He said looking around. "Some of us are hoarders".
I have to put myself in these ranks. Now, do I *need* both a wheelbarrow and a dolly? To garden? If I think so, that may be reason enough.
When I get a moment I'll put up a list of hand tools mostly, I think are needful enough for to either buy new, or used.
I'll also try to post the 'why' with the tools. YMMV
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lorax
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Personally? I'd consider that the dolly and wheelbarrow serve different functions in the garden and that both are completely indispensible. The dolly is perfect for moving heavy pots and big bags of soil and amendments, as well as furniture (which, if you tried to move them in the wheelbarrow, would both fall over and give you a hernia horking the dang things into the bucket) whereas the wheelbarrow is perfect for moving soil and whatnot around, for mixing cement, and for giving your young friends rides.
Hand tools are a whole other realm, and I'm a hoarder, but I'd consider only 9 of them to be truly indispensable (in no particular order, with my rationales):
1. A trowel (for small-scale digging and for transplanting)
2. A hand cultivator (for loosening soil on a small scale)
3. A spade (a nice one, preferably with a metal handle)
4. A fork (to turn compost and move mulch, and for large-scale cultivation)
5. A rake (for raking. I have only a mulch rake, which I use for everything - a leaf/grass rake would be silly in my gardens!)
6. A nice, big, very sharp knife (for all cutting tasks, as well as for separating rootbound plants and removing banana pups. I have a nice machete.)
7. Bypass pruners (for all your pruning needs - I keep fruit trees and consider that one should never cheap out on pruning shears.)
8. A Dozuki saw (a back-cut saw with a very fine tooth and kerf. This is another pruning tool, useful for removing anything you can't cut with bypass pruners. I also use it for bamboo construction - nothing cuts bamboo like a Dozuki saw. Mine folds up for easy storage.)
9. The toughest pair of all-steel scissors you can afford. (for everything, really. Good scissors are amazingly useful, and all-steel construction makes them much more durable. I can't count the number of cruddy plastic-handled "garden" scissors I've killed. I use all-steel tailor's shears, because they're so tough that even dropping them from a great height doesn't really harm them, and because they have a nice adjustable nut in them that helps me keep them in true.)
Pretty much everything else can be done with a sharp stick, which costs nothing and which is generally available under your trees....
Hand tools are a whole other realm, and I'm a hoarder, but I'd consider only 9 of them to be truly indispensable (in no particular order, with my rationales):
1. A trowel (for small-scale digging and for transplanting)
2. A hand cultivator (for loosening soil on a small scale)
3. A spade (a nice one, preferably with a metal handle)
4. A fork (to turn compost and move mulch, and for large-scale cultivation)
5. A rake (for raking. I have only a mulch rake, which I use for everything - a leaf/grass rake would be silly in my gardens!)
6. A nice, big, very sharp knife (for all cutting tasks, as well as for separating rootbound plants and removing banana pups. I have a nice machete.)
7. Bypass pruners (for all your pruning needs - I keep fruit trees and consider that one should never cheap out on pruning shears.)
8. A Dozuki saw (a back-cut saw with a very fine tooth and kerf. This is another pruning tool, useful for removing anything you can't cut with bypass pruners. I also use it for bamboo construction - nothing cuts bamboo like a Dozuki saw. Mine folds up for easy storage.)
9. The toughest pair of all-steel scissors you can afford. (for everything, really. Good scissors are amazingly useful, and all-steel construction makes them much more durable. I can't count the number of cruddy plastic-handled "garden" scissors I've killed. I use all-steel tailor's shears, because they're so tough that even dropping them from a great height doesn't really harm them, and because they have a nice adjustable nut in them that helps me keep them in true.)
Pretty much everything else can be done with a sharp stick, which costs nothing and which is generally available under your trees....
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hit or miss
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Shovel, rake, hoe (I prefer one made of a sickle blade, it's triangular), bypass pruners and my custom made planting stick. It's a 3' broom handle with a large nail jammed in the end to make seed furrows with. I'm no-tilling this year and the hoe will get a rest when I get all of the mulch in place! Hopefully forever! 
