching buddy’. It shreds anything from 38mm down and mulches branches so that I can add to my compost or leaf mould bin with no adverse affects – no problem!

The Bosch AXT2200HP Quiet Shredder can be found at: www.qualitygardentools.com/power-tools/shredders/id-AXT2200HP/view

Green and Pleasant Land

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:24:46 +0000

Many of the trials and tribulations I have experienced running Quality Garden Tools have been mirrored by disasters and triumphs in my own garden.

The garden measures about half an acre in one long, slightly sloping strip. The soil is acid and not overly sandy, but has lots and lots of stones in it. We bought the house about 5 years ago with no garden to speak of just grass and a few good trees. Since moving in I have cut in new borders and planted dozens of trees and shrubs in an attempt to give the garden some structure.

The planting style of the new borders varies between traditional herbaceous borders and some shady forest planting. This allows me to invest in a wide variety of different plants and shrubs with borders ranging from deep shade to full sun. I constantly make mistakes, with some plants described as shade lovers giving up the ghost in my dry, deep shade and others thriving in dappled shade that are advertised as lovers of full sun!

I will discuss my favourite plants in the future, but take this opportunity to sing the praises of the Hosta. I have planted many different hostas around the garden with varieties suited to full sun, semi-shade and shade. Their foliage is a joy and is great for under-planting anything from ferns to foxgloves. Their flower spikes come suddenly and offer a wonderful contrast to the flat leaves.

As Quality Garden Tools has grown, so my garden has grown – both are unruly and sometimes difficult to manage, but give me huge amounts of pleasure.

A Rake's Progress

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 17:38:00 +0000

Of all the products we sell at Quality Garden Tools, the rake is the one we get most orders for and enquiries about. I think that this is probably because the rake is used for so many different tasks and is used everywhere from the largest estates to the smallest garden.

Rakes fall into three main categories:

Garden rakes with short stiff tines mainly designed for tilling the soil, breaking up lumps of earth and sifting out stones.
Spring tine rakes with longer, slightly flexible wire tines. Although often confused with a leaf rake, this rake should be used for scarifying lawns by removing moss and thatch from the lawn.
Leaf rakes are often similar in design to the spring tine rakes, but with thicker, flat tines (often plastic) to ensure leaves are not ‘skewered’. These rakes also tend to be lighter than other rakes to aid repetitive use.

As I often explain to callers there is no one rake that will perform all tasks to a satisfactory level. The spring tine rakes are often used as an ‘all round’ rake, but the tines tend to bend out of shape if used on bare soil and spear too many leaves if used as a leaf rake.

There are two very interesting variants on the three main categories of rake. The first is the rubber tined rakes of which by far the best are the Bulldog Wizard and Merlin. The Bulldog rakes both have short, flexible rubber tines allowing the user to sweep up leaves on driveways, patios, lawns, decking or borders without damaging the surface beneath the leaves in any way. The Bulldog Wizard has a 20" head and the Merlin a 10" head which is particularly good for getting between shrubs and plants in borders. The second variants are once again Bulldog products and are found in their Switch & Reach range. The 3 miniature versions of the bigger rakes are perfect for work in borders, rockeries and other confined spaces and were recently recommended by Helen Yemm in her ‘Thorny Problems’ column in The Daily Telegraph.

Our rakes can be found at: www.qualitygardentools.com/hand-tools/rakes/viewcategory

A New Beginning...

Sat, 08 Mar 2008 13:22:00 +0000

During 2005, I became increasingly frustrated with the quality of tools in my local garden centres. Many of these centres had opted for Chinese made tools that although cheaper and more profitable for the garden centre left a lot to be desired in terms of quality. This set of circumstances led me to the decision that I could try to do better - and Quality Garden Tools was born. The next stage was to research which tools were best for keen gardeners like me. I visited Kew , Wisley and had lots of chats with professional gardeners to find out which brands they relied on. The more gardeners I met, the more I heard the same names mentioned: Bulldog, Felco, Silky, Tina, Bahco (formerly Sandvik) and power tool brands like Hayter, Husqvarna and Echo to name but a few. Slowly but surely I was able to develop relationships with many different suppliers and increase the range available on both the website and in our catalogue. The business continues to grow and we now supply many of the professionals we originally turned to for advice!

We still try to offer the very best quality available if possible, but stock other ranges which offer good value for those with tighter budgets. We also know where all our tools are made and try to support manufacturers who reduce or minimize the amount of energy used in the manufacturing process. As the Quality Garden Tools journey continues we are always trying to improve our service and the range and quality of the products we stock.

Introduction

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 12:03:00 +0000

To anyone reading this please excuse my nervousness – this is my first ever attempt at ‘blog’ writing (if that is the correct phrase). Writing a blog is just one of many suggestions given to me by the Quality Garden Tools ‘tech team’ in order to make our website more interesting. If you are already falling asleep just reading this introduction, then I apologise, we have obviously failed miserably! Over the coming weeks I hope to write about the daily highs and lows we encounter whilst running Quality Garden Tools as well as the many trials and tribulations (mostly trials) I personally find in trying to tame my own garden.