Gloves make a great gift, so why not buy them to pop in your gardening friends’ Christmas stockings. A popular glove brand that offers durable gardening gloves that won’t fall apart and are comfortable to wear is SHOWA from Globus Group – in fact, they feel like a second skin and always fit, well, like a glove!
Fragile fingers
Back in the day, us gardeners used to take pride in our calloused fingers as a sign of a hard day’s work, but now we’re more aware of how vital healthy hands are to gardening efforts and how much we need to be looking after them. I’ve found wearing a pair of high-level protective gloves goes a long way to prevent soft, supple hands turning coarse and overworked. So, each year, I gift a pair of good quality gardening gloves to my green-fingered friends so that they can reap the benefits too.
The three qualities that make a good gardening glove are durability, flexibility and how well they protect your hands.
The three qualities that make a good gardening glove are durability, flexibility and how well they protect your hands. A good gardening glove should always be flexible across the knuckles, so you can clench a fist comfortably and have ultra soft fingers that do not stiffen when dry. Making sure they’ve got enough water protection for the task is also a top priority, as water and sweat left on the skin can cause irritation and abrasion.
Created for kids
As children tend to take to gardening at a young age and often even start gardening whilst still at school, the 370 Floreo XS size is perfect for those little hands and have an elasticated cuff for a snug fit. These waterproof gloves, which come in a variety of fun colours, are made from a breathable fabric that will keep children’s hands safe and clean for all-day fun in the garden and cost just £6.99. Matching adult sizes are also available.
For tougher gardening jobs, older children will probably favour BUDS Children’s Gloves, which offer first-class protection against sharp stones and thorns without limiting motion for trickier tasks. The textured palm coating gives great grip and the elasticated wrist ensures a comfortable fit. They are available in blue and pink and also in two sizes to cater for 4 to 9-year-olds.
Glove and glamour
Brightly coloured gloves are always a good idea because you can see the glove more easily if you drop it. When working with soil gloves tend to get very dirty, so what better than a machine washable pair in a pretty pink or purple colour for the ladies? Flexible and soft with a waterproof latex palm makes Globus Group’s SHOWA 341 gloves hard wearing and ideal for almost all gardening needs. The antibacterial and anti-odour treatment means they remain daisy fresh when working up a sweat and provide protection from blisters when working with spades, rakes and other gardening tools.
Year-long uses
- Pond enthusiasts will be thrilled to find a pair of SHOWA 281 Temres gloves in their Christmas stocking. These fully waterproof gloves have a breathable micro-ventilated Polyurethane coating and great rough grip, making them ideal for cleaning out water butts and for cleaning greenhouses at the end of the season.
- The SHOWA 281 Temres gloves also offer a protective barrier when handling pesticides or plants, which can cause an allergic reaction, and are useful for just keeping hands clean when working with soil. An innovative seamless liner allows air to circulate preventing soggy hands that are usually associated with wearing rubber gloves. They are available in four sizes and also a grey colour, making them suitable for all the family and cost just £10.99.
- Other tough gloves that are gardening tool kit essentials are the SHOWA 350R Thornmaster, £6.99. It does what it says on the ‘tin’, protecting hands from prickly plants like roses and cacti and also sharp edges like ornamental grasses. These gloves are strong, flexible and ‘grippy’ and have a nitrile rubber palm, which is especially good for anyone that has a latex allergy. Having antibacterial and anti-odour capabilities also makes these gloves all-weather armour whatever the job.
- Ill-fitting gloves are not only uncomfortable but also dangerous, especially when using power tools. So, it’s important to find the perfect fit that doesn’t limit movement—especially of fingers. The 2-in-1 SHOWA 306 glove, £9.99, offers bare hand sensitivity and is ideal for the serious gardener, as the anatomical hand shape means that they will hug hands and help fight fatigue whilst digging and hoeing.
It’s a well-known fact that you can never have too many pairs of gardening gloves. Naturally, we all have that one favourite pair we go back to each time, but it’s always reassuring to know that in stock is a glove for every occasion. Once you’re in the habit of replacing them on a regular basis, you know they’re always in pristine condition and ready to take on the task at hand.