A series of national blockages coupled with a booming real estate market has led more and more people to become garden owners, who have become passionate about plants. While there is no single guide to taking care of your garden, there are a few essential tools you need to keep your borders, flower beds, and lawns thriving. Express.co.uk talked to the experts to find out exactly what you need to take care of your garden all year round.

Whether you keep a simple garden or a varied display of flower beds and borders filled with shrubs, trees, and flowers, establishing a useful gardening toolbox for a well-groomed landscape is essential.

Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, Shannon Keary, creator of the popular ‘Diaries of a Lady Gardener’ gardening podcast shared her top tips for a versatile gardening tool kit.

With a massive over 21.7,000 followers on her gardening instagram page, @diaryofaladygardener, the Devon-based gardener is leading the way for a younger gardening audience.

For new garden owners or those looking to invest in a subdivision, Shannon’s top tips will get you successful in all things pruning, planting, seeding and harvesting.

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Best all-round gardening tool

Speaking to Express.co.uk, Shannon explained that her hori hori knife is her go-to tool that she just can’t live without.

She said, “It’s so useful in so many ways, whether it’s for transplanting seedlings, measuring depths, cutting weeds, planting bulbs, pruning a woody plant; the list goes on. “

Why invest in good quality tools

To avoid having to replace shoddy tools, go for the best you can afford and take good care of them.

Keeping the shears sharp is best for a healthy plant with clean cuts when pruning.

Even the best quality tools will wear out if you leave them in the rain and don’t keep them clean, so be sure to take care of them.

Shannon told Express.co.uk: “You don’t need a lot of tools to get started, a trowel, shovel, gloves, pruner and watering can are a basic kit and you can do a lot. with these. “

Fall gardening tasks

Shannon explained that from late September to early October, she will focus on cleaning her greenhouse / shed to get rid of any pests that might overwinter there.

Her fall gardening to-do list included:

• Check under benches / pots and make sure glass / plastic is clean for maximum light
• Sow hardy annuals and biennials for next year
• Examine and optimize the space for maximum grow space
• Have it cleaned without digging summer products
• Flower beds with winter crops, filled with spring bulbs for a beautiful early color next year and / or mulched
• Water in some slug nematodes

Shannon added: “A lot of people think the gardening season ends in September, but there is always so much you can do while there is less growth and it is so rewarding both physically and mentally. “