The success of the Gardena brand stems from a simple idea; company founders Kress and Kastner invented a watering hose that could be connected up quickly by amateur gardeners without the need for clamps and screws.

The next 40 years have seen the company branch out into irrigation computers, pumps, lawnmowers and other gardening instruments. Despite recent takeovers, the Ulm-based company has stayed true to a principle: keeping production close to the German market.