Gardening Gift Idea: Buying a holiday gift or holiday gift basket for a gardener.



Pleasant Holidays – The words means different things to everyone, the holidays are a season of giving, pleasant holidays for a gardener means a holiday gift basket filled with things a gardener loves. You could fill your holiday gift basket with a gardening tool or gardening accessory, gift certificates for seed companies and gardening centers, or subscriptions to gardening magazines.

Giving a holiday gift basket like this might seem mundane to you – but to the gardener enthusiast, it will be a treat! For great ideas for your holiday gift basket from Christmas and Easter, to New Year’s (or even birthdays, etc.) to spur your imagination and aid in your search for the ideal gardening gift, read on…

1. Gift Certificate

Find a gardening holilday gift and gardening gift certificate online. Many customers have found the gift certificate a unique present for gardening friends and relatives. Click on the amount of gift certificate you want to order, and enter the recipients name in the shipping address field on the order form. There is no shipping charge for gift certificates.

2. Seeds

What gardener wouldn’t love a holiday gift basket containing money to purchase all the seeds his or her heart desires? A purchase from Brooklyn Botanic Garden not only delights the recipient but also gives again by supporting BBG’s education, science, and community programs, as well as the Garden itself. The wide array of unique treats in BBG’s Garden Gift Shop complements a garden lifestyle and will bring joy to anyone on your list!

3. Personalized Garden Stakes



It’s a beautiful accent to any garden, garden stakes are a perfect way to mark that special tree, rosebush, or pet memorial. These sassy stakes provide reminders – gentle or not so gentle – for your plants to keep on growing, while their colors help you remember what’s planted where. Personalize them with names, dates or special message. Your gardener friends will love the encouragement!

4. Plants

- Plants as Presents or Commemorations



Warning: Regulations and restrictions may apply to sale and/or movement of seeds, plants, plant material (living or dead), potting media or soil, even locally. Please check with appropriate authorities.

New Gardeners: A plant you know is easy to grow (avoid specialist plants like bonsai, orchids, cacti)

Housewarming: Fruit tree, Extra-special feature tree (suitable for the size of garden), Topiary, Plant chosen to suit decor of new home (Mediterranean, Tropical, Traditional, and/or colour scheme etc).

 Apartment-warming: Indoor plant, Balcony plant (suitable for balcony conditions), Herbs in pots.

Birth, Birthday, Christening, Naming Ceremony: Shrub with same name as recipient or other meaningful name, Feature tree.

Anniversary: Named variety or type of plant for year (gold, silver, emerald, etc. )

Commemoration: Favourite plant, flowers in favourite colours, flowers/foliage in club, national, state etc colours, floral emblem of country, state, association, plant native to region of birth, any beautiful tree planted as a feature (provided it is suitable for the location on a practical level), plant with same name or other meaningful name.

5. Garden Ornaments



Over the years we have seen that certain items would come up and be requested to be sent out as gift items more often than others. As a result, there are a variety of ornaments designed for garden decoration, they has become more popular home décor products that would make lovely garden gifts and home accents for anybody, which will complement the gardener’s home and garden décor setup.

6. A Pair of Foxgloves



Foxgloves make for great home décor garden gifts. This product has been featured in over 17 major magazines proving that they are the ultimate in home décor garden gifts. A pair of gloves were developed with comfort and durability in mind in the gardening environment. Constructed out of contemporary fabrics such as lycra and supplex nylon, foxgloves give the feel and sensitivity of 1950 style dress gloves, but are built to last. Now foxgloves are available in original style or grip style. These comfortable glove products are resistant to abrasion and fit snugly on one’s hand to protect fingers, nails, and cuticles.

7. Special Cosmetics



Another popular choice for garden gift ideas would be a cosmetic for skin protection. You can find an extensive supply of Burt’s Bees products ranging from carrot complexion soap to foot cream to carrot nutritive lotion in many Garden shops. For, example, A carrot complexion soap is blended with aloe vera and beta-carotene to clean the pores, improve the skin tone and color and aid in the rejuvenation of mature sun-exposed skin, and a piece of foot cream product is a lightweight moisturizer that is fortified with vitamin E and beta-carotene that is also conducive for healing and soothing sun-exposed skin. As for our carrot nutritive lotion, this product is a lightweight moisturize enriched with vitamin E and beta-carotene.

