Gardening has always been a bit of a foreign concept to me. When the idea of a garden came into my mind, it looked like a small farm with rows upon rows of vegetables. It was something that people with a lot of land did, and I thought I wouldn’t have that kind of land until much later in life. On top of that, I thought you probably had to have some machinery or expensive tools to make it all happen.

That all changed when I read Apartment Gardening by Amy Pennington (you may remember it from one of our giveaways a while back). After I read this book, I had a total “ah ha moment”… I can have a garden too! Not only did this book completely shatter all of my preconceived notions about gardening, but it also gave hope to a “brown thumb” such as myself.

Armed with my new knowledge that gardening isn’t just for a select few, I set out to find some items that might help me along my way. As with everything, choosing the right tools for the job is essential (or just a little more enjoyable). It’s obviously important that you find enjoyment in what you’re doing, so I selected several items that are both functional, fun, and, well, pretty! I hope this can serve as some inspiration to anyone else hoping to begin their adventure in cultivation!

1. Seed Bombs - These. are. so. cool. Purchase the Seed Bombs for your US region, toss these babies in your garden (apparently, you don’t even have to dig a hole!), and just add water (and a little patience). You can’t get easier than that! If that isn’t cool enough, they even have Dog & Cat Friendly Seed Bombs that include catnip, wheat, oats, and rye. I cannot wait to try these out!

2. Hable Sweet Pea Gloves – I’m a fan of these garden gloves because they are stylish and functional. A lot of times you’ll find stylish gloves but they are just that and nothing more. The Hable Sweet Pea Gloves’ thumbs, and pointer fingers are lined with tiny rubber polka dots – which helps you to easily handle plants and whatnot. And who doesn’t love polka dots?

3. Sunken Pool Gardening Hose - Yes, there is such a thing as a stylish garden hose! Who knew? Pool is one of my all-time favorite colors so this easily made it to the list.

4. Apple Bird Feeder – I’m pretty sure the squirrels (which we have a lot of!) in our yard would give the birds a run… er… fly for their money if we hung this in our backyard. We may just have to get one of these for the entertainment factor!

5. Crocband Flats – These cute slip-ons would be perfect garden shoes. You can easily slip them on and off, and hose them down when they get dirty. Not to mention, they are super comfortable! I have a pair of these which have been dubbed the “Bentley needs a bathroom break” shoes but I imagine these will be perfect “garden shoes” too!

6. Celia Birtwell Garden Tools – Yet another stylish yet functional gardening tool. The set comes with two one-piece aluminum tools and are lightweight, strong and have an ergonomic grip.

7. Gardeners Scrub Cleanser – This deep cleansing hand wash from Crabtree & Evelyn is a blend of plant-based cleansers and all natural exfoliants that cleanses while polishing away roughness and impurities. Crabtree & Evelyn has a ton of products for gardeners that are worth checking out (which would be a perfect gift for a gardner in your life!).

8. Apartment Gardening by Amy Pennington – Last but not least, once again, the book that changed my mind about gardening. It’s a must read for anyone who has the slightest interest in gardening. Pinky promise!

Do you have any garden must haves or favorite gadgets? Share them with us in the comment section…