I have been getting all my gardening tools and bits and pieces in order, ready to go back to work in March. (I “do” other peoples Gardens, weeding, digging etc).
For nearly three decades – I very rarely wore Gardening Gloves – I liked to feel the earth in my hands, I think I had two pairs of gloves – one for dealing with brambles and another pair that spent more time in the garden shed than on my hands.
Recently things have changed – I need to wear gloves as over the years my hands have developed an increased sensitivity to plant material and they often get very itchy.
As I garden in other peoples gardens – there is more risk from buried glass, cat poo, mouse traps (Yes; I have got my fingers caught in one, while getting bindweed out of a strawberry bed!). So I have started buying Gardening gloves.
To-day I gathered them up from here and there and imagine my surprise; when I discovered just how many pairs I now own. They seem to have multiplied when I wasn’t looking … How did that happen?
Now I have gloves for every situation the Garden can throw at me. I have rigger gloves for moving rocks, I have pond gloves for delving into murky waters, I have thin thermal gloves for those cold mornings, I have waterproof gloves for those wet mornings. I have bright gloves – so that I can see them when I accidentally chuck them in the compost bin. My all time favorite gloves though are the pink suede gauntlets that save my arms from the brambles.
I have a lot of gloves – to protect my hands. Of course – after about 30 minutes in the garden, they usually end up here ……………..
Sigh
No wonder I got 3 pots of “Hand Cream for Gardeners” for Christmas!!
I would like to thank
Threadspider for passing on to me an Excellent blog award
Thank you Judith – I really appreciate it – and I will post again about some of the blogs that I think are excellent. Although the reality is, that the world of blog is just such a wonderful place full of amazing people.
Garden Journal 
Just looking to see how many pairs I recognise as mine!!!
Like pairs of shoes, you can never have too many garden gloves.
That is quite the collection of gardening gloves you have there. I love the way you displayed them .. an interesting piece of garden architecture. I’ve never thought to collect all mine, and that would be a fun thing to do this weekend.
It was my pleasure! I covet that pair of pink suede gauntlets
: )
i love that glove ‘tree’ pic! clever girl!!!
Hmmm, I think we have some of the same gloves. When my mom comes to visit I buy her a pair in a color I don’t have so she won’t wear my gloves (she has a mysterious way to make them totally gross). It’s getting hard to find a color I don’t already have 🙂
Hey there,
Great post, I too have learned my lesson from not wearing gloves in the garden, from pet surprises (darn cats) to actually getting weird growths on my hands from material lodged in a cut on my hand (strange but true). All well now, but, the gloves are worth it.
Sean
Your post made me smile … how familiar your pile of gardening gloves looks. I usually start off in spring wearing them for cleaning up and then they go by the wayside – sometimes I wear just one because there’s something about planting that makes me want to feel the plants.
Last year, a blogger posted about a study done that showed getting our hands dirty was actually good for our mental health … I should try and unearth that.
My favourite pair is turquoise.
I’m with you on the not wanting to use gloves philosophy Karen. BUT for some reason everyone seems to think that gardening gloves are the ideal Christmas present for me …
This post could have been about me! I have plenty of gardening gloves as well! I just love the feel of earth – but I try to put on gloves for the sake of my hands. I buy loads of gloves – and then the gloves end up on the lawn or in the borders. And i buy new ones…
/Katarina at Roses and stuff
Hmm if only my wife wife would collect gardening gloves instead of boots would save me a fortune
Steve From
The Power Gardeners Guide
What a cute post! And what a great garden “decoration!” 🙂 I’m getting fonder of gardening gloves all the time. I may have to copy your idea for glove holders!
Exactly how long was the germination time on those babies? That’s quite a yield :OP
XXKHT
I had just gathered all my gloves and threw them in the wash. I know the spring ritual. Here’s the approach to gloves: I buy 2-3 new pairs of the same kind of glove in the beginning of the year. That way, when I lose one, I can just mix them up. I seem to lose the right glove more often. I always wear them except to do fine work – thus the lost gloves. I will post a picture of my gloves on my blog.
Kathryn
Love your post and all about your glove collection. When your looking to get a new pair or two please take a look at my site.www.eThoughtfulThings.com. Thanks, Maggie
I have given up on garden gloves–I just make up salves and lotions using good quantities lanolin, beeswax, cocoa butter, and shea butter–all good for “garden hands”. Gloves seem like a good idea, but it always feels like gardening secondhand (excuse the pun).