A good pair of garden pruners is an essential piece of gardening equipment for any gardener, whether he has a small flower garden, a large landscape with many trees and shrubs, or a little of both. The trimming in your garden will be easier and less time consuming depends on the quality of the garden pruner. The pruner is similiar to a pair of scissors and a good pair of scissors will work fine for trimming soft branches from bushes and flowers. A pruner of good quality is the tool to use for large woody stems and small tree branches. The garden pruner is usually available in three different categories - the anvil, bypass, and ratchet. The one you use depends on its use and personal preference and quality should be preference number one.  

Anvil. This pruner has only one blade which closes on to a flat edge. It is quite a bit like chopping on a kitchen cutting board. They are the best tool for removing dead wood from trees, plants and some flowers. They are bulky and sometimes difficult to reach areas in tight spaces.  

Bypass. The bypass pruner is probably the gardeners most favorite because it is most like a pair of scissors. It has two circular blades; one is dull and the other is very sharp which makes a clean and trim cut each time it is used.  

Ratchet. The ratchet pruner is similar to the anvil pruner, but the cutting is done in stages, a special feature of the tool. This feature will add leverage while making a tough cut. This pruner also gives more leverage for the smaller hand. They will also take away a lot of strain on hands and wrists if there is a great amount of pruning to be done.

The lopper pruner is very similar to the anvil except that has a long handle and is used for larger tree and bush branches and sometimes for thick stemmed rose bushes. The other pruner is called a hedge trimmer, which is also long handled, but the blades are flat and it resembles a massive scissors. This pruner works similar to the bypass pruner but is designed to make larger cuts vertically or horizontally and is used mainly for trimming hedges.

Garden pruners that are made for professional use and are heavy duty would be a very good investment. For your tool to last a long time it would be best if it's made of quality tempered carbon steel and, if at all possible, parts that are replaceable. You always want to purchase the best garden tools that you can afford.

It is always a good idea to try out the individual types of pruners before purchasing. If the tool feels too heavy, don't buy it because you will not be comfortable using it. Gardening and pruning are not difficult tasks, having tools that are comfortable and easy to use make it lot easier.