Whether you’re shaping a boxwood ball into an ethereal cloud or simply trying to tame the blades of grass alongside a driveway, a sharp pair of long blades is essential. Here is a list of our favorite garden shears and trimmers for precision clipping:

Above: Japan-based designer Daisuke Tajika carries on the family tradition started by his great grandfather in 1928. His forged steel Long Landscaping Shears are ideal for shaping hedges and cutting through dense growth; $230 from Nalata Nalata.

Above: A pair of Forged Hedge Trimmers with beechwood handles have chrome-plated carbon steel blades for extra strength. A serrated edge cuts even a single blade of grass cleanly. A pair of trimmers is €73 from Manufactum.

Above: From Hiroshima-based Okatsune, “this short, lightweight model is ideal for topiary boxwood or the Japanese garden (o-karikomi), because you are close to the work,” notes the manufacturer. Handles measure 30 centimeters (about 12.8 inches long) and the blades are 175 millimeters (approximately 7 inches long). A pair of Okatsune 217 is €84.95 from Okatsune Europe.

Above: “Ideal for box clipping, topiary, and other delicate jobs,” says Jake Hobson of Niwaki, a UK-based purveyor of high-quality Japanese garden tools. A pair of  Masanume Shears Short has Aogami Blue Paper Steel blades and white oak handles; £125 from Niwaki.

Above: From Burgon & Ball, a Precision Shear has an ergonomic design to prevent gardener’s fatigue. A pair is £34.99 from Scotsdales.

Above: A pair of Okatsune Shears No. 60 are ideal for clipping yew and boxwood hedges: “Blades are made of hot hammer-forged Izumo Yasuki Steel, which is used in Japanese swords—giving them maximum sharpness and cutting power.” A pair is £70 from The Garden Edit.

Above: From a family-run company based in Germany, Berger Hedge Shears measure 32 inches and have chrome-plated forged aluminum blades to resist rust. A pair is $88 from Terrain.

Above: With carbon steel blades and ergonomically designed handles, a pair of Jakoti Hand Shears is the right tool for many jobs: trimming ornamental grasses, deadheading, shaping topiary, and clipping shrubbery. A pair is £26 from Handshears.

Above: Germany-based Berger’s Wavy Edge Hedge Shear keep branches from sliding and have a notch at the base of the blade; $65.95 from Garden Tool Company.

Above: With a handle that rotates 90 degrees, a pair of Grass Trim-Shears made in Italy can cut “grass growing right up to the edges” of a path or driveway; $19.50 from Garrett Wade.

For more of of our favorite garden hand tools, see Shopper’s Diary: Garden Tool Bag Essentials from Niwaki and 10 Easy Pieces: Garden Pruners.