Christmas Gifts for Gardeners

      Christmas will be here before you know it!  Since gardening is America's number one hobby, there is probably a gardener on your gift list.  Other than the latest plant, gardeners crave the latest gardening tool or gardening accessory.  Here are a few suggestions of things you might not ordinarily think about buying someone as a present.

Hand pruners - Every gardener needs a good set of hand pruners. These will last a lifetime, but have replaceable parts, if necessary. The scissors-type pruners, also known as bypass pruners, are recommended over the anvil type.  Include a holster for an easy carrying aid.

Trowel - A heavy duty trowel is a necessity. Look for trowels with brightly colored handles and finger grips. The most durable trowels as are made of one continuous piece of metal. I have one of these for about 20 years now and other than misplacing it a few times, it is still as good as the day I got it. There are specially designed trowels for people with limited mobility or reduced hand strength. 

Gardening gloves - Rubberized work gloves are handy for transplanting during damp conditions to keep some of the dirt from getting under the fingernails.  Leather gloves are great when handling coarse items such bricks, rocks, or lumber. If your gardening friend grows a lot of thorny plants, such as roses or blackberries consider a pair of leather gloves with long gauntlets to protect their arms as well as their hands. 

Garden bench - Ever garden needs a bench even though most of us never get the chance to actually sit in our garden. But our guests will greatly appreciate it.

Garden accessories - How about some yard art – a sculpture, bird bath, or sun dial?  Want to really impress someone?  Secretly install a water garden or fish pond with a bubbly waterfall.

Garden gadgets - Is your gardening friend an amateur weatherman?  Rain gauges run from inexpensive plastic, to decorative brass, to wireless remote digital ones with memory!  How about a rain station that monitors several climate factors?  Even a simple and inexpensive minimum-maximum thermometer can be useful.

Books are always a good choice to keep the gardener content during the winter. There are many great books on gardening in the south.  A book of colorful pictures can brighten a dreary winter day.

A few more ideas include:  tool carrier, work apron, boot scraper, garden clogs, leaf shredder, compost turners, or indoor mushroom farms.  

If you are trying to get something for the person who seems to have everything already, how about a gift certificate to their favorite nursery or farmer’s market?  Give a gift of your time in the form of a coupon.  Make the coupon for such activities as pruning, transplanting, weeding, watering, mowing, or raking.   Remember true gardeners are a different breed of people.  How many people do you know that get excited over a load of chicken manure?  Any of these unordinary gifts will make them extraordinarily happy.