A large oversize soapstone sink designed by Rosney Co. turns the dogtrot between the garage and back door into a beautiful, utilitarian space. “It’s a great place to arrange flowers or to wash up before going inside,” says Rosney Co.
Stock up on these basics for your garden shed.
If you've been dreaming of turning your yard into a colorful cottage garden but don't know where to begin, we've got a punch list of basic garden tools to stock up on so you are ready for everything in your garden.
The Essentials
The Southern Living Garden Book — Before you purchase anything else, get this indispensable guide written by our Grumpy Gardener that details everything and anything having to do with Southern gardening. What to grow; common Southern garden problems; garden zone maps -- it's going to answer the questions that you don't even realize that you'll be having soon.
Gloves – Get the most lightweight pair you can find so your hands won’t get too hot.
Soil – In gardening you can never have enough potting soil. Be careful and read the bags carefully some types are formulated for container gardens while others are for garden beds.
Hose – Watering is key in the garden and you will get tired of making refill trips inside to your kitchen faucet.
Watering can – Your hose can only reach so far and sometimes your flowers need a light watering rather than a drench. Invest in a lightweight can that you can carry easily.
Pots – You will need an assortment of sizes and there’s a vast variety out there. When in doubt, always go for simple terracotta and you can’t go wrong.
Digging Tools
Round-Point Shovel – The classic shovel that you picture. This is for loosening soil in the ground or for transporting soil from either a pile or a wheelbarrow. It’s also your go-to for digging holes.
Garden Spade – A shovel with a straight edge, this prepares soil for planting and digs narrow, straight-sided trenches.
Spading Fork – Picture a pitch-fork. This is great for loosening and turning soil, working with manure, or turning compost.
Soil Rake – Like a sturdy metal rake, this breaks of clods of dirt, levels the soil, tamps seedbeds to make them firm, and works amendments into the top few inches of a planting bed.
Trowel – Imagine a pocket sized shovel. This is for planting and for scooping and transferring soil or fertilizer from bags.
Cutting Tools
Hedge Shears – These are longer clippers designed to shear coarse-leaved hedges, such as ligustrum, holly, cleyera, bougainvillea, or photinia
Light Hedge Shears – Slightly smaller and sharper clippers that are for trimming fine-leaved hedges like boxwood, lavender, and rosemary
Professional Scissors – Small clippers for snipping herbs like basil, thyme, and rosemary
Hand Pruner – Short, but thick clippers for cutting branches and stems throughout your garden and for other all purpose pruning.
Long Straight Snip – A sturdy cross between scissors and a hand pruner that’s designed to clip flowers for arrangements.
Lopper – Long handled clippers to prune branches that are less than 1.5-inches in diameter.
Are you worried that you commit a mortal garden sin? No fear, the Grumpy Gardener has you covered with his snarky answers.
