A watering can and a trowel may be enough for a few containers. A large lawn or mature tree presents a different job. Start with what you can reasonably do, the space available and the hazards around it; a bigger tool does not answer those questions.

Keep the first practical task small and at ground level. You need permission to work, a clear route and somewhere stable to put tools and materials. Before digging, establish what may be below ground. A hand tool can strike a cable or pipe too: an apparently empty border is not evidence that it is clear. If buried services, contaminated ground, sharp waste or unstable structures are unresolved, stop and get appropriate help.

You can still learn from an observation record or a known, suitable container. Reading this course does not establish competence with powered equipment or tree work.