Trugs are a must-have garden accessory, combining practical utility and ornamental value. They can used for collecting cut flowers and plant cuttings, as well as for harvesting your homegrown fruit, veg and culinary herbs. Plus, they can be used to create indoor displays and they make wonderful gardening gifts.
Trugs are available in a range of size, shapes and materials – from flexible silicone to sturdy wire – but in Anglo Saxon times, when it’s thought trugs were first used, they were made from a hollowed-out piece of solid wood, known as a ‘trog’, which meant a boat-like vessel. Over the centuries, this simple basket evolved into the more practical, lightweight willow version, made by craftsmen in Sussex, and gave rise to the aptly named Sussex Trug. The appeal of this design endures today, and a handful of the original companies continue to manufacture them. So, whether you’re after this timeless classic or a modern masterpiece, you’re sure to find something to suit your taste and budget, in our carefully curated selection.
Getting ready to tidy the garden? Why not check out our expert tests of the 18 best secateurs: bypass, anvil and rachet and 10 of the best gardening gloves. You might find our roundup of 20 of the best garden kneelers and 10 of the best garden aprons and garden tool belts useful too.
10 of the best garden trugs
Browse our trug recommendations for discerning gardeners, below.
Trugmakers Handmade Sussex Trug
This trug is handmade in East Sussex by maker Kevin who has decades of hands-on experience. The pictured design is the No.7 Harlequin Sussex trug (the number refers to its size) and every one comes with a lifetime guarantee against normal usage. All the trugs are signed and dated on completion.
Price: £48.90
Buy Handmade Sussex Trug at Trugmakers
Willow Direct Garden Tool Basket
This woven trug combines a toolkit with a useful basket. The set includes five essential gardening tools and kit: a garden trowel, fork, wooden markers, a wooden measuring dibber and garden string. Made from woven willow, the trug includes handy straps to keep the tools neatly in place while they’re not in use.
Price: £49.99
Buy Willow Direct Garden Tool Basket from Amazon
Burgon and Ball Hip Trug
This hip trug clips easily onto your waistband in a snug neoprene sleeve for hands-free access while you’re working in the garden. With a three-litre capacity, it’s the ideal size for storing harvested garden produce and can be easily tipped out ready to be refilled. It’s even safe for dishwasher and microwave use.
Price: £12.95
Buy Burgon and Ball Hip Trug on Amazon
Burgon and Ball Natural Trug
Burgon and Ball’s trug is handmade from poplar wood and makes a stylish carrier for garden flowers and vegetables. Made from sustainably-sourced poplar wood, the trug would make a lovely gift for eco-conscious gardeners.
Price: £45.05
Buy Burgon and Ball Natural Trug from Amazon
Colander Trug
Colander Trug
This handy trug is ideal for harvesting your home-grown edibles. The colander base of the trug allows you to wash your garden vegetables within the trug, rather than needing to decant them into anything else. The excess water drains out of the bottom and then you’re ready to start preparing your feast.
Price: £19.99
Open Flower Trug
The distinctive, open-ended design of this woven willow trug allows cut flowers to lie flat. It could also be used for displaying decorative items indoors.
Price: from £37.59
Buy Open Flower Trug on Amazon
Tierra Garden Recycled Plastic Trug
This sturdy trug is made from 100 per cent recycled plastic, making further use of plastic already in the system and keeping it out of landfill.
Price: £9.54
Buy Tierra Garden Recycled Plastic Trug on Amazon
Galvanised Metal Trug
This trug is made galvanised steel, making it useful for carrying heavy hand tools, as well as plant cuttings and edible crops. It has separate compartments and a smooth wooden handle for ease of carrying.
Price: £39.95
Buy Galvanised Metal Trug on Not on the High Street
Personalised Embroidered Botanical Gardening Trug
We love this variation on the trug-theme, which can be personalised to make it a thoughtful gift. Made from canvas, this durable design features a combination of one main pocket and six outer ones, so there’s plenty of room for carrying a variety of items.
Price: £48
Buy Personalised Embroidered Botanical Gardening Trug from Not On The High Street
Tubtrug 15L Rubber Trug
Looking for something particularly durable and robust? This trug has flexible sides and a 15-litre capacity (other sizes are also available) to fit in crops, feed or even water. The rubber is 100 per cent food grade, meaning it’s safe around children and pets and it’s also resistant against UV rays and frost, for year-round use.
Price: £8.90
Buy Tubtrug 15L Rubber Trug on Amazon
This Product Guide was last updated in December 2021 and we apologise if anything has changed in price or availability.
