Our Gardening Must-Haves
Thursday, 10th April 2025
Over time, some tools and supplies prove themselves so useful that they earn a permanent place in the shed - or even by the back door, ready for daily use. Here are some of the things we wouldn't want to garden without.
They don't offer the same toughness as heavy-duty gloves, but they strike the right balance for everyday jobs where you still want to feel what you're doing. They're reusable many times over - unlike disposable latex gloves - and a pack of 24 often costs about the same as a single pair of branded gardening gloves. Once you've used them for potting, planting, or tidying, it's hard to go back to thicker, clumsier gloves for light work.
Buy from Amazon
A foldable sack barrow solves the problem beautifully. Lightweight and compact when folded, it's strong enough to move not just awkward pots, but also bags of compost, grit, sand, and other heavy garden supplies. It makes trips from the car to the garden after a nursery visit much easier too. It's one of those simple tools that saves your back, saves time, and neatly folds away when not needed - a true garden essential.
Buy from Amazon
Petals makes it easy to document not just what's growing in your garden, but how it's evolving - helping you track care needs, remember special purchases, and even share your garden's story with others. Whether you're managing a few pots, a large private garden, or a shared space like a community allotment, Petals gives you a simple but powerful way to stay organised and connected to your plants over the long term.
Ready to start your digital garden? Get your Petals smart labels here.
Because it's derived from seaweed, it also helps improve plant resilience, boosting their ability to withstand drought, pests, and temperature swings. It's particularly handy if you want to keep feeding routines simple while still giving your garden the nutrition it needs to thrive.
Buy from Amazon
Available in small bags up to large bulk orders, it's easy to find the right quantity whether you're topping off a few pots or landscaping a larger space. It can also be combined with sea glass or other coastal elements to create striking, beach-themed decorations for pots and containers. Practical and decorative, it's one of those materials that earns its place once you've seen the difference it makes.
Visit Shell on Earth
A good pair of secateurs makes every pruning job cleaner and easier, helping plants heal faster and grow better. Whether you're deadheading flowers, trimming shrubs, or tackling light tree work, investing in a dependable pair saves time, effort, and frustration.
Buy from Amazon
Rubber Latex Coated Work Gloves
While they aren't traditional gardening gloves, rubber latex coated work gloves have become one of our essential pieces of kit. They're thinner and lighter than typical gardening gloves, meaning they won't protect you from serious thorns, but they're ideal for lighter jobs where flexibility and a good grip matter more. The thin but strong fabric keeps your hands clean while still giving you enough dexterity for fiddly tasks like potting up seedlings, handling delicate plants, or tying in climbers.They don't offer the same toughness as heavy-duty gloves, but they strike the right balance for everyday jobs where you still want to feel what you're doing. They're reusable many times over - unlike disposable latex gloves - and a pack of 24 often costs about the same as a single pair of branded gardening gloves. Once you've used them for potting, planting, or tidying, it's hard to go back to thicker, clumsier gloves for light work.
Buy from Amazon
Foldable Sack Barrow
Moving large pots, bulky plants, or heavy bags of compost can be one of the most awkward parts of gardening - especially when you're trying to get pots into greenhouses or shelters before winter frosts arrive. While there are dedicated pot movers available, they often don't work well with all shapes and sizes of pots, and they can be surprisingly bulky to store.A foldable sack barrow solves the problem beautifully. Lightweight and compact when folded, it's strong enough to move not just awkward pots, but also bags of compost, grit, sand, and other heavy garden supplies. It makes trips from the car to the garden after a nursery visit much easier too. It's one of those simple tools that saves your back, saves time, and neatly folds away when not needed - a true garden essential.
Buy from Amazon
Petals: Smart Plant Labels
Petals offers a smarter way to manage, track, and organise your plants. Using weather-resistant smart labels embedded with NFC technology, Petals allows you to link each plant to a detailed digital profile with a simple tap of your smartphone. You can record plant names, purchase dates, care instructions, photographs of their growth, and any other notes you want to keep.Petals makes it easy to document not just what's growing in your garden, but how it's evolving - helping you track care needs, remember special purchases, and even share your garden's story with others. Whether you're managing a few pots, a large private garden, or a shared space like a community allotment, Petals gives you a simple but powerful way to stay organised and connected to your plants over the long term.
Ready to start your digital garden? Get your Petals smart labels here.
Envii SeaFeed Xtra
Finding a fertiliser that can be used across all parts of the garden can be a challenge, but Envii SeaFeed Xtra makes it easy. This natural, seaweed-based feed is incredibly versatile, suitable for use on lawns, fruits, vegetables, flowers, trees, and ornamental plants. It's an excellent all-rounder that promotes strong, healthy growth without the need for a shelf full of different feeds.Because it's derived from seaweed, it also helps improve plant resilience, boosting their ability to withstand drought, pests, and temperature swings. It's particularly handy if you want to keep feeding routines simple while still giving your garden the nutrition it needs to thrive.
Buy from Amazon
Shell on Earth
Shell on Earth offers a sustainable, beautiful alternative to gravel for paths, borders, beds, and pots. Made from crushed, cleaned recycled whelk shells, this material not only looks great but also serves several practical purposes in the garden. It acts as an effective weed suppressant, helps conserve soil moisture, and even forms a natural barrier against slugs and snails - perfect for circling around tender plants.Available in small bags up to large bulk orders, it's easy to find the right quantity whether you're topping off a few pots or landscaping a larger space. It can also be combined with sea glass or other coastal elements to create striking, beach-themed decorations for pots and containers. Practical and decorative, it's one of those materials that earns its place once you've seen the difference it makes.
Visit Shell on Earth
Spear & Jackson Secateurs
Every gardener needs a good pair of secateurs - and it's one of those tools where quality really matters. After trying cheaper brands and supermarket buys, we've found that Spear & Jackson secateurs stand out for their sharpness, lightweight feel, and lasting reliability. While they may cost a little more than budget options, the difference in performance and lifespan is well worth it.A good pair of secateurs makes every pruning job cleaner and easier, helping plants heal faster and grow better. Whether you're deadheading flowers, trimming shrubs, or tackling light tree work, investing in a dependable pair saves time, effort, and frustration.
Buy from Amazon