The one garden tool you should invest in if you have no storage space, according to a professional gardener

If you only have a small shed or (quite rightly) refuse to store dirty tools indoors, it can be hard to know where to keep garden tools when you have no storage space. But have you ever wondered if you simply have the wrong tools?

You can go one of two ways when you have a garden idea in mind but live in a small space. You can either buy way more tools than you physically have space for, or you can avoid buying anything and start digging the ground with an old shoe instead. And, of course, neither of these options is practical.

So, to see whether there’s a solution to this small-space problem, we spoke to professional gardener Christopher O'Donoghue from Gardens Revived. Thankfully, he introduced us to a tool that does it all without taking up too much space at all. Enter: the garden multi-tool.

The best garden multi-tools

If you’re not familiar with garden multi-tools, they really are exactly what they say on the tin. They’re garden tools that can be used for multiple jobs - meaning you can forego buying various different tools in favour of one multi-tool and the attachments of your choice.

Then, you simply switch out the attachments to suit the garden job you’re doing. This way, it can be comparable to one of the best lawnmowers one minute, then one of the best strimmers the next, and then one of the best leaf blowers after that. So, it’s no wonder why Chris loves it so much.

His multi-tool of choice is the KMA 80 R Battery KombiEngine from STIHL, which, coincidentally, also won the Ideal Home Garden Award for ‘Best Garden Tool’ this year.

He told us, ‘As someone who works from a van, space fills up quickly if you’re trying to carry around a lot of tools or machinery. It’s on the pricier side, so it's definitely an investment piece, but you can use up to 12 different attachments from one engine – which means it can be everything from a strimmer to a leaf blower.’

‘It saves you all the cost of maintaining all of those different machines, and it’s probably the most used tool in my gardening arsenal,’ he adds.

Christopher O'Donoghue

An RHS-trained gardener with almost two decades of experience under his belt, Christopher set up Gardens Revived with his brother, Andrew, in 2018 to create a thriving family business. Together, they have worked on residential gardens, listed buildings and gardens, flower shows and large estates with some exceeding 70 acres – many with historical significance.

And while you may not be a professional gardener like Chris (well, not yet, anyway), we still think a garden multi-tool is a must-have for those who lack garden storage. After all, it’s only as big as the main shaft, where the engine sits. Then, you can choose how many of the attachments you want or need to buy - if they don't already come with the main shaft body.

All of the detachable accessories are not only smaller than the main shaft but they can also be clipped on as and when you need them. So, you could even mix up how you store them.

You could store the attachments you know you’ll use regularly in the shed and then pop the attachments you’ll only need once or twice a year in the loft so they’re not taking up unnecessary storage space.

Alternatively, the attachments are small and flat enough to be hung on the wall of a garage or shed (or even your under-the-stairs cupboard) - so you could buy something like this 51inch Wall Mounted Tool Storage Rack from Amazon to keep them safe and off the floor.

But no matter how you choose to store a garden multi-tool, it’s definitely much smaller and easier to store than if you were to buy the tools separately. After all, full-size tools will be much bigger than smaller attachments.

We know what you’re thinking, though - it’s pretty pricey, right? Well, not really. Although Chris’s personal choice is definitely on the more expensive side of the spectrum, there are cheaper alternatives out there that still offer the same perks of a garden multi-tool.

Plus, if you were to buy a leaf blower, lawn mower, hedge trimmer, edge trimmer, pruning shears, rotary cutting brushes and more as separate products rather than attachments, you can bet your bottom dollar that you’ll be paying much more than the price of one garden multi-tool.

So, you could say that you’re actually making money by buying a garden multi-tool. Especially if you buy one that comes with the attachments included in the price.

FAQs

What tools do I need to do my garden?

Ultimately, this all depends on what your garden itself - and what you plan to do in the garden. If your garden is paved, you’ll probably only need a weeding tool to keep the weeds at bay.

If you have a garden with grass, a patio, plant-filled borders, and more, you’ll need a few more tools. Most gardeners would suggest buying:

• Gardening gloves like these long-line heavy-duty gloves from Amazon.
• Shovel or trowel like the Garden Ecoline trowel which you can pick up at Amazon.
• Pruning shears such as these professional Amazon bestsellers.
• Rake - this ergonomic Bosch hand rake.
• A good lawnmower (check out some of the best lawnmowers we've tested for inspiration or better yet, shop our firm favourite: The Bosch AdvancedRotak 750 available on Amazon).
• A good garden hose like the space-saving compact Hozelock 25m hose reel on Amazon.

What to look for when buying garden tools?

If you want to buy garden tools that last, you should focus your attention on the material of the gardening tools. Aim to buy tools with sturdy wooden handles and stainless steel heads, and search for rust-resistant products that won’t dwindle as the years go by.

It’s also a good idea to think about storage when buying garden tools. So, do they have handles so you can hang them up? Do they come with a storage bag? Or will you have to find somewhere else to store them?

Of course, price is also something you should consider. While it’s not always necessary to buy the most expensive products and brands on the market, you should avoid buying anything that’s too cheap. After all, if you buy cheap, you buy twice.

So, you’ll have to excuse us… we’re just off to buy a garden multi-tool.