8. Gardening Tools



How about a well-engineered gardening tool? At the other end of the spectrum, you could pay to have their lawns for mowed for them for a year!and there is a wide selection of garden tools and gardening related items that would make wonderful gifts for your friends, loved ones and co-workers, such as bulb planter, cultivator, carrying case, trowel, transplanter, 3-prong fork, digging fork, hose fittings, foam kneeler, pruner, hose nozzle, weeder/cultivator, all these choices are great for the green thumb in your life.

9. Garden Accessory such as a bird house, bird seed, bird feeder, bird bath, gazing ball, and “welcome to my garden” signs, garden statues.

Last, if you are near the downtown for the holidays, be sure to check out their wonderful train display, upside-down hanging tree, and other special holiday events and attractions running from late November to January 7th.

* Garden Gifts for Distant Friends



Following are gifts which are easy to send:

- gift vouchers with a garden centre close to your friend

- subscription to magazine or club- books, videos, DVDs, CD Roms

- clothing, gloves

- hand tools

- donation to horticultural or environmental charity

- almost any item by mail order

- have it sent directly from the supplier to your friend with your friend’s permission.

Make it clear to the vendor that you’re paying for the goods and give your contact details also in case there’s a problem with the order. There may be restrictions on movement of plant material or other items to certain areas – check first!

Gardening gifts may be a good option for those hard-to-buy-for men in your life. If you’re stumped for present for Father’s Day, a brother’s birthday, or your husband at Christmas, whichever gardening gift you include in your holiday gift basket for the gardening enthusiast, be sure they will prefer it above a tie, socks, or a fruit cake! I hope these holiday gift ideas will help you select the perfect gardening gift for the gardener on your list!

Various gardening magazines are available in the market. But would you like to know which stands out from the rest? Here are a selection of gardening magazines that anyone in love with his or her garden will appreciate.

COUNTRY GARDENS often showcases the more unusual gardens around the country. It introduces wonderful new ways to enjoy garden sights and scents. It helps the avid gardener to create an eye-pleasing, fragrance – filled country garden.

This magazine has very useful advice on setting up and caring for your garden. Every issue contains profiles of fascinating people and their gardens, inspiration for gardens and detailed garden plans. Best of all, it’s a trusted source of information that’s easy to understand. Every season carries a vast harvest of ideas to delight, motivate and guide any gardener.

How about a gardening magazine for those who want to become a better gardener? FINE GARDENING MAGAZINE from The Taunton Press brings you amazing design ideas, beneficial techniques, and the know-how to get the best results from your gardening endeavors.

In each issue you’ll find eye-opening bits of advice from the experts, detailed information on all types of plants, effective techniques and time-saving tips, straightforward tool reviews from editors and readers and planting suggestions for specific regions.

But for more intensive information on how to maintain a garden packed with style and color, then you’ll want to read GARDEN DESIGN. This gardening magazine brings out eye-popping photos, illustrations and useful recommendations on how to create a picture-perfect garden. It is written and designed for those who are passionate about their homes and gardens. Garden Design is more than just a dig-in-the-dirt gardening magazine; it’s for people who enjoy bringing in more aesthetic value for their homes through their gardens.

Garden Design encourages you to create stylish outdoor living spaces and rare gardens through cultivating rare breeds of plants, with updates on the best tools and techniques. It contains magnificent photographs and articles that capture the imaginations of gardeners everywhere.

For passionate gardeners, HOLTICULTURE MAGAZINE is the ultimate guide to gardening. The authoritative voice of gardeners, Horticulture serves as an essential guide and trusted friend, and is a main resource for serious gardeners from every corner of the country.

These magazines aim to instruct, inform, and inspire serious home gardeners. There are gardening magazines for beginners and expert gardeners. Discover or develop your green thumb with their latest gardening techniques and garden design information.

For Australian readers, there is BURKE’S BACKYARD. Springing form a TV series of the same name, Burke’s Backyard focuses on gardening décor as well as the all-important garden makeovers that have become so popular.

YOUR GARDEN is another beauty, claiming the prestige of being Australia’s gardening magazine, it usually features two or three popular flowers and how best to grow them, with a wealth of tips and information on other plants, tools and products for the garden.

GARDENING AUSTRALIA springs from the ABC’s feature of that name it features many wonderful articles by gardening experts and often holds a free catalogue from one of the larger nurseries.

Buying a present for a gardener should be easy. Whether they are a novice or an expert, you’ll find the holidays are the ideal time to give them gifts they will enjoy. When spring rolls around, they’ll have had plenty of time to decide how and where to use the gift you’ve given them.

