The soil scoop has a deep bowl-shaped head with a sharply pointed tip and serrated edges. Clasp it bowl side down for digging - just the opposite of the way you'd hold a trowel. It may feel awkward the first 10 seconds, warns its maker, Garden Works, but soon it'll begin to feel like an extension of your hand. It's designed to reduce bending stress on the wrist, and its uses are varied: makes tight, clean holes; creates furrows and trenches for seeds; breaks up hard soil; and works gently around bulbs and plant roots. Retail: about $15.95.

The angled blade of the weeder increases leverage while the serrated teeth cut roots. The weeder also has a hooked tip that whips weeds out of sidewalk and driveway cracks. Retail: about $14.95.

Both tools are made of stainless steel with birch handles and can be found in local gardening stores.

GARDEN GAZERS. Today's gazing ball recalls a time when many of our grandmothers had them in their gardens or lawns to reflect the summer sun and the butterflies flitting about. The balls are made of hand-blown silvered glass with slight variations in color. You also can expect an occasional line or bubble in the glass, which is characteristic of the hand-blowing process.

Each ball comes with a long stem that can be secured in a pedestal with caulking or floral adhesive tape. The roundness of the ball lets mild winds blow right around it.

The balls come in 12-inch and smaller sizes and can be found in splendid colors: burgundy, gold, red, green, silver and blue, to name a few. You can place a ball on tall pedestals fashioned from concrete or metal or nestle one low on a stone collar indoors or outdoors.

Bring your gazing ball indoors during the winter to protect it. You can continue to enjoy its reflective beauty by displaying the globe in the foyer, dining room or sunroom, anywhere you can bank it with potted plants. When decorating your home with accents, consider that many of the garden accessories can be used indoors for an outdoors feeling year-round.

The gazing balls are available locally at various prices.

HOUSEPLANT HOLDERS. The houseplants have enjoyed the summer months outdoors but soon it'll be time to bring them indoors. Check your local garden center and patio furniture store for an assortment of single and multiple-plant stands that will keep those plants neat and attractive in your home over the winter.

To make sure bugs and creepy crawlers don't come in with your houseplants, submerge them in water and soak for 15 to 20 minutes, says Diane Relf, horticulture specialist at Virginia Tech. Use a washtub or deep bucket so you can soak the entire container, with soil and plant in it. Let the container drain completely before bringing it indoors. This procedure will float out and drown insects that may have crawled into the soil while your houseplants have been outdoors for the summer. Do this cautiously so the soil stays intact in the container.

SHOOT OUT WEEDS. If you want to get right to the weed and not the plant next to it, try Roundup's new Sure Shot foam dispenser. The foam streams out in a straight shot to a tight spot and, presto, the unwanted plant is history. You'll get 150 shots per 16-ounce can. Retail: $4.99-$6.99.

WEED BLOCKERS. Weeding doesn't have to be a rigorous routine if you lay the foundation for a weed-free garden. Yes, mulch deters weeds, but those stubborn plants always find a way to crop up just where you don't want them. When planning your next garden, check out some of the weed-blocking landscape fabrics, which allow water and air through the material but don't allow weeds to sprout up. WeedBlock is a brand name landscape fabric, but there also are generic fabrics on the market. Landscape fabric should be covered with a light layer of mulch to prevent the sun from breaking down the fibers.

The fabrics also can be used to lay block patios and walkways. Directions tell you to scoop out the soil, lay the fabric, then put down a layer of sand before situating your blocks. The fabric keeps the sand from filtering into the soil and allowing your blocks to sink. Fabric pegs can be used to secure the fabric's edges and to prevent seams from separating and giving weeds places to grow.