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What a Tool

As a garden designer I love plants. That’s a given. But not too far behind my love of plants is a love of tools. Especially those that make my life easier.  When I first started in this business over 15 years ago I did most everything the hard way. I slept well, due to exhaustion, but my back hurt, my knees ached, and my fingers tingled. As I have gotten older, and wiser, I have realized that tools can be a really good friend.

Take, for instance, one of my favorites: the battery-operated leaf blower.

leaf blower garden design services

Now before you shudder in horror let me assure you that this is not like the obnoxious backpack blowers that wake you up at 7AM on a Saturday morning. This is a more refined character. I especially like it because it makes cleanups a breeze. Whereas before the crew had to sweep and sweep and sweep a quick shot with the leaf blower leaves everything spotless. My battery-operated leaf blower is a Ryobi, but not part of the 18V interchangeable system. The fact that it is battery-operated means it is lightweight and relatively quiet.  Very easy to use. Not unlike the chainsaw I got at the same time. While it is not meant for lumberjacks it can make quick work of a tree on a roof garden.

chainsaw for garden design services

Another recent acquisition is the work light from Ryobi that IS part of the 18V system. These days when I am often working after 4PM it is dark and this light makes things so much easier to see.  And I look much better without the miner’s light on!

How about my cobra-head weeder? Another great tool. According to their website “Its blade is a steel fingernail® that becomes an extension of your hand. It weeds, cultivates, scalps, edges, digs, furrows, plants, transplants, de-thatches, and harvests with ease.” All I can say is this tool is FANTASTIC. I think about the only thing it cannot do is make my coffee in the morning.

Equally awesome is the spear-head spade.

garden spades - garden design services

Thanks to my friend Mary for introducing me to this beauty. The design of this spade makes dividing iris or hosta a piece of cake. The sharp head and equally sharp edges slice through the toughest roots. I also find it works great in rocky soils.

We have been planting bulbs over the last month and I don’t know how I ever did it without a bulb auger before. A bulb auger attaches to a drill – the heavy duty kind with a powerful battery will work best. I was able to plant allium, which need to go at least 8” down, in a matter of seconds. Position the auger where you want the bulb, pull the drill trigger and voila. It seems like it is even better than digging the traditional hole since there is less soil disturbance. It’s definitely a back saver and can even be used to turn compost or mix fertilizer. It can tend to kick back a little in rocky soils so make sure to wear eye protection.

My final pick for a great tool is not something you find at a garden center but rather a kitchen store. I love my serrated bread knife. I use it for removing plants from containers and cutting back grasses. I started using it by accident because my trowel was not sharp enough and would not work. Eventually my kids stopped asking where the bread knife was; it had taken up residence in my tool kit. Thankfully for Christmas my friend Jeanne got me a new one so now we can slice the English muffins!

This holiday season why not skip the perfume and pajamas and give your favorite gardener something that helps him/her in the garden?  And if you see Santa please tell him I have been VERY good this year and would love another pair of Felco pruners.

Happy Holidays!

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