Working in a small garden you need to have good hand tools.  They should be strong and well made to last long, and easy on your back and hands. In the name of saving money, I’ve bought cheap tools, only to find that they didn’t last long and didn’t work well.

For digging in the garden I use an English spade with a D Handle made by Bulldog Tools.  They’ve been doing this for more than a hundred years and really know how to make a great tool. I’ve had mine for 40 years, and it is still as good as the day I bought it.  The wooden handle is sturdy and hasn’t come loose in all those years.

I also use a digging fork. Especially useful in rocky soils and wet soil, the fork is a great tool.

A long handle fiberglass shovel, my old digging fork and a new spade, my most important tools

The Felco Pruners are well made  and come with a variety of handles that are made to fit your hand. Keep them sharp for easiest use and best results in pruning.

A long handled shovel is also necessary.  The one I use has a fiberglass handle which won’t rot like a wooden handle, if you leave it out in the rain. Not that I would ever do that, oh no. Well, maybe a few times.

This is a Haws watering cans.  Let me tell you, all watering cans are NOT created equal.  You can see that the Haws has a long spout. A gallon of water weighs 16 pounds and it is difficult to carry that much water with a regular watering can, it always wants to tilt forward.  But with the Haws you can carry it by the spout, which  evens out the weight, and then it pours very well from the spout. You can get it in metal or plastic

Keep your tools clean, sharp and in the shed, and they will last a long time.