[Alisdair]

We found, first in SW France and now in Greece, that a mattock (or a set of mattocks with varying blade widths) is ideal for working in tough ground - as most Mediterranean ground is, for most of the gardening year. In our Greek garden, which in the more natural parts is very unyelding, I have another tool which I find absolutely invaluable for extracting deep-rooted weeds from tricky situations, and for planting bulbs and corms in hard ground: this is a heavy-duty lorry tyre lever, basically a very strong iron shaft about 45 cm long, with a comfortable grip one end, and a "digging" blade about 2 cm wide at a slight angle the other end. If you want to find one, search for a 450mm soft grip pry bar.
I wouldn't be without either of these tools!

[Fleur Pavlidis]

Certainly both spade and fork are useless unless you've mulched and improved the soil for so many years that you've created a spade depth of friable soil. Even though I've managed that in a couple of beds, I still can't get a fork into them (to get out the clumping grass) unless we've just had a good rain. I use a pick for digging planting holes.

[pamela]

Alisdair, you have interesting digging equipment for bulbs and weeds in difficult terrain...is it a crowbar of sorts?? 

[Alisdair]

Pamela, That tyre lever thing is like a jemmy or miniature crowbar; it is only about 45 cm long though.
I do have a big crowbar too, about as tall as me, and use it a lot!

[pamela]

Alisdair.... its amusing we have to resort to things like crowbars in our gardens!! But thats what happens in our climate!   I have a small handled pick which I use when I need to dig a hole. I think I have forgotton what a real spade looks like.........oh, for some soft pliable earth!