There is an abundance of wonderful gifts available for the gardener on your holiday shopping list. Here are just a few ideas to inspire you for the 2014 holiday gift-giving season.
Gift boxes and baskets for gardeners are fun and beautiful to assemble and you can customize the size to fit your price range. Well-made garden tools such as by-pass pruners are always welcome. Knee pads can be added as well as seeds and perhaps a bag of potting soil would be appreciated by gardeners as they gear up for next year’s growing season. Little luxuries like hand soap and moisturizer also make nice additions.
Garden bags for collecting garden and yard debris are a thoughtful gift and very handy. Fiskars makes a 30 gallon pop-up gardening container which is widely available. The container folds for storage and can be easily transported around the yard to where it is needed. Additionally, the container has drain holes in the hard-shell base and is tear and mildew resistant.
If you know a gardener who enjoys growing flowers for cutting and making bouquets and arrangements, a beautiful vase makes a lovely gift. Include a quality pair of flower sheers and floral preservative to round-out the gift. You could also present the vase filled with a fresh bouquet of flowers or seasonal greens and berries.
Don’t forget that the children on your list might also appreciate garden-related items. Their own tools, wheelbarrow, hoe or rake might spark an interest in digging in the dirt and growing things as well as add to their enjoyment of the outdoors and nature. I was surprised how much a simple pair of child-sized gardening gloves inspired my young son to get out and help with yard work. He especially loves clearing the yard and garden of brush and large weeds.
Gardeners are often-times bird-lovers and there are many bird-related items that can add interest to the garden and attract beautiful and pest-eradicating songbirds to the backyard. Bird feeders, birdhouses and birdbaths make charming garden accents and can add much to the enjoyment of the yard. If you give a bird feeder, you might consider including a large bag of birdseed. Local feed stores even offer their own special blends.
There is an almost endless variety of gardening books out there including ones on botany, landscape design, plant care, even cookbooks for making use of garden produce. Gorgeous coffee-table books filled with inspiring photos will be treasured for a lifetime by passionate gardeners.
Another great idea is a garden journal. I always think I’m going to remember ideas and experiences from growing season to growing season, but I rarely do. One company makes a gardening journal which can aid in planning and record keeping as well as documenting your horticultural endeavors. The journal has space to log your work and includes lots of gardening information such as hardiness zones. It also has design grids and adhesive labels for personalizing sections.
Finally, don’t forget the value of your time. You can give personalized garden-related “gift certificates” to help a friend or loved one with chores like weeding, dividing perennials, planting, or even help in creating a new garden bed. Your time and effort will be appreciated by the recipient and will mean quality and productive time spent together for both of you.
