What Are The Best Landscaping Tools To Hire?

If you’re ready to roll your sleeves up and get your hands dirty, then you’re just like thousands of UK homeowners who are chomping at the bit to transform their gardens. With so much readily available information on the internet these days, getting a blueprint for tackling a wide range of landscaping jobs has never been easier.

Whether you’re revamping your lawn, building raised beds, tackling those overgrown hedges, or putting your skills to the ultimate test with a full garden redesign—having the right tool for the job is essential.

Purchasing all the equipment you need can be extremely costly, especially if it’s only for a couple of days. But with access to professional-grade landscaping tool hire, you can achieve high-quality results without breaking the bank.

In this WHC article, we’ll walk you through the best landscaping tools to hire for your next garden makeover, which tools are ideal for planting, whether you need a licence, and how to get started.

Best Landscaping Tools To Transform Your Outdoor Space

Creating a tranquil outdoor space, more often than not, requires some serious muscle. However, with the right combination of power tools, hand tools and lawn care equipment, you can make light work of your task. Here are the essential tools that you should consider:

Landscaping Power Tools

1. Rotavator– Ideal for breaking up compacted soil and preparing planting areas. These machines create fine, aerated soil that is ready for turfing, seeding or planting.
2. Turf Cutter– Perfect for removing an entire lawn and starting from scratch.
3. Stump Grinder– Need to remove leftover tree stumps or root structures? These machines take the hassle of removal and reclaiming precious garden space.
4. Brushcutters–  Quickly power through overgrown brambles, weeds and undergrowth. Perfect for neglected areas of the garden that you’ve forgotten about.
5. Flail Mowers– Need a bit more power with an overgrown lawn or brambles? These machines are ideal for those large reclamation projects.
6. Plate Compactor– Need to compact any stone, soil, gravel or sand? These machines are ideal if you are tackling a patio, paving or pathway structure.

Lawn Care Hire Equipment

1. Lawn Mower– Powerful petrol designs to suit tough all-day use.
2. Aerator– Perfect for injecting air flow and reducing compaction of your lawn. This removes the effort of doing this by hand with a garden fork.
3. Scarifier– Need to help your lawn breathe again? Forget hours of raking by hand when using this machine. Remove thatch quickly and effectively.
4. Strimmer– Tidy up your lawn’s edges and reach those hard-to-reach places after mowing.

Tree Cutting Equipment Hire

1. Petrol Hedge Trimmers– Tidy up your existing hedges, bushes and boundaries with these powerful machines.
2. Long Reach Hedge Trimmers– Not got the reach you need with a standard hedge trimmer? Opt for a long reach design to stretch the extra distance.
3. Log Splitter– Want to process your tree into firewood? A petrol log splitter will save hours of hand splitting with an axe.
4. Woodchippers– Process your tree cuttings into chippings with a woodchipper. With a range of different sizes available to hire, finding a suitable machine can save a huge amount in waste disposal.
5. Cherry picker– For those hard-to-reach jobs, these machines can assist with easy and safe access to the tree tops.

Landscaping Hand Tools

While power tools can take care of the heavy lifting, hand tools play a vital role in fine-tuning and completing your garden makeover. Here are a few essential hand tools to consider using alongside your machinery:

1. Shovel – Ideal for loading and unloading loose materials such as soil, gravel, or mulch. Perfect when clearing or adding debris to your garden space.
2. Spade – Need to cut a straight edge or dig into compact ground? A spade is specifically designed to slice through tough surfaces with precision.
3. Wheelbarrow / Tracked Barrow – Moving materials is a big part of any landscaping job. Whether it’s soil, rubble, or turf, using a wheelbarrow—or a tracked barrow for larger projects—makes transportation quicker and easier, helping you stay productive.
4. Rake – Great for levelling, removing surface debris, or spreading mulch. A rake is also handy for refining soil texture and tidying up planting areas.

Top 5 Landscaping Tools For Planting Projects

One key element of landscaping is planting new shrubs, flowers, and trees to create a tranquil, peaceful space. However, to give your plants the best start, it’s essential to prepare the groundwork properly first.

Having the right tools to loosen your soil, dig precise holes, and enhance the planting area will help you achieve the best results for your efforts.

Here are five landscaping tools worth considering for your planting projects:

1. Rotavator – Perfect for preparing soil, mixing in compost, reducing compaction, and aerating the ground to promote healthy root growth.
2. Post Hole Borer – While these machines are commonly used for fencing, they’re also a quick and efficient solution for excavating holes in larger planting projects.
3. Tracked Barrow – Moving large amounts of soil or mulch? A tracked barrow takes the hard work out of transporting materials across your site—especially on uneven or muddy ground.
4. Stump Grinder – Got a stubborn tree stump in the way? A stump grinder offers an efficient way to clear the space, making room for new planting.
5. Mini Digger – For large tree pits, a mini digger can save hours of back-breaking manual labour.

Do You Need A Licence To Hire Landscaping Tools In The UK?

In most cases, no licence is required to hire landscaping tools in the UK. While the majority of hire equipment is professional-grade, it’s also suitable for DIY use and doesn’t usually require any formal training or certification.

That said, it’s important to only hire tools you feel confident using. Safety should always come first.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Supplier Support

Most reputable landscaping tool hire companies offer full support throughout your hire period. Many will provide handover demonstrations to help you become familiar with equipment you may not have used before—ensuring you can operate it safely and effectively.

ID & Deposits

You’ll typically need to provide at least two forms of ID and leave a security deposit for the equipment. While you won’t need an operator’s licence, you are expected to take responsibility for the safe and proper use of the machinery.

Insurance

Hiring insurance is strongly recommended. Some landscaping tools can be expensive to replace or repair if damaged. Insuring your hire gives you peace of mind that you’re covered should anything unexpected happen.

Where possible, always choose a hire provider that offers clear safety guidance, equipment instructions, and ongoing support—especially if you’re new to tool hire.

Where To Hire Landscaping Tools In The UK

When it comes to hiring the right landscaping tools for your garden revamp, the process is simple—especially when you’re working with the right supplier.

At WHC Hire Services, we offer a wide range of landscaping equipment suitable for all types of garden makeovers. From cutting back hedges to installing new beds, patios, or fencing, you’ll find everything you need at one of our local depots.

With over 25 years of experience and expert staff on hand, WHC Hire ensures that every customer receives the right tools to tackle their project safely and efficiently.

Ready to Get Started?

Whether you’re reshaping flower beds, levelling ground, or preparing for turf, we’ve got the tools to help.

Browse our full range of landscaping tools or call your nearest WHC Hire depot today to speak with a member of our expert team.