A pair of general-purpose garden scissors from Niwaki, for cutting flowers, dead-heading and light pruning. The traditional round handles are ideal for 'ikebana', the Japanese art of flower arrangement.

They're made in Japan of forged carbon steel for strength yet they're delicate and accurate for careful, deliberate cuts. This small size suits smaller hands and smaller jobs in the garden and the home.

How to care for your new scissors:

• Clean with a Crean Mate and Camellia oil and then sharpen with a Niwaki #1000 stone every few weeks. Your new tool won't need sharpening for some time, but after a while you'll notice it will gradually lose its edge
• Do not cut wire, metal, stone, plastic or any other hard material. Even bamboo fibres and some very hard woods, especially knots and burrs, can damage steel edges
• Do not twist or apply uneven pressure
• Cut diagonally across branches rather than straight across so you cut along the fibres
• Pay attention to maximum cut dimensions, and don't overdo it
• Use the base of the blades, not the tips, for heavier cuts