4 of the best garden tools for summer

Keen to get your garden in tip-top shape for the long-awaited summer ahead?

We hear you!

If you’re looking for a stunning garden that oozes good vibes, it’s essential to give it that extra bit of TLC with the correct garden tools.

Whether you’re dreaming of lively summer BBQs or a haven to catch some rays with a riveting page-turner, these best-in-class tools will help create your own slice of garden bliss.

A hedge trimmer is a tool that explains itself rather well – it trims hedges.

Hedge trimming is an essential garden task many people overlook until they’re faced with an overgrown hedge and a LOT of work on their hands!

Don’t fall into this trap; it’s much more efficient and stress-free to work hedge trimming into your usual gardening routine.

If your hedge is shrinking your garden by the day, it’s time to attack them head-on.

Although you may be itching to be rid of the overgrown leaves – and we wouldn't  blame you – consider these essential tips before firing up your trimmer:

While this may go without saying, never cut your hedges in the rain! It doesn’t have to be a storm, even the slightest bit of rain is a complete no-go for hedge trimming.

So, you’ve got a dry, bright sunny day ahead of you – the next step is to sharpen your hedge trimmer.

Don’t dirty your finest get-up, though; instead, throw on some old rags, a pair of thick gloves, and some safety goggles for extra precaution. Now let’s get sharpening!

The simplest, most cost-effective way to sharpen your trimmer is with a file.

As long as you move the file over the blade in a downward motion (lifting the file off of the blade as you go back up), you can’t go wrong.

After ensuring there are no tripping hazards on the floor, remove any dead leaves or debris from the hedge to prevent damage to your hedge trimmer. Your future self will thank you for saving yourself that dreaded trip to the repair shop!

And now you’re good to go.

But don’t be discouraged if you’re facing an unkempt mess – the following tip will get you stately home-worthy hedges in no time!

You should cut your hedge so that the top is its narrowest point.

This is because hedges naturally – and annoyingly – grow in a V shape due to the amount of sunlight.

And if you don’t taper the hedge, you’ll exacerbate the issue, so always trim from the bottom up, leaving the skeleton branches intact.

If using a hedge trimmer gives you flashbacks from The Shining, then a pruner may be your new best friend!

Pruning is done by hand, so while the process may take a little longer, you can cut each stem individually, exactly to your liking.

There are two main types of pruners: bypass and anvil.

Bypass pruners are the most accessible and least damaging, making them a no-brainer for intricate, accurate pruning.

Here are a couple of steps that’ll help you prune to perfection:

If you’re just getting rid of dead flowers, simply cut straight through. However, if you want to cultivate the plant, it’s best to cut at a slant, angled slightly away from the node.

When pruning, forget using the tips of the blades; instead, hold the branches as far into the pruner's blades as possible. This preserves the blades and saves your hands from aching later!

In one continuous motion, cut through the stem.

With thicker branches, it might feel like Man vs. Branch, but soldier on and you’ll make the cut!

If it’s a tree that’s causing trouble, the steps are the same – just use a telescopic tree pruner instead.

Simply extend or shorten the handle to the required length and follow the three steps outlined above. Just take extra care with your balance and watch out for any incoming branches!

Scarifiers are brilliant tools that remove vegetation (thatch) from the soil’s surface and aerate your lawn.

These are crucial functions as thatch prevents the elements from nourishing your lawn. Without scarifying, you’ll be left with dry, damaged grass – certainly no recipe for a Wimbledon-worthy lawn!

A rotating roller with sharp blades turns at a high RPM, moving all the debris into a collection basket for easy disposal and minimal mess!

Drop your scarifier’s body to its lowest setting and allow the blades to cut into your soil and cut the lateral grass shoots. This process increases the nutrients going to your lawn’s roots, promoting healthy grass growth.

Many people avoid cleaning their patio slabs and decking, shrugging their shoulders at the thought of people traipsing over their hard work.

Fortunately, most pressure washer experts only recommend an annual clean – not too shabby. 

Plus, the satisfaction from blasting away the grime will have you counting the days until your next pressure washing session!

Now for the ins and outs of how a pressure washer works, so you know what’s going on under the hood to create such power.

Through one external hose comes detergent, and from the other cold water. The electric motor inside the washer then mixes these, with some models heating the solution to between 50 – 70°C.

Then, through a combination of pistons working with both suction and pressure valves, the solution flows out of the high-pressure exit hose – and it’s this high pressure that removes dirt from the surface.

Due to this pressure, there are a few safety tips to follow:

Just remember to wear your hedge trimmer get-up – old clothes, gloves, enclosed shoes, and safety goggles – and always direct the water flow away from you.

Don’t let children mistake your pressure washer for a fun new water gun – not only because they might aim it towards someone, but the kickback force is strong enough to force them onto their backs.

You can never be too cautious with a pressure washer; set the hose to a low-pressure setting initially, switching it up as and when you become more comfortable with the washer.

By following these tips, whether it’s dirt, grime, moss, or mould clogging up your garden surface, your new pressure washer will answer your prayers and end your elbow grease for good!

So, your hedges and trees are trimmed back and soaking up the sun, the patio is beaming brightly, and your lawn has never looked more pristine; sounds to us like it’s time to enjoy your stunning new outdoor space.

Safe to say the money saved on a gardener is more than worthy of going towards a hard-earned glass of wine or two to enjoy in your new little haven!

And don't forget, you can find plenty more garden tips, lifestyle hacks, and interior inspiration in our blog – we'll see you in the comments!