Burgon & Ball RHS Planting Trowel | Stainless Steel & FSC Handle

A properly considered classic garden trowel from the Sheffield tool maker who wrote the book on them. The Burgon & Ball RHS Planting Trowel combines a mirror-polished stainless steel blade with an FSC-certified hardwood handle to create the sort of tool that becomes an heirloom — the trowel you'll still be using in twenty years, still working properly, still looking beautiful. Sheffield engineering, traditional aesthetics, sustainable timber, and a lifetime guarantee that means Burgon & Ball stand behind every one they make.

Made in Sheffield by Burgon & Ball

Burgon & Ball have been making garden tools in Sheffield since 1730 — nearly three centuries of unbroken tool-making in the city historically synonymous with steel and quality cutlery. Today they hold the official Royal Horticultural Society endorsement, and their tools are chosen by professional and amateur gardeners across the UK who value durability, comfort, and considered design. This planting trowel represents the traditional Sheffield handled-tool aesthetic at its best: honest materials, considered proportions, and construction that lasts.

The heart-shaped blade explained

The distinctive blade shape isn't decorative. The heart-shaped, pointed profile has two specific working advantages:

• Pointed tip for precision — the sharp point drives into compact soil more easily than a rounded blade and lets you plant with genuine precision in tight spaces. Working between established plants, into gaps in a border, or through a top layer of hard-baked earth becomes noticeably easier
• Deeply dished bowl for scooping — the pronounced concave curve holds a proper scoop of soil or compost per lift, making planting-out and container work faster and less repetitive. Not a flat blade that spills half its load between hole and pot

The combination gives you a trowel that handles both delicate work (planting small seedlings) and heavier work (digging holes for larger transplants) without needing two separate tools.

What makes it right for the job

• Mirror-polished stainless steel blade — the polished surface resists rust indefinitely, sheds soil rather than caking it on, and glides through the ground with less friction than matte-finished blades. Genuinely easier to use and dramatically easier to clean
• FSC-certified hardwood handle — timber from responsibly-managed forests (Forest Stewardship Council certification). Real wood grain, comfortable grip, honest natural material rather than plastic. Ages beautifully over decades of use
• In-line handle alignment — the handle sits directly in line with the blade rather than at an angle, which translates all your pushing force straight into the ground. An ergonomic detail that matters over long planting sessions
• Leather hanging cord — a small loop of natural leather at the handle end for shed hooks or peg boards. Better than metal grommets that eventually break
• Lifetime guarantee — the Burgon & Ball guarantee stands behind the tool for its working life. Genuinely a buy-once purchase, not a season-by-season replacement
• RHS endorsed — the official Royal Horticultural Society approval mark, indicating the tool has been tested and approved by the country's most respected gardening organisation

What it's for

• Planting-out seedlings — the primary use case. Whether transferring seedlings from your propagator into containers or planting out into borders, the trowel's precision blade handles the delicate root system without excessive damage
• Container gardening — the compact size and precise blade suit pot planting, herb container work, and windowsill container refreshes
• Planting bulbs — the pointed tip cuts cleanly through soil to make bulb-sized holes at the right depth. Handles individual bulb planting more efficiently than a broad-bladed trowel
• Weeding tight spaces — the pointed blade eases into gaps between plants where weeds tend to hide. Precision work in established borders
• Herb bed maintenance — herb beds need frequent replanting and refreshing. The trowel's balance suits regular short sessions of container and bed work
• Mixing small quantities of soil — the dished blade handles compost mixing in a pot or tray as effectively as it handles digging in the ground

Choosing between our two Burgon & Ball trowels

Bishy stocks two Burgon & Ball RHS-endorsed trowels serving different customer preferences. Both are Sheffield-made, both RHS-endorsed, both come with lifetime guarantees. The difference is character and context:

• This trowel (Stainless Steel & FSC Handle) — the traditional Sheffield choice. Lighter weight, precision blade, wooden handle for the classic aesthetic. Best for container work, seedling transplanting, and gardeners who value traditional craftsmanship
• BoronGreen Mid-Handled Trowel — the engineered modern choice. Heavier boron-strengthened blade, extended mid-length handle for extra reach, more robust for deep digging in heavier soil. Best for borders, bulb planting into established beds, and gardeners working larger spaces

Neither replaces the other — many serious gardeners keep both.

The FSC handle matters

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification on the handle timber means the wood comes from responsibly-managed forests rather than unknown sources. In an industry where cheap plastic handles are common and unaccountable timber sourcing is even more common, the FSC certification represents a genuine choice by Burgon & Ball to source properly. The handle costs slightly more to produce as a result, and that cost gets built into the tool. Small detail, real difference.

Care and maintenance

• After use — wipe soil off the blade with a rag or brush. The stainless steel doesn't need aggressive cleaning — the polished surface releases soil easily. A quick rinse under a garden tap works well for muddier sessions
• Handle care — the FSC hardwood benefits from occasional oiling (linseed oil or standard tool oil). Once a year is sufficient to keep the timber conditioned and prevent drying out. The natural wood grain will develop character with age
• Storage — hang by the leather cord in a dry shed or on a garden tool hook. Don't leave stored damp, and don't leave outdoors in the rain. The stainless blade won't rust but the wooden handle prefers dry storage
• Long-term — the lifetime guarantee covers manufacturing defects. Reasonable use should give decades of service — this is the trowel to pass on to your grandchildren, not to replace every few years

What's included

• 1 x Burgon & Ball RHS-endorsed Planting Trowel with mirror-polished stainless steel heart-shaped blade, FSC-certified hardwood in-line handle, and natural leather hanging cord
• Lifetime guarantee (Burgon & Ball standard)

Companions from the Bishy potting shed range

• Burgon & Ball RHS BoronGreen Mid-Handled Trowel — the engineered sibling. Different character, different use case, same Sheffield quality
• Burgon & Ball RHS Rose Pruner — the pruning counterpart to the planting trowel. Complete rose care starts with planting and continues with proper pruning
• Burgon & Ball Miniature Sharpening Steel — keeps your other B&B tools sharp between uses. Sheffield tools deserve Sheffield maintenance
• Burgon & Ball Houseplant Pruner — indoor plant care that complements the trowel's container gardening use case
• Annual flower seeds — the seedlings that most need transplanting once their propagator work is done. Sweet peas, cosmos, and cutting garden favourites all benefit from careful transplanting with a proper trowel
• Vegetable seeds — particularly courgettes, squash, and other transplant-heavy crops mentioned in the trowel's use cases

Supplied through our AllotMate partnership. This trowel is supplied to us through our partners at AllotMate, who curate well-made tools and equipment for gardeners and allotmenteers who prefer to buy once. We work with them through a direct fulfilment arrangement, which means your order ships from their warehouse straight to your door — the same Burgon & Ball tool, consistent stock, and slightly faster delivery than shipping from our Norfolk farm. Please allow standard delivery times (2-3 working days) for AllotMate direct dispatch.

AFTER USE:
- Wipe soil off the blade with a rag or brush
- The stainless steel polished surface releases soil easily
- A quick rinse under a garden tap works for muddier sessions
- Dry thoroughly before storage to protect the wooden handle