This autumn Burgon & Ball, the UK’s oldest manufacturer of garden tools and accessories, is launching an exciting new licensed range of tools in a major collaboration with Europe’s largest conservation charity, the National Trust.
Picture: Thanks to National Trust, Kingston Lacy
Making its debut at GLEE in September, the collaboration between these two trusted names in gardening offers new and exciting options for retailers. With superior quality, celebrating traditional manufacturing and a heritage aesthetic, the tools are practical, stylish and are set to have great customer appeal across the board, from weekend gardeners through to professionals. They offer the feel-good factor too, since a percentage of revenue from sales of the tools will help to support the conservation activities of the charity.
Founded in 1895 and now with 5.6 million members, the National Trust is a well-loved and trusted conservation charity. With 180 registered parks and gardens in the National Trust’s care, it looks after the largest collection of historic parks and gardens in Europe, including many created by the most notable designers. It is held in the highest regard by gardeners and those who love visiting beatiful gardens, making it a natural fit for a collaboration with Burgon & Ball, itself with a toolmaking heritage dating back to 1730.
The new tool range consists of an invaluable core gardening tool set: digging spade; digging fork; trowel; hand fork; round-tined fork; claw cultivator; patio weeding knife; dibber; lopper; hedge shear; topiary shear; bypass secateur; and pocket knife.
The tools are crafted largely in high-carbon steel, a material which offers superior strength characteristics. Dark wood and touches of brass echo the tools’ inherent quality and also give a nod to the garden tools of yesteryear. Put simply, they have a unique look, offering gardeners a new option in terms of aesthetic.
The difference is not merely superficial, however. Across the new National Trust range many traditional manufacturing processes, little seen today, are used to create tools which deliver exceptional performance.
The spade and fork both use solid socket forging, whereby the whole toolhead and socket are forged from a single piece of steel with no welds, for unparalleled strength. The socket is then double riveted to the shaft, for the strongest structure; one not available in any stainless steel tool. High-carbon steel ‘D’ handles are also doubled riveted to the top of the shaft, ensuring they stay firmly in place through years of service. A textured powder coating in a distinctive antique bronze shade protects the exposed steel from corrosion.
The lopper is manufactured using a drop forging process, whereby the metal is heated and hammered into a die to shape it. This method removes any voids in the steel and aligns the internal grain structure, significantly improving the strength of the tool and allowing it to retain an edge for longer.
The hand tools feature brass ferrules bearing the joint National Trust and Burgon & Ball maker’s mark, unusual and highly effective sharpened tool edges to slice into the soil, real leather cords for hanging, and the antique bronze powder coating for protection.
The secateur and knife both feature stainless steel blades offering durability and improved rust resistance. The secateur has an all-steel drop forged body for maximum strength, and the dark wood handles of both small cutting tools feature solid brass rivets for a distinctive look.
With RRPs ranging from £8.99 to £34.99, the new National Trust range of garden tools made by Burgon & Ball offers outstanding quality at accessible price points. The combined customer appeal of these two trusted names in gardening offers new and exciting opportunities to retailers this autumn.
