Niwaki Sign Up Information

Better than a box of a chocolates - that’s something to aim for this Valentine’s, and Jake, in a peculiar moment of sentimental, romantic soppiness, quite out of character with him, has decreed that there shall be a 14% discount across the Niwaki range*, for the entire week.

So hold hands with somebody, raise your Hori Horis to the sky and spread the love.

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Check out our products on the website, all carefully selected to bring Japanese flair to your home, garden and shed.

Visit niwaki.com, call (01747) 445059 or email info@niwaki.com for more information.

Terms and Conditions:

*14% discount does not apply to Niwaki workshops and courses, trees for sale, vouchers or delivery costs. Offer is available until midnight Sunday 16 February. Not available in conjunction with other offers.

Everything is growing like crazy, and now is the time to think about going away on holiday hedge and topiary cutting. Deciduous plants like beech and hornbeam, if you haven''t clipped already, will be getting very shaggy, while conifers - the lovely Leyandii - are just starting to lose their composure. Yew is traditionally the last to need doing - larger simple shapes and hedges can wait comfortably until the end of summer, but anything smaller or more detailed will start losing its shape pretty soon.

Here at Niwaki we''ve observed a frustrating trend amongst our customers. Some of them (possibly even you!) wake up one morning, look out of the window and decide the hedge needs cutting right away. A fair thought, and one logically followed by needing a Tripod Ladder, if not that very day, then at least the next day.?Now, we love enthusiasm, and really don''t want to be thought of as spoilsports, but some things are unreasonable - the transportation of large ladders, at short notice, across the country, for example...

So - you get where this is going - please order ahead! Do so, and we will give you a free Kantan Bag, with every order of the EN Pro Adjustable Tripod Ladder, until the end of July.

It''s a lovely hard?wearing canvas bucket tote, great for your garden gear, beach clobber and other stuff. Camping in Cornwall this summer? Check. Hitch hiking across Europe in a pair of flip flops? Staying at home gardening? Check. Check. Check.

Between us, the team at Niwaki have spent an awful lot of time up Tripod Ladders, and unsurprisingly have quite a bit to say on the matter.?The three main points are:

1. Choose the right size ladder - around the same size as the top of the hedge is a good bet. (9'' hedge = 9'' ladder.)

2. If you have slopes and steps to tackle, choose the EN Pro Adjustable. The adjustable legs will get you out of all sorts of trouble.

3. If you, the ladder user, are nearing or over 100kg (just over 15 stone) choose the EN Pro Adjustable. Especially if you''re using heavy kit. The EN-131 ladders have a load bearing of 150kg.

Take the time to position and set your ladder properly. The EN Pro Adjustable adjusts in 5cm increments for side slopes. Always work into the slope, uphill, if possible.

These photographs were taken on a visit last week to Mapperton House and Gardens, where they know a thing or two about clipping. It was looking amazing. The ladder model is Gareth, our Shows Manager. He hasn''t had much to do in the way of shows this year, but he''s warming to the modelling lark instead.

What with everything going on recently, we haven''t managed to make it to Japan as often as we''d have liked this year, and as a result we''ve slightly missed out on hidden gems, juicy blacksmith gossip and all the other stuff that inspires us and fuels Niwaki. Luckily, we always have a few treats in the pipeline, and one or two of them have come to fruition bang on time.

At one end we have the Super Tasty Tokusen Secateur Set (try saying that after your Christmas dinner.) Immaculately finished hand forged secateurs from Yamagata in a lovely box with hand-dyed Tenugui wraps - rather like a big tub of Quality Streets there should be something here for everyone, although they do come individually as well, like the purple ones.

At the other, more...modest end, the Mainichi Secateurs, which have been through an overhaul since their last showing, are a cracking pair of general purpose secateurs for daily use, and well worth a try if you''re inclined to mistreat your tools.

Oh, and you should be getting something in the post from us soon, if you''re signed up to paper mailing. We hope you like it.