I did make a compost scattering tool out of a gallon Arizona tea jug too. Just scoop and sprinkle!
I did make a compost scattering tool out of a gallon Arizona tea jug too. Just scoop and sprinkle!
I'm not that mobil. I don't walk well or far. My past garden was much bigger than my current one.
Chop stick, anvil pruner, bias & concave cutter, pull saw, grain scoop, scissors, knife, wheel barrow, hardware cloth screens.
This is the sub set of tools I use very often on bonsai projects.
Bonsai soil is almost entirely a natural product, specifically sized by sifting and mixed to make extreemly fast draining soil. I built my screens to sit both on top of wheelbarrow and each other. The finest particle size of which get discarded back into garden, lawn or driveway.
A wheelbarrow full of mixed soil, is also a handy spot to repot from. A-n-d just happens to be chair-hight..
Coppicing feild grown trees and restyling stumps works most of the edged tools on this list. Bias and concave cutters are probably the least recognisable edged tools, they look more like ferriers tongs. For sizing and top-styling trees.
Potting up works a chop stick a lot. It teases out old soil and is a tool to repack fresh soil. Scissors-knife get used for both top-working trees and root pruning.
If you read many bonsai (soil) recipes, the unit of volume is often a 'part'. For me a 'part' is a big old grain scoop.
IMO the dust out of granite-grit (a poultry scatch) makes a dandy traction grit for icey sidewalks driveways. Bark mulch dust can go around trees, or into compost. Leaf mold-peat dust can go direct on the garden. Oyster shell dust goes direct to lawn or garden.
Chop stick, anvil pruner, bias & concave cutter, pull saw, grain scoop, scissors, knife, wheel barrow, hardware cloth screens.
This is the sub set of tools I use very often on bonsai projects.
Bonsai soil is almost entirely a natural product, specifically sized by sifting and mixed to make extreemly fast draining soil. I built my screens to sit both on top of wheelbarrow and each other. The finest particle size of which get discarded back into garden, lawn or driveway.
A wheelbarrow full of mixed soil, is also a handy spot to repot from. A-n-d just happens to be chair-hight..
Coppicing feild grown trees and restyling stumps works most of the edged tools on this list. Bias and concave cutters are probably the least recognisable edged tools, they look more like ferriers tongs. For sizing and top-styling trees.
Potting up works a chop stick a lot. It teases out old soil and is a tool to repack fresh soil. Scissors-knife get used for both top-working trees and root pruning.
If you read many bonsai (soil) recipes, the unit of volume is often a 'part'. For me a 'part' is a big old grain scoop.
IMO the dust out of granite-grit (a poultry scatch) makes a dandy traction grit for icey sidewalks driveways. Bark mulch dust can go around trees, or into compost. Leaf mold-peat dust can go direct on the garden. Oyster shell dust goes direct to lawn or garden.
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rainbowgardener
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My list is about the same as lorax's:
A couple trowels, one wide and one narrow and pointed. (The narrow one is a trake, long handled with claws on the back end. I love it; the long handle gives it good leverage and the claws work as that hand cultivator lorax mentioned)
Hand pruners and long handled loppers
Leaf rake and sharp tined metal rake
Sharp knife
Spade, fork, hoe
Chain saw
Wood chipper
Wheelbarrow
The chain saw and wood chipper is because there are tons of trees and big old honeysuckle bushes on my property (I'm gradually pushing the honeysuckle back, but there's a ways to go yet). If you didn't have so much wood, you might be able to do with out those.
A couple trowels, one wide and one narrow and pointed. (The narrow one is a trake, long handled with claws on the back end. I love it; the long handle gives it good leverage and the claws work as that hand cultivator lorax mentioned)
Hand pruners and long handled loppers
Leaf rake and sharp tined metal rake
Sharp knife
Spade, fork, hoe
Chain saw
Wood chipper
Wheelbarrow
The chain saw and wood chipper is because there are tons of trees and big old honeysuckle bushes on my property (I'm gradually pushing the honeysuckle back, but there's a ways to go yet). If you didn't have so much wood, you might be able to do with out those.
