The holiday season is in full swing. For last-minute shoppers like myself, here are a few ideas for the avid urban gardeners in your life.
Seed Gift Boxes
Many seed companies now offer a variety of boxed gift sets that make wonderful presents for anyone interested in gardening. Basic gift boxes usually contain a set of seed packets with a certain theme, such as a group of colorful baby vegetables seeds or unusual heirlooms varietals. Larger, more expensive gift boxes often include additional items, such as wooden row labels, garden notebooks and organic homemade soaps. I first received one of these gift boxes three years ago and have been using this idea regularly for hard-to-gift gardeners. A quick online search will quickly point you to several seed companies that offer this perfect present.
Pruners
Every gardener should own a reliable pair of high-quality bypass pruners. A versatile tool, pruners are the Swiss Army knife of the garden, perfect for trimming plants, deadheading, harvesting crops and any number of small everyday tasks. Bypass pruners have a single blade, sharpened only on one side that slides past a dull lower hook. This scissor-like action results in a smooth, clean cut, essential for trimming live vegetation. Instead of searching online for a good pair of pruners, talk to fellow gardeners or visit your local garden center to get accurate advice on the right model. Good pruners can be rather expensive, but if properly cared for, they will last decades. In fact, my primary pruners are a pair once owned by my paternal grandfather that have served us both well for nearly 30 years.
Quick Gardner Ideas
Here are some other great gift ideas for gardeners:
- Garden Magazine Gift Subscription: to inspire readers with new landscape design trends or innovative sustainable growing methods
- Soft Gel/Foam Kneeling Pads: for older gardeners and for folks looking to protect their knees
- Galvanized Watering Cans: attractive and functional item any gardener can use
- Rain Gauge: comes in decorative models to help gardeners monitor irrigation needs
- Garden Decorations: for gardeners who wish to enhance their gardens; outdoor statuary pieces come in numerous shapes, from whimsical turtles and fanciful fountains to abstract geometric installations
