This article appeared in the Spring 2007 issue of Texoxa Living!.
High-quality tools in the garden are an essential investment. You buy them new just once, then enjoy them as they become even more valuable with age. A typical Big Box Store-bought implement may not last nearly as long. And certainly brings no cachet to the tool shed. Even if you’re not brand conscious you will love the selection of upscale tools and assorted gadgets sold by the Mill Valley, CA company, Smith & Hawken. Shopping online, or at one of their two Dallas-area storefronts, you will find well-made, colorful, things to bring home. Marketed under the “Sprouts™” brand, kid-sized items will delight any little cultivator-in-training. If you can keep the dog from destroying them.
A. Le Prince Jardinier Toolkit/$99
Three essential tools made of corrosion-resistant stainless-steel; sheesham wood handles; trowel, hand fork and cultivator w/jute storage bag.
B. Sprouts™ Gardening Apron/$15
Roomy pockets in this durable denim apron hold tiny tools or treasures. Velcro® adjustable neck and waist strips fit a wide range of sizes.
C. Potting Shed Toolkit/$50
Eco-friendly kit includes 5 hard-to-find tools for planting seeds and potting. Includes dibble dibblet, pot tamper, jute garden line and paper potter.
D. Sprouts™ Paint-A-Pot Seed Kit/$19
Ceramic pot is paintable and has an embossed butterfly design. Includes non-toxic paints, flower-mix seed pack, soil and growing instructions.
E. Sprouts™ 3-Pc. Short-handled Tool Set/$8
For those tiny green thumbs. Set includes trowel, hand rake and hand shovel. Durable for outdoor use; rinse clean and dry. For ages 5 and older.
F. Kids Haws Watering Can/$12
Let your young gardener shower the flowers in style. This is the plastic version of Smith & Hawken’s Heritage Steel Can. Holds 1 qt.
Smith & Hawken Online
www.smithandhawken.com
2 Dallas-area retail stores in Plano and Dallas.