There’s a scene in the movie Crocodile Dundee when Paul Hogan is confronted by a mugger on a New York street. As his assailant threatens him with a knife, Hogan just laughs. 

“That’s not a knife.”, he says, “THAT’S a knife”, and reveals his own impressive blade.

The line has been repeating in my head ever since I acquired my new favourite gardening tool – my Hori Hori.  Described by its manufacturer, Niwaki, as a ‘weeding trowel’ it is, to all intents and purposes, a knife.  It even has its own ‘Canvas Sheath’.  But, whatever it is, it does a brilliant job weeding and even digging, particularly when the ground is as hard as it is.

It was on one of our “Cultural” Wednesdays that Mrs B and I visited the Niwaki HQ Showroom near Shaftesbury.  A friend had forewarned me that on entering the hallowed citadel of Japanese handcrafted tempered steel, I might “lose my shit”.  The advice was timely.  More of an exhibition space than a showroom, the small unit was packed full of precision Japanese gardening ironmongery, as well as clothing, footwear and even shaving razors, laid out in cabinets and perfectly aligned shelves. It lacked only a sign telling visitors “Please do not touch the exhibits”.

Merely driving there, we were in such a state of arousal that we turned in at the first sign that said Niwaki, to discover that we had followed the sign for the warehouse, rather than the retail outlet.  Once in the showroom / exhibition centre, it was only the limit on my credit card that prevented me buying the whole shop.  Instead, I had to restrict myself to a Hori Hori, a pair of snippers, and some gloves.  I had to leave the golden shovel and the insanely expensive shaving razor for another month.

Back home, I now refuse to use anything other than my snippers to cut my flowers.  They are immensely pleasing to use, as are the gloves. But, I had travelled specifically to buy the Hori Hori, and it has not disappointed.  The literal translation, according to the lovely lady in the showroom, is ‘dig dig’, so perhaps it is not welcome for the “No Dig” gardens.  But I’m not so fussy.   Who knew that a knife would prove to be the best trowel around?  With this precision weeder, I have removed copious amounts of bindweed, with less collateral seedling casualties than ever before. 

And, as for harvesting garlic and onions, the Hori Hori is the trowel you need.