When holding roses with one hand, do not grip them tightly!

• It is advisable to wear sturdy footwear with steel toe protection when using a fork, spade or axe.
• Wear Yellow Criss Cross Gripper Gloves (P46) when using any tools to provide high grip even when in water or in rain.
• A polycotton boilersuit (see the Tractor Suit from Tuf Direct) with a fleece prevents sunburn, pricks from rose/berberis/hawthorn thorns and most stings from stinging nettles.
• Any outdoor clothing system has to provide the user with: Wicking, Warmth, Windproofing and Waterproofing. Comfort depends upon the right balance between these four functions. Paramo Directional Clothing Systems provide this balance so that you can remain dry and warm whilst gardening in the rain.
• A first aid kit available close by then provides the necessary equipment when accidents happen. An eye wash station to get waste out of your eyes is also helpful. I tend to have protective barrier skin cream Derma Guard to prevent chaps on my hands (applied once in the morning and again after lunch), Arnica cream (available from Boots and other reputable chemists) to remove pain when something strikes my skin to be applied as soon as possible, old-fashioned cloth Elaster plasters for cuts with antiseptic cream applied to the cut after being cleaned with mediclens tissues.
• Three Kneeling Pads prevent your knees from being wet or damaged by stones when kneeling on the ground to weed etc. Put one beneath each knee and move one knee to the third when required.
• Diamond Whetstone requires only light pressure to produce a keen edge on steel tools.
• When using ladders to do gutter cleaning, minor roof work, window cleaning or tree work make sure that the ladders are secured at the top and bottom before working on them. In treework, I stand on the bottom rung to push the ladder into the ground 4 feet away from the tree for a 12 feet high ladder (1 away to 3 units in height) before I take bungees up and secure 3 of them to the tree. Then I come down before taking up tools to do the work.