Wouldn’t be without: my favourite gardening gloves

Showa Floreo 370 gardening gloves

These are my all-time favourite gardening gloves – the Floreo 370 by Showa. I first came across them in the trade working as a professional gardener when they were ordered in for us as supplies. I used to struggle to find them in garden centres but they seem to be more readily available now to the general public (including from Harrod Horticultural) and there also seems to be increasing numbers of copy-cat versions available. I usually pick a few pairs up at the Chelsea Flower Show – as they’re often on offer from Centre Sales. I used to garden in them for the entire working day and I wouldn’t be without them. They’re lightweight, thin enough so you can easily move your hands and feel what you’re doing but tough enough to provide adequate protection for hard-core gardening activity. The rubber palm is grippy – handy for lifting heavy and rough objects such as pots, wooden boards and equipment – and helps to keep your hands dry in all but the wettest conditions. The stretchy nylon back and cuff is comfy and well-fitting. I can’t rate these highly enough. I’ve got them here in orange (size small) but they come in a range of 6 colours and, given their durability, I think at £5.99 a pair they’re pretty good value.