We asked Katie’s good friend, landscape designer Andrea Mason, about which gardening tools to buy to make a perfect garden.
Since we all know that Katie loves nothing more than tending to her garden (and that she has one of the greenest thumbs out there!), we asked her to give us some advice about her favorite tools to use out in the garden. Do you know what she told us? “My advice is to ask my friend, Andrea! She’s the person I go to with all of my gardening questions, and she always knows what to do.” So that’s exactly what we did.
Andrea Mason is a designer with Hampton Yards, a landscape architecture company out of East Hampton. She has worked on Katie’s yard and garden alongside Katie’s sister Kiki, a landscape architect. Andrea grew up in New Zealand, where she first developed her love of the outdoors and gardening: “Growing up surrounded by the beautiful New Zealand landscape gave me a great appreciation for nature at an early age,” says Andrea. That explains some of the inspiration behind the absolutely stunning gardens and yards that Andrea has helped to cultivate and design. All that hard work making beautiful things grow and flourish must be good for the soul because Katie says Andrea always looks great, even when covered in potting soil.
Whether you’re working with acres of land or just a small plot in the backyard, Andrea believes that you can make it vibrant and beautiful, especially if you have the right tools to help you. That’s why we asked her to share some of her favorite tried and tested gardening tools that she just can’t live without, so you, too, can get to work on your perfect garden oasis. She’s even shared pictures of many of her own gardening tools so you can see how well they hold up after lots of love and use.
18 Must-Have Gardening Tools
Felco Pruners
Andrea Mason
Andrea says that these pruners are her absolute number one favorite gardening item. If you’ve got any plants, shrubs, or hedges that need trimming, then look no further than these pruners…and let’s get pruning!
Felco Leather Holster
Andrea Mason
You can’t just carry around an extremely sharp pair of pruners without a proper holster for them. Andrea recommends this leather one, also by Felco.
Dia-Sharp Blade Sharpener
Andrea Mason
To make sure all of her pruning and trimming tools are well sharpened, she relies on this Dia-Sharp blade sharpener. We found a pack of three on Amazon that’s pretty well-priced.
Sneeboer Hand Trowel
Andrea Mason
For a hand trowel, Andrea insists you’ve got to go with a Sneeboer — although it’s a bit on the pricier side, “it will last a lifetime,” she says.
Hori Hori Knife
Andrea Mason
This gardening knife is perfect for digging and weeding, and it can even be used for tasks like turning over and removing sharp stones and rocks.
Tall Rain Boots
Andrea Mason
For gardening in Spring, Andrea insists on wearing a tall rainboot. “I love Le Chameau,” she says, and these are a pair of boots that will last forever and never go out of style.
Blundstone 500 Boots
Andrea Mason
For the rest of the year, Andrea lives in her Blundstone 500s. They’re perfect for wearing in the garden, but are also a very popular and versatile footwear choice no matter where you’re going.
Large Watering Can
Walmart
Andrea suggests a large, 13-liter watering can so you don’t have to worry about constantly refilling. We love this Hapeisy model that comes in five cute colors.
Large Garden Trug
Andrea Mason
Trugs are the multi-purpose container that every gardener needs. This one comes in four colors, and is perfect for carrying, mixing, scooping, storing, and much more.
Garden Hose
Terrain
Since water is really the most important ingredient in any garden, it’s crucial you have a good hose. Try this one from Terrain, which comes in three colors and is made from toxin-free polyurethane with rust-proof fittings — you can drink right from it if you get thirsty!
Dramm Hose Nozzle
Andrea Mason
Depending on how large your garden is, you’re going to need a good hose nozzle with multiple spray settings. Andrea prefers this one by Dramm.
Makita Leaf Blower
Andrea Mason
This leaf blower is battery-powered, which means no tangled or limiting cords. It has a three speed motor and only weighs four pounds, so it’s great for any gardener.
Organic Mechanics Bio-Char Blend
Andrea Mason
This blend is great for use on virtually any type of plant, and is made up of worm casings, alfalfa meal, bone char, and lots of other yummy sounding things that are certain to keep your plants happy!
Neptune Organic Liquid Fertilizers
Andrea Mason
It’s always a good idea to go with an organic fertilizer when you can, and Andrea swears by Neptune Organic Liquid Fertilizer. If you’ve got a big garden, we suggest stocking up.
Fiskars Loppers
Andrea Mason
Loppers are the very best tool for cutting green, living growth like tree branches. Andrea uses this pair from Fiskars, which has a precision-ground blade and is rust-resistant.
Hand Saw
Andrea Mason
A hand saw is the tool you need for any of your bigger pruning jobs. We like this seven-inch folding model, which is perfect for trimming thick branches or bamboo.
Hand Cultivator
Andrea Mason
A three-tine hand cultivator is exactly what you need for aerating, breaking up hard soil, and weeding. We also recommend springing for the Sneeboer brand here for its resilience.
Twine
Terrain
Twine is one of the best multipurpose garden tools there is — it’s perfect for tying and supporting plants, making straight lines when planting rows, or even hanging herbs and flowers up to dry. We recommend this 24-pack of different colored twine: easy to see and fun to use!