In this strange new world, you can still order online at niwaki.com or by phone on 01747 445059 and we will send the items to you. Our showroom is currently closed, but if you fancy visiting, we are also offering socially distanced click and collect on orders.

About time too. Let''s get out there and do stuff, even if it''s just tidying up the shed or pottering about poking things with a stick.

Here''s some essential pottering kit, should you need guidance:

The Niwaki Garden Snips have a lovely spring action and long slender blades - ideal for light snipping, and great for getting into tight spaces. Our ''double yellows'', the GR Pro Secateurs, combine everyday usability with refined craftsmanship, feel amazing and sound - well, wait ''til you hear them and you''ll understand. Then there''s the Hori Hori. Japanese trowel, all-round weeder, bulb-planter supremo and general subterranean rummager. If you don''t have one yet, you really should. All three would fit jolly nicely into our new Zenbu Pouch.

For suitable sticks, we recommend coppiced hazel.

Spotlight on the Niwaki GR Pro Clippers

Shorter than a topiary clipper, longer and with a bit more clout than a pair of snips, the GR Pro Clippers sit in a unique and lovely no man''s land - they''ll handle a bit of box clipping, they''re great for slightly rougher chopping back, and the stubby blades are tough enough for a touch of woodier work too.

Clean tools make clean and precise cuts, causing less damage to plants. Here''s how to get your tools looking their best, using a Crean Mate:

• Dip your Crean Mate in water. It doesn''t need to be soaked like the Niwaki Sharpening Stones, but just dipped to stop it wearing down too quickly
• Treat it like a pencil rubber and rub Crean Mate over rusty, dirty and gunky blades
• Marvel at how quickly the blades begin to sparkle
• Wipe off the water and dry, then sharpen with a Niwaki Sharpening Stone

We will remain open and dispatching orders throughout spring and summer. You can find our great stuff from Japan on our website, and will always be able to reach one of our team by phone during office hours, email or our social media channels, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. The Niwaki Showroom will also remain open for as long as we are permitted for anyone who wants to visit us.

It''s important to have the right tool for the right job in your garden - it''s better for the plants, better for the tools, and much, much more fun for you. Standard issue in any?tool bag should be a pair of secateurs, a pair of snips and a pruning saw as they all perform their own unique tasks when it comes to pruning, and will get you out of all sorts of scrapes.

Choosing the right pair of secateurs comes down to how they feel in your hand - the balance, feel and sharpness is important if you use them a lot, day in day out. As robust all-rounders go for the Niwaki GR Pro Secateurs, or for something a bit special choose the Niwaki Pro range.

When you need to get into tight spaces, turn to your snips. Their long slender blades are less clumsy than secateurs, but without the clout, and are ideal amongst closely packed stems. They''re also much more precise, having sharp edges on both blades.The Niwaki Garden Snips are all you need for every day flowers fruit and veg, but move up to the Forged Snips for slightly tougher work, and turn to the hand forged Niwaki GR Pro Snips for woody pruning.

Always have a pruning saw to hand, perhaps in your double holster,?for when you come across a branch that''s too thick for secateurs (around finger thickness). Fixed or folding blades, it comes down to personal preference - Jake''s current favourite is the Niwaki Moku Folding Saw.

The ideal gardening glove for when you need a bit of sensitivity and to feel what you''re doing. The nylon/spandex liner is breathable, the nitrile coating is grippy but not too grippy, and the fit of the fingers and cuffs is just right.?Perfect for pruning, planting, working in the borders, potting up in the greenhouse, and any other chores around the home and garden. Less good for ripping out brambles - but really, who wants to be doing that?

When it comes to sizing, pease don''t choose the small glove because you like the colour purple or the shape of the kanji ?, choose it because you''re a 7. Measure across the middle of your hand (not including the thumb) in cm, and that roughly equates to your hand size.

