Great gardening gear for spring

By Alison Cox
The Fashion: Aprons, Gloves and Footwear
New York, Paris and Milan may be host to spring fashion shows that highlight collections of clothing that most of us will never own, but the Roanoke Valley has its own spring line. And the best part of all? All of these seasonal essentials are available locally.

• The Mud Glove: Touted as “The Gardener’s Choice” these durable gloves come in apple green, red, tangerine and yellow. (Available at Through the Garden Gate, Townside Gardens and Greenbrier Nursery)

• Foxgloves: Plant, weed, prune and harvest in comfort and style. These form-fitting work gloves offer flexibility and durability thanks to the silicon grip. (Available at Townside Gardens)

• West County Gloves are made out of recycled water bottles, and provide gardeners with a strong and soft product. Each pair of West County Gloves will remove one 8-ounce water bottle from landfills. Talk about eco-friendly! Available in children’s sizes too. (Available at Through the Garden Gate)

• Woman’s Work Gloves come in vibrant colors so you can spot them easily among the plants—what a concept! The stretch microsuede fabric, reinforced fingers, and Velcro wrist fastener combine to make these gloves a favorite among the gardening set. (Available at Greenbrier Nursery)

• Sloggers offers a line of lightweight yet durable clogs and snazzy boots meant for gardening in the muddiest of conditions. (Available at Greenbrier Nursery)

• Pull on a pair of garden boots by Esschert Designs. These are adorned with a whimsical grass and daisy pattern. (Available at Through the Garden Gate)

The Tools
Stock your outdoor tool kit with these durable, lightweight and eye-catching tools. You’ll be much more likely to get to work with easy-to-use gadgets.

• Felco Pruners: The “Cadillac” of pruners. They’re sharp, durable, and adjustable, and boast “awesome cutting power and precision,” say the experts. Worth every penny of the $60 price tag. (Available at Through the Garden Gate and Townside Gardens)

• The Rumsford Gardener line makes everything under the sun: Trowels, weeders, digging forks, cultivators, transplanters and more. (Available at Through the Garden Gate)

• The Straight Weeder is perfect for weeding in tight areas. Count on the forked tip to rid your beds of weeds. (Available at Townside Gardens)

• Peacock Garden Supports in green vinyl-coated galvanized steel are not only functional, but disappear into the landscape

thanks to their coloring. Made in Holland, these sturdy plant grids will last a lifetime, and come in various sizes to support all types of plants as they grow. (Available at Through the Garden Gate)
The Extras
Add some of these goodies to your wheelbarrow and you’ll be the talk of the flower bed.

• The “Garden Kneeler” is a portable bench and kneeling pad. One side is a sturdy, portable bench seat. Flip the whole thing over for a comfortable kneeling pad with handles. Sports an anti-rust finish, all-steel construction. At $40, it makes a welcome Mother’s Day gift. (Available at Through the Garden Gate)

• Tired of kneeling in the mulch or contrary Virginia clay? Use one of the many varieties of kneeling pads. (Available at Greenbrier Nursery)

• Crabtree and Evelyn Hard-Working Hand Care soothes and softens skin that has been elbow-deep in dirt all day. (Available at Through the Garden Gate)

• Invigorating Citrus Salve by “I Must Garden.” This all-natural, vitamin-enriched stuff really works on cracked, rough hands that have been toiling in the soil. (Available at Townside Gardens)

• Renee’s Garden Seed Packets: These prettily-packaged seeds come with a back flap designed to give the gardener the inside scoop on the intended plant. Includes growing tips, harvesting information and cooking ideas. (Available at Through the Garden Gate)

• A canvas garden tote embellished with darling lettuce leaves is just the thing to carry your tools from patch to patch. (Available at Through the Garden Gate)

This spring, take a little garden tour of your own. Take a Saturday morning when the pull of the season is too strong to resist and visit some local stores. Check out the gear that is sure to make for many sunny days in the garden.