Whether they are for yourself or for a gift, it’s worthwhile to shop carefully for hand pruners. “It’s a fundamental tool,” said Julie Janoski, Plant Clinic manager at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle.

Ho, ho, ho! Snip, snip, snip! There’s no better gift for a gardener than a good, high-quality pair of pruners. “Hand pruners are a gardener’s most basic and versatile tool,” said Sharon Yiesla, plant ...

Almost every time I head out into the garden, the first tool I put in my back pocket is a well-worn Felco No. 2 hand pruner. I acquired it around 1978 when I started gardening in Spokane. I have kept ...