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For your landscaping and gardening hobby to be fun and relaxing, it needs to be easy. That doesn't mean their should be no work involved. Gardening is hard work. But honest hard work is relaxing and rewarding for many people. But it should not be frustrating. So start small. Landscaping for small gardens or flower beds is easy for most people and a good way to get into the hobby.

But even landscaping for small gardens requires dedication and lots of time and effort. There will be many trials and errors along the way. But in the end you can be rewarded with beauty and the satisfaction of a job well done.

One of the key elements in getting to this happy ending is having a good start. A good start requires the right tools. There are 5 pieces of equipment which all gardeners need to invest in before they turn over that first piece of dirt.

1.Spade ' A spade is basically a sharp shovel. A gardening spade has a long, thick handle and a heavy sharp blade. This tool is used to dig up and rearrange the dirt. Once you plant your flowers or herbs you can use a spade to fill in the dirt and pack it tight. Look for a strong handle and a sharp blade.

2.Trowel ' A trowel is a small shovel. It is the perfect tool when landscaping for small gardens. Since it is used with one hand the important thing to look for when choosing a trowel is one that fits your hand comfortably. Easy grip, non-slide and non-slip grips are the best form of handle to choose. A trowel with no grip will be difficult to use and could end up ruining your garden. Try one out in your hand first to ensure it feels comfortable. You don't want your hand to cramp or the trowel to slip while using it to dig in a beautiful, new plant.

3.Pruning Shears ' Pruning shears are scissors for plants. They have a long handles and blades which allow gardeners to precisely prune rose bushes and other plants. They are perfect when all you need is landscaping in a small garden. They can also be used to cut the weeds at the edges of garden beds and those hard to reach places. They are good for trimming the dead leaves or wood off of flowers. This is probably the most important piece of equipment that you will buy. Invest in good quality pruning shears. Good ones will last a lifetime.

4.Wheelbarrow ' Even when landscaping for small gardens you're going to be carrying around some heavy stuff. Sacks of soil and mulch, new plants and landscaping stones all will "put a hurtin'" on your back if you're not careful. A wheelbarrow is one piece of garden equipment I would not do without. You've seen one. It is a cart with a handle and at least one wheel. Buying a good quality wheelbarrow will save you a lot of time and effort and Will save your back. Remember this is suppose to be relaxing and fun. Wheelbarrows are expensive but worth every penny.

If you have a riding lawnmower, consider a small cart to pull behind it in place of the wheelbarrow. I wouldn't recommend buying one for a small yard but if you have a riding lawnmower, you probably don't have a small yard anyway.

5. Gloves - Feeling the fresh soil run though your fingers is wonderful -- at first. After a couple of hours it is painful. Not to mention the possibility of blisters using the tools. Get some gloves. Just get the cheap cloth ones. As they get caked with dirt, throw them in the washer or, better yet, throw them away.

There are many other pieces of gardening equipment that you may want to consider as you do your landscaping and gardening. But the five listed above are the essentials. Invest in these high quality tools now and your new hobby will be both fun and relaxing. Whether you continue to just do landscaping for small gardens or tackle the entire backyard, they will always serve you well.