These are very strange and worrying times. We are in the grip of a worldwide pandemic with Coronavirus (COVID-19) and lots of countries are in lockdown. In the UK we have a partial lockdown and self-isolating, only being allowed for out basic shopping, medication or an hour of exercise per day (close to home). But it is not all doom and gloom.
Whilst we all should be staying indoors, those who are lucky enough to have a garden can still make use of it. The sun has been shining and we have had some quite nice days. As with all gardens, especially at this time of year, they all need looking after and during enforced lockdown, now would be a great time to tidy up that garden. Not only will it make your garden look nicer, but it will keep your mind active, so boredom isn’t setting it.
Getting out in the garden for at least 2 hours per week is good for better health and wellbeing. It can be great for relieving stress, as it can help release endorphins, and the sunshine is excellent for improving your mood by getting much needed Vitamin D. As well as keeping you active, it can also be very therapeutic, and the fresh air is probably that much fresher without so much traffic on the roads.
We have a lawn surrounded by trees, hedges and plants and Fiskars, best known for their quality orange handled scissors, kindly sent us some pruners and shears to help us tidy up the garden. I have used their scissors in the past (I still have them and are still just as good as the day I got them) and am impressed with the quality of them, so have high hopes for the shears and pruners.
For those that don’t know, Fiskars are a Finnish company that have been making quality tools and utensils since 1649, everything for your garden, home, school, office and craft.
We have had a lot of rain over the winter and now that Spring has sprung and the garden starting to come into bloom, the hedges around the edge of the garden look a bit untidy. As the Easter Bank Holiday weather started off very nice, we decided to get out in the garden and take advantage of it. By that I mean tidying up the garden.
Fiskars had sent us their Solid Hedge Shear (HS21), which are perfect for trimming hedges and bushes. Straight out of the box they look good quality (I would expect nothing less from Fiskars). They are lighter than I expected and only have minimal orange trim as the handles are black rather than the Fiskars iconic orange. Measuring approx. 55cm in length, they are perfect for easily trimming the hedges.
The non-slip grips are very comfortable to hold, and the hardened steel blades make very easy work of cutting through the hedges around our garden.
The Fiskars HS21 Solid Hedge Shear was a delight to use as they are comfortable and very sharp. They are also equipped with shock-absorbing bumpers, helping to reduce any jarring at the end of cuts. It didn’t take too long to get around the garden tidying up the hedges, and if I do say so myself, they look rather good.
With a retail price of just £19.99 I think that they are a bargain for the quality.
Next up was the Fiskars Pruner (P32). A pair of pruners is something that everyone with a garden owns and couldn’t be without. The Fiskars P32, like the hedge shears, have black handles, minimal orange trim and are just as lightweight.
The P32 pruners are small size (approx. 20cm in length) with a cutting size of 12mm and fit in my hand perfectly. The soft grip handles make them comfortable to hold and use. Like the shears, they also have solid steel blades.
They also feature a locking mechanism to keep the blades closed which is easily accessible just using your thumb.
These have been excellent for pruning the plants and thin branches without too much effort or causing and pain to the hands by having to pull the handles too hard. At £11.99 they are not going to break the bank but should last for years.
Both the hedge shears and pruner have been excellent and have made light work of tidying up the hedges, bushes and plants in the garden. Now just have to start on mowing the lawn again.
Please note, whilst getting out in the garden and looking after it is something that needs to be done at this time of year, due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) your local tip may be closed so you won’t be able to get rid of your garden waste. So please use your brown bin (if you have one) and check on your local council’s website to see if they are still emptying it. If you don’t have a brown bin, or the council are not currently emptying it, please keep hold of your trimmings and garden waste until the bins are being emptied again or the tips are open again so that you can dispose of it properly.
During lockdown and self-isolation, a spot of gardening is excellent for keeping active and Fiskars have made it more of an easier task for me.
I would have to rate the shears and pruners as 5 out of 5 for their quality, sharpness and ease of use.
Rating: 5/5
For more information, visit www.fiskars.com. Available to buy from B&Q, Homebase and all good DIY and gardening outlets.
DISCLOSURE: I received this product for free for the purpose of writing an honest and impartial review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
