Tool Porn: A Look Inside Sheila’s Garden Shed

Gardeners tend to have strong opinions about their tools, maybe because their favorites develop personalities after a season or two of use. Personally? I could pick out my own pair of Felco pruners in a police lineup. Probably so could Cape Cod gardener Sheila Bonnell.

When we visited Sheila to shoot photos of her garden for our Gardenista book, Julie took a peek inside the tool shed—and discovered Sheila’s go-to rakes, pitchfork, trowel, garden gloves, and Felco pruners. Plus a pair of orange garden clogs.

Today we launch our new Tool Porn series to profile  gardeners’ favorite tools (and offer suggestions of where to buy the same or similar tools). If we looked inside your garden shed, what would we find?

Photography by Matthew Williams.

Above: Sheila’s peaked-roof garden shed, seen from the kitchen window, sits on the far side of her edible garden.

Above: Inside the shed. With a permanent marker, Sheila draws the outlines of her tools so she can remember where each one belongs.

Above: Long-handled tools hang from the rafters.

Above: Still life, with tools. A gravel rake and a skinny rake (with rust on its tines), a pair of Felco pruners, three pairs of gloves, and a trowel with a homemade hanging loop. And a pair of orange rubber clogs.

Wondering where to get similar gardening gear? See our list of sources:

• 10 Easy Pieces: Gravel Rakes
• For a similar pitchfork, consider the Craftsbury Stainless Border Fork from Burgon & Ball.
• 10 Easy Pieces: Leaf and Garden Rakes
• For a galvanized watering can, see 10 Easy Pieces: Watering Cans.
• 10 Easy Pieces: Garden Clogs and Ankle Boots
• See our favorite Garden Gloves and Men’s Garden Gloves.

Above: Sheila also has a lightweight retractable hose that she loves, she says, because it never kinks. See our picks at 10 Easy Pieces: Retractable Garden Hoses.

Above: Thanks, Sheila, for sharing your tools (and garden) with us.

Browse our Tools archives to see more of our favorites. Read more:

• English Gardeners’ Favorite Tools: Niwaki Tripod Ladder
• 10 Ideas to Organize the Perfect Potting Shed
• Our New Guide to Garden Shed Design