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applestar
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I use the wheelbarrow significantly more often than I use a dolly. I even use it to trundle a large volume of water to where I need it beyond the reach of the garden hose -- a trick I learned when helping to care for horses. 
Although they sell two-wheeled ones claiming better stability, single-wheeled wheelbarrow can get you into tight spaces.
Although they sell two-wheeled ones claiming better stability, single-wheeled wheelbarrow can get you into tight spaces.
Hoe
Some like a pointy Ogden hoe. Others like a stirrup hoe (the one with a moveable back stirrup).
I try to keep my beds mulched deeply and mostly use a hoe to mix up concrete or mortar. If your weeding with a hoe, a wand whet stone (and actually using it) is a good thing
Which leads me back to that ol' single wheel wheelbarrow...
I can't drive the bigger (and heavier) two-wheel jobs.
Some like a pointy Ogden hoe. Others like a stirrup hoe (the one with a moveable back stirrup).
I try to keep my beds mulched deeply and mostly use a hoe to mix up concrete or mortar. If your weeding with a hoe, a wand whet stone (and actually using it) is a good thing
Which leads me back to that ol' single wheel wheelbarrow...
I can't drive the bigger (and heavier) two-wheel jobs.
I have a small dolly that will carry up to 200 lbs, a big dolly that will carry up to 625 lbs, a wagon, a garden cart, a small "homeowner's" wheelbarrow, and a big "contractor's" wheelbarrow. -
DoubleDogFarm
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and Nope again!Nope! I have a small dolly that will carry up to 200 lbs, a big dolly that will carry up to 625 lbs, a wagon, a garden cart, a small "homeowner's" wheelbarrow, and a big "contractor's" wheelbarrow.
All of the above and a root ball cart, small dump trailer for lawn tractor, large 5 yard dump trailer for truck, pallet forks and loader for the tractor. Eric
Maul-sledge, star drill, wedge and feathers
These are probably mostly a new-Englandism. The 'wedge' in this list is probably both a larger wood splitting tool, and its
smaller cousin which is used with 'feathers' after a star drill (a four edged cold chisel) cuts a hole in rocks, in order to split them.
The feathers are just set into the prepared hole and the wedge is driven past the feathers to split open rocks. A set of feathers and wedges is almost always three or more...
Now the hearty soul may beleive that a pry bar will ever be adaquate to roll rocks out of your new england garden.
It aint so, sooner or later you will be presented with a big enough rock that it will only exit your garden parted or quartered.
I dunno if this a tool you aught to buy at first sight, but finding where they're hidden in the hardware store, and actually handling them-gettting a clerks description of their use, in the aisle is a pleasant diversion.
These are probably mostly a new-Englandism. The 'wedge' in this list is probably both a larger wood splitting tool, and its
smaller cousin which is used with 'feathers' after a star drill (a four edged cold chisel) cuts a hole in rocks, in order to split them.
The feathers are just set into the prepared hole and the wedge is driven past the feathers to split open rocks. A set of feathers and wedges is almost always three or more...
Now the hearty soul may beleive that a pry bar will ever be adaquate to roll rocks out of your new england garden.
It aint so, sooner or later you will be presented with a big enough rock that it will only exit your garden parted or quartered.
I dunno if this a tool you aught to buy at first sight, but finding where they're hidden in the hardware store, and actually handling them-gettting a clerks description of their use, in the aisle is a pleasant diversion.
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DoubleDogFarm
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My Dad calls me number 4, 
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rainbowgardener
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Scythe, sickle, brush cutter
Most folks yards have been graded and maintained enough to not want these pre-industrial tools.
"Mow with it, if ya' got it"
There are places that grass becomes, um, er, hayfeild. There are modern weed whackers and brush cutters for folks who garden with power tools.
IMO both powered tools and people powered tools to collect, cut down, or reduce under growth, are fine. These are at best less used than a shovel or rake. Again these are tools to size up in the aisle, before buying.
