Styles with PVC or rubber dots on the palms or fingers are good for gripping pots and tool handles and for keeping hands dry. These can usually be machine-washed in cold water. Rubber gloves protect hands from dirt, chemicals, water and thorns. It's best to select ones with flexible fingers and a cotton lining or back to keep hands cool in summer. Leather gloves are available in pigskin, cowskin, goatskin and deerskin.
Good ones are expensive but durable, soft and excellent for heavy-duty garden chores.
Goatskin and buckskin are especially supple, molding themselves to the hands in time. Gauntlet styles, which provide extra arm protection, are useful when gardening gets thorny. Moisture takes away oils infused in leather gloves, so it's best to clean them with a damp sponge and leather cleaner rather than immerse them in water. Once you've collected a favorite assortment of gloves, treat them as you would a cherished tool. Before you store them, make sure they're dirt-free and dry, and in the case of leather, cleaned and conditioned to keep them soft and pliable.