It’s that time of year again when the garden is given less attention and the thoughts of its beneficence become the order of the day. For those with vegetable and fruit gardens, it is time to harvest what you have been cultivating while the decorating side of the season produces the greenery and berries to adorn the house.

The old saying “A poor workman always blames his tools” might have some truth in that tools and equipment need to be maintained throughout the year to produce a healthy and visually attractive garden. However, a quality tool will serve the user well over the years.

When one considers the tools and equipment required to maintain a garden, the choice of what to buy can be made easier. Consider the garden in terms of area and usage — the lawn, the flowerbeds and the trees and hedges, and not forgetting the hard landscaped areas.

In many properties, the lawn occupies most of the “garden” space and is therefore a visual focal point. What tools and equipment are required to maintain a lawn to a high weed-free standard? Mowers are either of a rotary type for broad foliaged grasses and the reel mower is best for fine foliaged grasses. In the case of reel mowers, the higher the number of cutting blades, the finer the cut.

Fertilising lawns is best carried out with either a broadcast spreader, especially for large areas of grass, and a drop spreader for smaller lawn areas. Ensure each type has a distinct mechanism and adjustment bar for adjusting the flow of fertiliser.

Sprinklers are found in various forms, either those that disperse water in circles or in a back and forward motion. Hosepipes, knapsack sprayers, spray applicators with setting rates are also very handy for small areas or spot treatment of weed control.

Flowerbeds need continuing maintenance to control weeds, and pest and disease problems, as well as pruning on an as-and-when-required basis. For weed control, the large, bladed digging hoe is often seen being used by landscape companies; I would prefer the Dutch hoe, a small, bladed hoe that is “pushed” through the surface of the soil to remove germinating growth while not disturbing surface-growing roots.

Incorrect pruning not only spoils the growth habit of a plant but can also cause disease problems when the pruning cut is not clean, leaving jagged and torn tissue and possible disease problems. A good pair of secateurs for use on small branches no bigger than a pencil should work on newly planted shrubs, whereas for larger branches a sharp pair of loppers will be required. For mature shrubs with heavy branches and trees with thick branch systems a chainsaw should be used, usually an 18-inch blade will be fine for most gardens.

Hedge trimmers should be used for exactly that: hedges such as casuarina, privet, buttonwood and plants not grown for their flowering.

Tools and equipment for use in several areas of the garden include rakes – lawn rakes, which are fan-shaped, and soil rakes, which are comb-shaped. Wheelbarrows are old hat in many ways but are still very useful for delivering tools, etc, to an area and removing debris and tools at the completion of the task.

The ubiquitous blower seems to be a very popular piece of equipment that invariably completes a part of the task it is used for, ie, it blows debris to a specific area, be it a pile or more, often in a widespread direction, with the debris ending up in hedgerows or garden beds.

In parallel with the blower, use a large piece of ground cover cloth for removing the debris, otherwise come the next windy day the task will need repeating.

A garden is nothing without interesting plant species, and “statement” plants, such as Zamia sp, Cycas sp, bamboo palms, European palm and Bermuda roses, would add interest to any garden.

Gardens with large patios and hard landscaped areas would be enhanced by the introduction of terracotta or glazed pots, especially for the “specimen or statement” plants. Square or round styles will add interest visually and aesthetically by adding shape and texture to the existing landscape.

• Malcolm D. Griffiths is a trained horticulturalist and fellow of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture in Britain. He is also past president of the Bermuda Horticultural Society, the Bermuda Orchid Society and the Bermuda Botanical Society