The Best Garden Tools

Burgon and Ball Hand Trowel
Slightly smaller than most, this rust-resistant beauty can get into tight spots. The carved-wood handle is light but sturdy, and so comfortable it could keep you in the garden all day.

To buy: $17, shovelandhoe.com.

Featured May 2013

Womanswork Weeding Gloves
Made of thin rubber and breathable nylon (your hands won’t sweat), these offer ultimate tactility, so you can grasp even tiny, hard-to-get weeds. Available in three colors; machine washable.

To buy: $20 for three pairs, womanswork.com.

Haws Practican Outdoor Watering Can
Capacious but easy to carry, thanks to a straight upper handle. Comes with a wide spout for ground plants and a narrow one for pots. Holds 1.6 gallons.

To buy: $37, bosmereusa.com.

See our round-up of the best watering cans.

Felco Ergonomic Premium #8
The last pair you’ll ever buy. This expert stainless clipper has a divot to whisk away sap, rubber bumpers to absorb shock, and a notch for cutting wire. All parts are replaceable.

To buy: $60, amleo.com.

Sneeboer Raised Bed Cultivator
Hand forged in the Netherlands, this three-tined classic, which is long enough to reach under shrubs, makes turning soil, mixing in fertilizer, and unearthing big weeds a pleasure.

To buy: $50, gardentoolcompany.com.

Lee Valley Tools Border Spade
A stainless-steel blade and seamless construction (the head will never jiggle) guarantee that this digger is in it for the long haul. Great for edging, uprooting, and making holes.

To buy: $36, leevalley.com.

Tomita Japanese Soil Digging Tool
A life changer—serrated on one side, smooth on the other, with a rubberized wooden grip. It pries out stones, saws through roots, and digs deep enough for planting bulbs.

To buy: Unfortunately, this product is no longer available. For something similar, try the Multi-Purpose Hori-Hori Knife, $26.50, amleo.com.

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