When she's not dressing the most fashionable people in Hollywood, designer Simone Rocha likes to spend time in her garden. Just like her designs, her garden tool of choice, the Niwaki Secateurs Pruners (from Goodee), is at once avant-garde and classic.
She explains her love for the Japanese gardening tool in an interview with The Strategist. Simone states: 'I love being in my garden, and I love growing flowers. I have inherited some rose bushes that were there before, and then I have some that have been planted. For me, the biggest gift to oneself is taking the cuttings from your own garden to bring into the house. You just feel so smug. I like to do all the deadheading of my roses. It’s a very cathartic experience, but incredibly enjoyable. And these secateurs are incredibly nice.'
We consulted with a bona fide master gardener and Homes & Gardens' Head of Gardens, Rachel Bull, to confirm if the shearers are worth your time. Unsurprisingly, they're the exact set Rachel uses to prune her own roses. She says: 'I have been using these Niwaki pruners for five years now, and I can honestly say I would never use anything else.'
These stunning pruners win for both style and function. The high-quality blades deliver clean cuts, while tsafety catch prevents accidental cuts. The well-balanced design makes them comfortable to use for any hand size.
What makes these some of the best hedge shears? It comes down to pure functionality.
Rachel explains: 'They might lack some of the comfort in the handle that the best competing brands can offer, but the key to this tool is in its simplicity. It can cut through the thickest of stems with complete ease, and has needed zero maintenance in five years.'
Furthermore, the look of the essential pruning tool is totally irresitable. Rachel says: 'There is definitely something in the traditional, pared back Japanese design that I love, too. It's uncomplicated and yet carries a heritage feel of a tool that is simply incredibly well made, stylish and yet unassuming.'
Shop Gardener's Favorite Shears
These Felco pruning shears have hardened blades for effortless trimming in your yard, making light work of tough rose pruning jobs. Our Garden Content Editor swears by them for even the toughest shearing jobs calling them the 'best pruners you can buy.'
With these pruners, old-world style craftsmanship meets precision yard and gardening equipment. We love that they carry Martha's name – a sign of quality we trust.
These stunning shears come at a slightly higher price point, but with the wisteria wrapped handles and high-quality carbon blades, who could resist? They are hand-forged in Japan for a statement piece to last a lifetime.
If you love cut flowers as much as we do, a great pair of shears is an essential tool in your pruning arsenal. With the approval of a master gardener and a fashion designer, we can't think of a better endorsement.
