First Royal, a monarch, using a garden tool (6)

I believe the answer is:

raking

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'using a garden tool' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this defines the answer.

'first royal a monarch' is the wordplay.
'first royal' becomes 'r' (1st letter of 'royal').
'monarch' becomes 'king' (king is a kind of monarch).
'r'+'a'+'king'='RAKING'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for raking that I've seen before include "Ink rag (anag)" , "Gardening" , "Searching" , "horticultural procedure" , "at an angle" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.

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