Garden Spades, Shovels and other Spades

The right tool for the right job and when it comes to ‘calling a spade’ then you have a choice.

Popular Shovel Shapes

Shovels

• A spade has a flat, sharp blade whilst a Shovel has curved sides or edges.
• Shovels are useful for scooping up bulky material like compost or straw.
• A spoon shovel is a long bar with a small oval blade at the end, for digging deep narrow holes.
• Coal shovels, Grain shovels and Snow shovels speak for themselves.
• Shovels tend to be larger and heavier than spades.
• Trowels and scoops have curved sides but are smaller hand tools.

Spades

• Probably one of my most used garden tools in borders and for planting shrubs and trees.
• I have a stainless steel light ‘Ladies Spade’ for normal work.
• My heavy duty forged spade will be used for heavier work and double digging new land.
• I am not keen on modern innovations like E shaped heads, carbon fibre handles preferring a traditional spade with an ash handle.
• Spear and Jackson are excellent spades and other brands include Draper, Fiskars, Bulldog, Yeoman, Faithfull, Silverline and own brands.