Horticulturist and presenter Monty Don may have a shed full of gardening tools, but there's one essential item he said he would never go without.
In a video posted on the BBC Gardeners' World YouTube channel, Monty described himself as tool-obsessed and "underequipped" if he has fewer than 30 tools to help him tick off his monthly gardening jobs.
Speaking in the video, he said: "I never go into the garden without a pair of secateurs, so it's got to feel comfortable, they've got to be small enough so that you can put them in your pocket or in a holster, but big enough so that you can cut.
"Every gardener has to have a pair of secateurs. These are Japanese; they're very beautifully made and they're very sharp, which is important.
"The one thing I'd say about secateurs is, don't overgear them. They need to be just enough to do the job. Don't try and force it; sometimes you need more than one, a light pair and a heavy-duty pair."
The broadcaster also revealed that he's been using the same garden spade for over three decades, explaining that he won't let anyone else touch it.
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"I've been using this for 35 years and I'm sure it will see me out. A good spade will last. I plant everything with it, I dig everything with it, it's the most useful thing in the garden," says Monty.
If you're heading out in the garden this weekend and want to put your garden tools to good use, jobs to tick off include pruning plants such as lavender and roses, sowing your hardy annuals, and removing any weeds that will smother small plants and seedlings.
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Lisa Joyner is the Deputy Daily Editor at House Beautiful UK and Country Living UK, where she's busy writing about home and interiors, gardening, dog breeds, pets, health and wellbeing, countryside news, small space inspiration, and the hottest properties on the market. Previously, she has written for Conde Nast Traveller, House & Garden and Marie Claire magazine. Lisa studied at University For The Creative Arts, where she completed a BA in Fashion Journalism.
