10 signs you are a Master of Gardening – how many can you tick off?

You don't have to have a TV show like Monty Don to be considered a master of gardening. From owning your own gardening tools to knowing the Latin names of plants, garden tools manufacturer STIHL has compiled a list of signs that you are a master of gardening.

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A study of 2,000 Brits found adults don’t get into gardening until the age of 44 - when they become house proud and want to keep up with the ‘Joneses’. By this stage, people feel more confident about what they are doing. And more than a third said the switch happened once they became a homeowner and were keen to spruce up their outdoor space.

However, research commissioned by STIHL, found in recent weeks during the lockdown, two in five have used the time to tidy up their outdoor space. And a further 23 per cent have done more gardening than ever before.

But what does it take to be a master of gardening? the study found that while 30 per cent of over 55s described themselves as ‘pretty good’ at gardening, an eighth of 18-24 year-olds admitted they have ‘no idea’.

To help you work out if you are on track to gardening greatness STIHL has compiled a list of all the signs of a master gardener at work. How many can you tick off?

Top 10 signs someone is a master of gardening:

1. They know what plants to plant at different times of the year 

2. Their garden is always presentable

 3. They know the names of different plants and trees 

4. They grow their own fruit and veg 

5. They give advice to others about gardening 

6. They know when to water plants 

7. They deadhead flowers 

8. They know when the lawn needs a cut 

9. They own lots of gardening tools 

10. They spend lots of money on gardening tools, ornaments and furniture

'Everyone gets into gardening at different stages of their life – whether it’s owning a house or wanting to take up a new hobby which motivates them,' says Simon Hewitt, from STIHL

'But from this research, it is interesting to see what skills Brits consider a ‘master of gardening’ to have and how we judge another person’s gardening skills based on whether their garden is looked
after,' he adds.

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'In these current times, even those who don’t own a huge outdoor space are still getting involved in gardening, whether it be looking after house plants or learning how to mow the lawn.'