Small trowel with a handle Burgon & Ball RHS Range

This small Burgon & Ball traditional English spade has all the qualities of a larger one, but it is lighter and less cumbersome, making it ideal for digging and working the soil in small spaces. Equipped with footholds on either side of the blade, a very hard FSC-certified wooden handle, an ergonomic wooden "Y" handle, double-riveted at the base for extra strength, and a small polished stainless steel spade head, it is a very durable and high-quality garden tool that will satisfy demanding gardeners who love beautiful tools. The socket that encloses the handle is extra long and fixed with two rivets, providing strength and flexibility to this key joint of the tool. The breaking strength of this spade (the weight it can support before the handle breaks) has been tested at 90 kg, well beyond the British standard of 55 kg. Easy to handle, sturdy, and lightweight, it is perfect for working on light soils, preparing planting holes, and creating neat borders.

* FSC is an international eco-label guaranteeing that the wood comes from sustainably managed forests

Dimensions of the spade head: 23 x 14 - Handle length: 75 cm (30in)

The English have the privilege of being the reference in gardening (if not in cooking). Promesses de fleurs has chosen the English company Burgon & Ball for the quality of its materials and its manufacturing methods, which have been in use for almost three centuries. The company has been working with steel in Sheffield since 1730, starting with a patent for solid steel sheep shears. The production of garden shears and equipment quickly surpassed that of sheep shears, but Burgon & Ball stainless steel tools are officially approved by the Royal Horticultural Society - probably the ultimate reward in the gardening industry.

The steel used for Burgon & Ball tools is alloyed with carbon to give it strength and with chrome to prevent rust. It is a very precise balance between chrome and carbon that needs to be found for each part of the tool. For example, the socket, which needs to be strong enough to withstand bending, is made of thicker steel with a medium balance between chrome and carbon, while the blade of this spade, which requires significant strength and hardness to withstand flexing in the soil, is made with a higher carbon content than chrome.

The heat treatment allows the steel to have exactly the right hardness for each tool. If it is too hard, the metal can break or chip; if it is not hard enough, it will bend or lose its sharpness. The thickness of the steel used also depends on the tool. This spade requires a thicker steel than a knife, which can be much thinner. The thickness of the steel also affects the weight, so it is a balance that Burgon & Ball, with its soon-to-be 300 years of experience, has validated to ensure that its tools are both efficient and enjoyable to use.