Alongside the gloves, why not step out in style with our other new outdoor workwear - the Kojima Work Jacket, Kantan Bag and Niwaki Tool Roll. Plus, we''ve got the Niwaki Apron coming soon, and you can finish the look off with a pair of Jika Tabi, Niwaki Arm Covers and a Niwaki Cap. We''re not suggesting you ought to wear ALL of it, although you would look pretty dapper...

Kojima Work Jacket

Hand made in a limited edition in Kojima, the heartland of Japanese denim, using 12oz indigo selvedge denim (from just down the road in Kurashiki, famous for its weeping willows) with 2% stretch for added movement - equally handy at the top of a Niwaki Tripod Ladder as when picking your way through the back streets of Kyoto.

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During any normal year, this?week you would find us at RHS Chelsea Flower Show. As that''s not happening, we''ve recreated what we think you''ll agree is little short of a virtual, online extravaganza, almost as good as the real thing but without the Pimms.

Here you can admire the latest products (and get a free Dry Tote if you spend ?30 or more) meet the team, take a nostalgic walk through last year''s garden, avail yourselves of our regular show discount of 10% off our latest Adjustable Tripod Ladders, or just gasp in amazement at Jake''s trousers.

Join Gareth as he discusses secateurs, shears, tool care, tripod ladders and more. Head over to our Instagram account to see him Live from 11am every day from Monday 18 May until Friday 22 May. On Friday Gareth will hold a special Q&A session, send Gareth your questions by email or via our social channels and he will answer them for you.

Jake will be joined by our guest Tom Chamberlain (@the_urban_topiarist) as they take part in a special Instagram Live session we''re calling the Great British Clip Off (sorry). Jake and Tom will discuss all things topiary from tools to plants, their favourite projects and what they''ve been up to recently, whilst clipping plants in their garden. Catch it live on @niwakijake and @the_urban_topiarist?on Tuesday 19 May at 6:30pm.

Monday: Gareth discusses secateurs, snips and clippers on our Instagram, Live at 11am

Tuesday: Gareth explains which shears are great for which job on our Instagram, Live at 11am.

Join Jake (@niwakijake) and Tom Chamberlain (@the_urban_topiarist) at 6:30pm as they discuss all things topiary.

Wednesday: Gareth gives a tool care masterclass on our Instagram, Live at 11am

Thursday: Gareth discusses tripod ladders?on our Instagram, Live at 11am

Friday: Gareth''s Q&A on our Instagram, Live at 11am

Offer Ts & Cs: Free Niwaki Dry Tote and Niwaki Tripod Ladder offers end midnight GMT Sunday 24 May.

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and safe Easter. We''re operating a skeleton crew at Niwaki HQ, processing online and telephone orders as usual, but our showroom is closed.

This week*, we are offering our regular customers a FREE pair of Niwaki Garden Snips for every order over ?40/$40/?40. Who knows, perhaps you could use them to harvest flowers for your new Kenzan...?

Click any of the buttons or links in this email to activate the promotion, or enter the promotional code EASTER20 on the confirm page during checkout to get your free pair.

If you haven''t come across Kenzan - spiky flower cushions for Ikebana style flower arranging - this is your moment! We do three sizes, as well as a rectangular one and a dinky little Mini Set. Kenzan are great for simple, delicate arrangements - often in Japan a single seasonal branch or twig is displayed to welcome visitors into the home.

Niwaki Garden Snips are sharp, slender and incredibly useful. We''re giving away a free pair with EVERY ORDER over ?40 this week*. This is a cracking deal - they usually retail for ?12.00 and are the kind of thing it''s nice to have a few pairs of, for the garden, greenhouse, kitchen and veg patch.?

As with all tools, keep them clean (we recommend the Crean Mate) keep them sharp (with the #1000 grit Niwaki Sharpening Stone) and perhaps oil them (with some Camellia Oil, of course) once in a while, and these will repay you with clean precise cuts.

*Offer begins? ends Tuesday 14th April 9am UK time (8am GMT/UTC)
? Offer limited to one pair of snips per customer.