Every job has its tools, and landscaping is no different. Depending on what projects you plan to tackle, consider investing in the following:

• For planting perennials, annuals, and bulbs: Shovel or spade, stiff-tined rake, hand trowel, hand pruner, and a hose and spray attachment. Optional equipment includes garden gloves, knee pads, plant labels, soaker hose or other irrigation system, bucket, and a bulb planter.
• For planting trees, shrubs, and vines: Square-nosed shovel or garden spade, hoe, stiff-tined rake, and a garden cart or wheelbarrow.
• For hardscape: Posthole digger, pick, digging bar, hammer, handsaw, square, nail set, chisel, plane, circular saw, power drill, power sander, power screwdriver, caulking gun, sawhorse, and stepladder.
• For planting lawn seed or sod: Sharp knife, roller, broadcast spreader, and soil preparation equipment, including a rotary tiller and heavy rake. (Click here for more on basic lawn care.)
• For maintenance: Lawn mower, trimmer, hedge clippers, hand pruner, loppers, pruning saw, hoe, lawn rake, broom, and stiff-tined rake.