My Top 5 Floral and Gardening Tools
I’m a minimalist when it comes to tools- partly because the following 5 tools can do it all but also because I’m a little lazy and don’t want to carry around more than I need.
Joyce Chen Professional Design Shears
Joyce Chen Professional Design Shears
I’ve been designing with “Joyce Chen’s” for over 18 years. These shears work for right of left handed people and are an incredible tool.
They are delicate enough to cut fleshy, thin flower stems but strong enough to cut through heavy stems and branches. If you want a design tool that pretty much does it all- this is it.
The scissors are small enough to fit into your back pocket and the bright red handles make them hard to lose.
2. Felco Pruners
Felco Pruners
These pruners are one of the BEST gifts you could ever give an avid gardener (if they don’t have them already). Go for name brand, “FELCO” and don’t skimp, because these pruners are worth their weight in gold.
I use them almost everyday during the gardening season and they are incredibly handy to have in my floral design studio for cutting seasonal branches like pussy willow, forsythia, cherry, apple and thick stems of eucalyptus and curly willow.
I would recommend going in person to a garden center to try them out since each style will feel different in your hand. For instance, I have long fingers and palms, so I often choose the larger styles.
3. Serrated knife
A serrated knife is lightweight, inexpensive and a great supplemental cutting tool to have in the garden or when arranging flowers.
The knife is great for cutting twine but also perfect for cutting thick fleshy stalks without crushing the stem. I find this tool especially useful for trimming amaryllis, tulips, hyacinth and daffodil stems.
4. Japanese Style Weeding Sickle/Hand Hoe
I love this tool SO MUCH.
I was first introduced to this style of weeding tool by my old boss, Tom Clark from my internship at Mount Holyoke College Botanical Garden. Tom is a plant (and tool) snob. He’s worked with plants his whole career and taught me so much.
This tool has a long ergonomic handle which makes repetitive digging/weeding easier on the wrist. You can move your hand up or down the handle for added comfort.
The angle of the hoe and sharp tip makes it so easy to get underneath a weed’s roots. The tip is particularly perfect for weeding tiny crevices in walkways.
5. Tub Trug
Hands down, this plastic tub needs to be in everyone’s car, garage, garden shed or basement.
There are unlimited uses but I love them for watering plants (I fill up the bucket with water and dip each plant in- to moisten the soil instead of watering overhead).
These Tub Trugs are great for potting plants, too! I fill the tub with soil and pot plants inside. The tapered shape catches any excess soil, so there’s no mess.
I also use it as a watering can. The handles are incredibly strong and make carrying gallons of water effortless. Holding the handles while pouring funnels the water to where you want it to go.
The Tub Trug is also handy if you are arranging flowers and need a place to throw the cut stems, leaves and debris. Afterward- just carry it out to your compost heap. Voila!