Garden Shears

Garden shears are used to undertake a number of jobs in the garden. Clipping small hedges, cutting back perennials at the end of the season and even sometimes edging the lawn can all be done with a sharp pair of garden shears.

Nowadays you can also find telescopic shears with extendable handles, though these are a little harder to use. Often made from carbon steel with light-weight aluminium handles and fitted with rubberised or foam grips for extra comfort, garden shears are a basic requirement in any gardener’s shed - although these days the lazy gardener might well have replaced their garden shears with an electric trimmer.

Garden shears will last for years with the proper care – remember that dry sap will build up on the blades, so remove this with fine sandpaper to keep them working well. Garden shears should be sharpened regularly to work most efficiently.

As with all tools, garden shears can be hazardous in the wrong hands, so ensure they are stored safely away from children in a locked shed.