Gifts for Gardeners
By Michelle Wallace
I am writing this article to help those gardeners who have a hard time articulating their holiday wish list to their loved ones or to those of you who need gifts for family members who love gardening and have no idea what to get them. First however, I must explain the kind of people gardeners are. We are project oriented people. This means we like gifts that engage us in an activity. Through gardening we enrich our life experience by participating in the creation of spaces, flowers, fruit, or vegetables which we can enjoy and share with those close to us. So, while we may enjoy receiving gifts of clothes and trinkets, we love gifts that don’t always wrap well or fit under a tree unless that tree happens to be outside.
You may be wondering then what I have put on my holiday wish list. Well, how does ten yards of compost sound to you? I know, not very romantic. Thank goodness my husband understands that I would rather have compost to expand my vegetable garden than a sweater any day. However, a sweater might be nice if you can afford to have both. While you may not want compost here are a few fun ideas.
- Leather gardening gloves – they come in a wide variety of colors and sizes. Gardeners always need new pairs.
- A hand held stainless steel weed digger /hoe /cultivator – This is the most used gardening tool I have. If there is more than one gardener in the family each person will want their own.
- High quality hand held pruners – A good brand will last you forever. You may only need to sharpen or replace the blade once in a while. A cheap pair won’t even last a season. (Sorry, I can’t name brands.)
- Container gardening is hot right now and there is a tremendous selection of beautiful pots on the market. Just make sure there are drainage holes in the bottom.
- Seed catalogs are now out. A few catalogs with some gift money is a dream for most vegetable garden enthusiasts.
- Garden ornaments such as garden sculptures, bird feeders, wind chimes, and bird houses. A little well placed magic in the garden goes a long way.
- Plants such as Japanese Maples are always appreciated.
- Public Garden Memberships- They come with members benefits such as free lectures, plant giveaways, newsletters, and discounts.
- Garden consultation – One hour of advice from a horticulturist or garden designer can get your gardener off to a good start for the New Year.
- Time – Gardening is a lot of work. While it may not be your thing, a few hours of your time helping your loved one in garden is worth more than anything you can buy.
For those of you would like some great handouts to give your loved ones on an endless number of gardening topics go to http://durham.ces.ncsu.edu/ or call the Durham County Master Gardener Volunteers @ 919-560-0528.