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Who says practical can’t be pretty?

A long-term study has shown that gardening can be as beneficial to your mental health as going to the gym. If that's convinced you to start nurturing a green thumb, then suit up! In addition to a sturdy pair of shoes to protect your feet from the elements, it's essential to wear a good pair of gardening gloves—not just because they'll keep your nail polish looking fresh longer, but more importantly, they also shield your fingers from cuts, scratches, stings, and more. Because not every pair is suited for all the tasks, we rounded up the best gardening gloves—whether you're landscaping, composting, weeding, dealing with a prickly cactus or thorns, looking for something to help you prune your prize spring flowers, planting a bounty of shade-loving perennials, or growing your own vegetables to rival Oprah's harvest.

But what if you don't usually spend time planting seeds or potting flowers in a garden? Consider this a gentle invitation to spend more time outdoors or around lush greenery, anywhere you can. From the best grow lights (which you can use to grow plants and vegetables indoors) to the ultimate gardening tools for beginners, we've got you covered. This can be a meditative practice—once you ease in, you might even feel more of a quiet sense of calm. Overall, whether you'd rather start gardening at home, plan to pick up a few indoor plants, or taking frequent walks in a local park is more your speed, nature has something to offer everyone.

Heavy gardening chores such as turning over the soil in your vegetable garden or digging a hole to plant a shrub require sturdy gloves you won’t punch a fingertip through. These are made of goatskin, so they’re soft and supple but still tough as nails.

Super-flexible and durable, these gloves keep your hands dry when you’re digging in wet soil or pulling weeds after the rain. They also come in five different sizes, making it easy for those with small hands to find the perfect fit.

The extra-long cuffs on these gloves cinch up tightly. The payoff? You won’t have to keep stopping to dump out your gloves because mulch or grass clippings have fallen inside them while landscaping.

These gloves fit like a second skin, so they make chores that require manual dexterity, such as planting teeny-tiny lettuce seeds or deadheading flowers, easy. This reasonably priced pack of six brightly colored pairs will take you through the entire year and beyond.

Real leather palms and reinforced fingertips come in handy for basic gardening chores such as weeding. Plus, for small hands, you can snug up the adjustable wrist closure to customize the fit.

Made of thick goatskin—so much tougher than fabric!—these gloves are both flexible and comfortable. Particularly for roses or for a cactus with prickly thorns and needles, these extra-long suede cuffs that reach to your elbows offer much needed protection for your forearms.

Need to Instagram your latest blooms? With touchscreen-compatible fingertips, you can take a quick break while gardening to post your best shots. Bonus: They’re easily washable.

If you’re all about the style factor (and your chores don’t involve heavy digging or pruning), opt for these pretty gloves with suede padded palms. And you won’t misplace them if you take them off for a second—their bright pink peony pattern is easy to spot in the grass.

Don't let the bright color deceive you. This powerhouse StoneBreaker work glove is made of thick leather, reinforced patches, double sewn seams, and shock-absorbing padding that's well-suited for everything from pruning roses to handling cacti.

The palms of these stylish floral gauntlet gloves are made with suede-finished leather (plus reinforced thumbs and pointer fingers) for extra protection from those prickly thorns.

These come in a pack of three pairs in pretty pink, green, and blue, making them a total bargain. Made from 100 percent cotton, they’re breathable and, best of all, washable after a long day of digging.