Knowing which are two-cycle vs four cycle gas powered tools before firing your new toy up out in the back fourty, is probably a prudent idea.
I'd hate to cut an acre of hay with a sickle, Putting a yard sale find of one up on the peg-board at $2, against needing to chop the 'stuph' behind the compost bin every other year, seems like a bargain.
Most folks yards have been graded and maintained enough to not want these pre-industrial tools.
"Mow with it, if ya' got it"
There are places that grass becomes, um, er, hayfeild. There are modern weed whackers and brush cutters for folks who garden with power tools.
IMO both powered tools and people powered tools to collect, cut down, or reduce under growth, are fine. These are at best less used than a shovel or rake. Again these are tools to size up in the aisle, before buying.
Knowing which are two-cycle vs four cycle gas powered tools before firing your new toy up out in the back fourty, is probably a prudent idea.
I'd hate to cut an acre of hay with a sickle, Putting a yard sale find of one up on the peg-board at $2, against needing to chop the 'stuph' behind the compost bin every other year, seems like a bargain.
Forks
some people like the little half-long clam forks to rummage around in the garden. I like one with a longer handle to pull compost closer to me in bins and while sitting in-garden.
A manure and potato fork round out the forks I use. I'm not sure the potato fork will stand up to Ohioan clay so a shovel is getting more use here.
Manure fork is my weapon of choice in the compost bin.
some people like the little half-long clam forks to rummage around in the garden. I like one with a longer handle to pull compost closer to me in bins and while sitting in-garden.
A manure and potato fork round out the forks I use. I'm not sure the potato fork will stand up to Ohioan clay so a shovel is getting more use here.
Manure fork is my weapon of choice in the compost bin.
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applestar
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I agree about the manure fork (actually what I have is a metal 4 tine pitch fork -- I think of manure fork as the extra-wide closely-tined fork typically used for cleaning horsestalls) vs. garden fork. Garden fork is narrower and tines are too close and flat -- and the handle is too short for good leverage -- for turning the compost pile. It's an exercise in frustration when I'm too lazy to take the few steps needed to get the thing out because I happen to have the garden fork handy. I don't have the ... Clam fork?... But have two long handled D-handle garden forks and a hand fork as well as the long, straight handled pitch fork.
When shoveling OUT semi-finished compost to use, pitch fork's tines are too wide apart.
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I have a Japanese hand sickle that I use often to cut/harvest overgrown weeds and grass for mulch and for compost GREENS. I would like a scythe but am not ready to spend the money yet... And end up using the sickle in a larger area than is practical or good for my back.... Have tried pruners, long-hadled hedge scissors, and a large chef's knife for the same jobs and have found the hand sickle to be vastly superior. I use any old smooth rock and water to sharpen the sickle edge as I work.
When shoveling OUT semi-finished compost to use, pitch fork's tines are too wide apart.
--
I have a Japanese hand sickle that I use often to cut/harvest overgrown weeds and grass for mulch and for compost GREENS. I would like a scythe but am not ready to spend the money yet... And end up using the sickle in a larger area than is practical or good for my back.... Have tried pruners, long-hadled hedge scissors, and a large chef's knife for the same jobs and have found the hand sickle to be vastly superior. I use any old smooth rock and water to sharpen the sickle edge as I work.
By-pass and anvil pruners
I forget and buy a new pair of by-pass pruners about every decade or so. I am just about always unhappy I did because they warp and don't cut anymore (read at all).
As a result about six weeks after buying a by-pass pruner I trudge back to the hardware store, and buy an anvil pruner...
The by-pass pruner then gets relegated to use trimming roots of bonsai...
I forget and buy a new pair of by-pass pruners about every decade or so. I am just about always unhappy I did because they warp and don't cut anymore (read at all).
As a result about six weeks after buying a by-pass pruner I trudge back to the hardware store, and buy an anvil pruner...
The by-pass pruner then gets relegated to use trimming roots of bonsai...