Leading pruning specialist Jake Hobson learnt the craft of tree training, pruning and rootballing in rural Osaka, and founded Niwaki (it means “garden tree”) to bring Japanese techniques to Western gardens. “A good pair of secateurs is the single most important bit of kit for any gardener,” he explains. His range of secateurs doesn’t disappoint. The bypass designs have a simple, chunky catch at the bottom, just like the Okatsune.

As a gardener with small hands, I appreciated how the GRÜNTEK Secateurs FLAMINGO has switchable handle widths. This made the garden shears comfortable and easier to use. The Teflon coated upper blade glided smoothly through branches, and the ergonomic, non-slip handle design provided a secure grip, minimising hand strain during long pruning sessions.Adjustable tension: The ability to adjust the cutting tension may improve precision and reduce hand strain. However, topiary expert Lerigo says he found the latch used to open them involved too much fumbling around on ladders for his liking, a situation not helped by cold, numb or gloved hands. As much as I wanted to love them, and despite the superior, precise blade, Lerigo was right: the catch mechanism used to open and close them is fiddly compared with its smoother competitors, and nigh impossible with gardening gloves on or one-handed, up a ladder, because the clasp requires a thumb to be operated. I also found that my own hands were slightly too small for them.

They have a curved shape to them, designed with plant branches in mind to cut most effectively. You can see the photo above to see the classic curved blade. As you would expect from the blady quality you get a sharp cut with minimal effort. They are heat treated to 60 HRC which toughens them up and they require less frequent sharpening than regular blades. According to Telegraph gardening expert Helen Yemm, secateurs usually jam because of a build-up of dried sap and general garden grot on the blades. A good clean, followed by a wipe with an oily rag, sorts the problem out. Presumably you have tried that. They have rugged manganese steel blades that can handle heavy-duty cutting up to 1 inch in diameter. The body is aluminium so is light and will not rust. Pros:

What is the difference between pruners and secateurs?

Consider the size and weight of the secateurs. Smaller, lighter models might be suitable for people with smaller hands or less strength. Larger, heavier models might offer more power, but they could also be more tiring to use. Warranty