New Year is the time to make resolutions, and if any of those involve gardening then this is the piece of kit worth investing in according to garden designer and presenter Mark Lane.
Mark Lane is a UK-based garden designer and writer. He is one of the first garden designers in a wheelchair in the UK and has been a presenter on BBC's Gardeners' World since 2018. He is currently the resident gardening expert on BBC One’s Morning Live.
Speaking exclusively to Gardeningetc Mark Lane revealed that alongside the best garden spade it is worth investing in a perennial spade. The garden presenter says it is the one piece of gardening equipment he couldn't be without.
'It has a shorter handle and a pointed blade, making it easier to get in a border among the perennial plants and put in new plants, dig up existing ones, or to plant bulbs,' he explains.
Garden designer Mark Lane
If you already have a spade in your shed storage, you can still benefit from a perennial spade. Its pointed tip is designed to cut through roots to divide into new plants, with as little disturbance as possible to the plant.
The shorter handle also offers a better grip for digging while kneeling. It can also help solve the awkward height issue when digging in raised garden beds.
Mark Lane's personal favorite version is the Sneeboer Perennial Spade costing £56. 'I have the Sneeboer Perennial Spade,' says Mark. 'It has a firm wooden handle, sharp-pointed blade, and is beautifully hand-crafted.'
Perennial Spade, £56, Sneeboer & Zn
The spade measures 42cm in total, with 28cm of that making up the handle. The website says that is it equally suited to dividing shrubs, digging plant holes, and working in areas a full-size spade would be too cumbersome.
At the time of writing the Sneeboer spade had a waiting time of 6 to 8 weeks. However, if you're keen to get on with that gardening resolution sooner you can pick up an RHS endorsed Burgon and Ball Perennial Spade for £24.99 on Amazon.
While the Sneeboer spade might command a hefty price tag of £56, many perennial spades start at £20. However, when choosing the right perennial spade take note of the material. You ideally need a strong, pointed metal head, and a wooden handle that is usually more comfortable to use than a metal one.
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