A sharp pair of secateurs is vital for pruning rose bushes. Important for me is that they are not too big because I have small hands. If you use garden secateurs that are too large the job will be very tiring.

That's why I recommend a Felco F-6 for women with small hands. This is the best pair of secateurs I know. You can replace every part of it and re-sharpen them.

They are virtually unbreakable and are the best garden secateurs available for professionals and gardeners. In fact I don't know one fellow professional gardener that does not own a Felco.

They even have a lifetime warranty. My pair is at least 12 years old and still does the job perfectly! An investment that is well worth it.

For men with large hands the classic Felco F-2 is the right one to choose.

Rose gardening is lethal for your hands if you do it without a pair of good gloves. Rose gardening gloves are ideal for pruning roses because they cover your arms as well. This will protect you from tearing your arms and your hands.

These gloves also come in handy for pruning other thorny shrubs, handling poisonous plants or pulling up nettles.

For the thicker old branches on large rose bushes you need a strong pruner. These will cut through them with ease and leave a clean cut. The Fiskars PowerGear Bypass Lopper will make cutting through thick branches child's play.

These are also great pruners for people with arthritis. Their special design increases the cutting power and cuts tough branches like butter.