KICKSTART: Your summer garden!

Aspirations for being a green fingered goddess? Yup, us too! Gardening experts, Gardenscape, lets us know 5 THINGS EVERY GARDENER NEEDS!

Are you the kind of gardener who lovingly tends your outdoor space in the depths of winter? No, me neither. But when summer is screaming that it’s time to start digging, planting and potting I venture into the garden and start to wonder where the hell to start.

So we asked the experts – Kent-based Gardenscape – for advice, starting with the very basics of the FIVE MUST-HAVE items that every green goddess needs!

Gardenscape delivers a wide range of top quality landscaping and gardening products. Whether you are creating new beds and borders, laying paving (you save not just money by buying in bulk, but also time on repeated journeys to a garden centre).

And these outdoor experts will be giving us top monthly tips for what to do month-by-month this summer in your garden in our new regular column.

So what are the FIVE top items every keen gardener needs?

1. Gloves

Not just any gloves either – you’ll want to make sure your manicure doesn’t get scratched to bits while you’re pruning the roses, so invest in a pair that suit your gardening style. Gloves usually come in different thicknesses and fabrics – the thinner they are, the better the dexterity, but you won’t want light gloves for heavy duty gardening, so look for a pair that’ll keep your hands protected while allowing you to remain green-fingered (not literally, otherwise you really might need some different gloves…)

2. A kneeler

It’s amazing how fast the hours can fly by when you’re having fun in the garden – or, when you’re cursing the day you started weeding. Before you know it, you’re aching all over, which is  why a kneeler is a must when you’re dedicating hours to border and lawn maintenance. Pick one that’s well cushioned, and it’ll serve as a handy perch for when you’re having a tea break, too.

3. Secateurs 

Every gardener needs a pair of secateurs to hand when they’re out and about. Trimming back overgrown plants, taking cuttings for friends who have spied your lavender and want their own, and even keeping lawn edges neat can all be done with a pair of secateurs. Plus, you only need one hand to operate them, which frees up the other to carry your drink around while you’re working.

4. A hose

Especially useful in the summer, a hose will ensure your beds and borders stay hydrated, and the ordeal of watering the garden is made much quicker when you’re not lugging and refilling a watering can. Hoses can last for years if you choose well and store them safely (away from direct sunlight to avoid splitting). While some can be cumbersome, there’s also plenty of space saving versions available for watering even the smallest of outside areas.

5. A hand trowel

Large tools have their place in the garden, but a hand trowel is the gift that keeps giving. Useful for all sorts of jobs, from weeding to potting to planting, this is one tool you’ll want to invest in. Taking up next to no room in the shed is an added bonus too, and it’s small enough to slot into your pocket and bring out when you encounter a wayward weed springing up.

Gardenscape, The Wharf, Rye Road, Newenden TN18 5QG, Tel: 0800 854663, gardenscapedirect.co.uk

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