POT MOVER Flower pots are the second most dangerous garden “tools”, according to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (lawnmowers come top of the list). We fall over them and strain our backs moving around the garden; a large pot full of damp compost is surprisingly heavy. Wheel this pot mover up to the container, slide the metal claw over the rim, tilt it back and you can transport it with ease. It will hold any pot up to 75cm (30in) tall and 50cm wide and weighing up to 50kg.

Buy this Fort Pot Mover, £37.50 Stockists 0870 7871414, www.crocus.co.uk

GARDENING GLOVES Wearing gardening gloves, particularly if you’re clearing brambles or doing heavy-duty pruning, makes sense. They protect your hands — and wrists and forearms if you choose gauntlets — from scratches and thorns. Gold Leaf Tough Touch gauntlets made from deerskin, are soft and supple yet tough enough to keep thorns at bay. Pamper your hands after gardening with the Fragrant Gardener Intensive Hand and Nail Cream (www.herbal-shop.co.uk).

Buy this Gold Leaf Tough Touch, £22.95 Stockists 023-80402025, www.goldleaf-gloves.com

WATERING CAN Another piece of equipment that will take the strain off your arms and shoulders is a well designed lightweight watering can. The slimline shape of this 10-litre plastic one means that you can carry it comfortably at your side, without whacking your legs, and the top and rear handles allow you to pour with ease. Carry one in each hand, and only half-fill them, and you’ll keep strain to a minimum.

Buy this Harcostar Starcan, £9.49 Stockists 0870 7871414, www.crocus.co.uk

SECATEURS Jobs such as pruning can put a considerable strain on weak fingers, wrists and arms. Ratchet secateurs are designed to combat this. It’s a bit of a knack using them — you depress the handles once and then a second time when the blades should glide through stems with minimum effort — but it’s well worth persevering. This model from Spear & Jackson will cope with 18mm-thick (¾in) stems and is offered at a bargain price.

Buy this Easy Cut Ratchet Secateur, £4.99 Stockists 0870 7871414, www.crocus.co.uk

WHEEL BARROW Shifting heavy compost bags can trigger back problems. Move them easily with this innovative US-made wheelbarrow. It can be laid flat on the ground, is sturdy enough to take the weight of a 70-litre compost bag or 100 litres of loose bark. It’s easy to manoeuvre on its fat pneumatic tyre and can be folded up when not in use. Indispensable.

Buy this Small Wheel Easy Wheel Barrow, £49.95 Stockists 0845 4025300, www.harrodhorticultural.com

KNEE PADS A long spell of kneeling when planting or tackling weeding in the borders can not only be uncomfortable but also leave you with stiff, sore knees. Cushion them with a kneeling cushion; knee pads can also help but are more of a palaver to use. Ease the strain on the joints by standing up from time to time. The Carrier Company’s kneeler comes covered in waterproof canvas or waxed oilskin, has a jute handle and a pocket to tuck secateurs or gloves into, and it is a generous 4.5cm (1¾in) deep.

Buy this Kneeling Cushion, £21 Stockists 01328 820699, www.carriercompany.co.uk

BACK-SAVERS You can also give your back a break by using tools that do the bending for you. Try long-handled or telescopic tools such as those made by Sneeboer (www.harrodhorticulturalc.om) and Wilkinson Sword (www.wilkinsonswordgarden.com).

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