You won’t have to go far to find the right gift. You probably have a gardeners’ catalog in your mailbox, a garden supply store nearby, and access to the Internet. There are many websites for wonderful selections.

Giving Practical Gifts

Your local hardware store or garden supply should have a good line of practical gifts. For the gardening beginner, gifts such as a shovel or trowel, garden hose or other digging and planting tools are perfect. Perhaps your gardener would like to attract butterflies and hummingbirds. There are certain flowers and plants that will draw them to a garden, and you can most likely get them at your local garden supply. Not too sure about buying plants? How about a gift certificate to a garden supply store?

Baskets Of Gifts

Another great gift idea is a basket full of excellent “stuff” for the gardener. You can purchase one already assembled, or find a basket you like and fill it with some of the many items you will find in a garden shop. A basket with just essentials is a good choice for the beginner. It could include gloves, poison oak/ivy medication, flower seeds, plant food, a rain gauge, a Farmers Almanac, and special hand cream.

Gardening Books Are Nice

Gardening books can be a treasured gift for the gardener on your list. Any bookstore will carry books covering a variety of gardening topics. Choose among specialty garden books, such as wildflower gardens, vegetable gardens, or drought-tolerant gardens. Buy them a book on the subject of perennials and annuals. Which flowers are best suited to their climate? How do you select plants that grow best in their type of soil? These and countless other questions are answered in the many books available on gardening. You’ll find that some of the larger bookstores have whole sections devoted to gardening.

Garden Stones

A garden stone is another perfect gift for gardeners. Garden stones can be found in unusual shapes and colors, or inscribed with famous quotations or poems. Kits are available to make garden stones with a child’s handprint and name added to it. That’s the making of wonderful memories for the child and for the gardener. You can also buy a garden stone and personalize it by putting your favorite gardener’s marriage year, or the year the garden was established. Personalization can turn a plain gift into something unique.

On the more practical side, there are hundreds of gifts to choose from. Hose carts and attractive pots for storing garden hoses out of sight are easy to find. Water sprinklers and fertilizer sprinklers are also good gifts. You can find fun water sprinklers, like one in the shape of a John Deere Tractor.

Fun Gifts

Some gifts add whimsy and fun to a garden. They are easy to find, and make perfect gifts, whatever your gardener’s experience. Gazing balls are available in all sizes and colors, and add a creative dimension to the garden. Holders for the gazing balls come in dozens of various shapes, sizes and materials, too.

Among the most fashionable gifts for gardeners are wind spinners and flags. You can find wind spinners in a variety of colors, such as the patriotic red, white, and blue spinner, or the rainbow spinner. Garden flags are a popular gift because they can be changed to coordinate with the seasons, or more frequently just to create a new look in the garden.

Exotic Gift Ideas

Wanting something a little more unusual? Your gardener might love an exotic plant, such as the amaryllis exotica, a gift of unusual Iris bulbs, or a sago palm. How about a ginkgo tree growing kit, or a Shitake mushroom log?

Statues of animals, gnomes or angels of have regained popularity after many years of being out of favor, and they make great garden gifts. Birdbaths and bird feeders attract birds, a source of joy for most gardeners. You’ll also find delightful hummingbird feeders that will keep these beautiful birds coming all rear round.

Whatever your gardener’s inclinations are, you’ll be able to find the perfect gift..

If you are looking for ways for you or your children to provide cheap presents for the extended family, or just like to give gifts that have a personal element to them, then here is a suggestion or two for you.

If you are looking to make a present for the gardener in the family or someone who has recently moved into their own home, someone in a flat or unit, or a person who can’t manage a full sized yard, or a family member who loves to cook with fresh ingredients, etc. Then why not consider giving them something from your own garden? Here I am talking about plants that you have divided off from your own garden plants.

There are many plants growing in the average garden that can be divided, or that have naturally self layered themselves. Where you could go along and take a rooted section, pot them up and with a bit of dressing up of the planting container, you could produce a really nice gift for someone you care about.

These plants include many herbs as well as perennials or shrubs and even some trees which manage to send out self-layering branches or suckers from the root system. Some perennials or bulbs will increase their size or number of bulbs over time. Chance seedlings coming up in the wrong place for you, can easily also be used. All of these provide you with an opportunity to cheaply create a wonderful present for someone else.

First things first you will need to obtain a number of pots either plastic ones left over from additions to the garden population, or from someone you know, or you can go out and purchase a pot plastic/ceramic/terracotta etc., to suit your needs. If the person you are giving the plant to is not a real gardener, then you might consider getting a pot with a waterwell in the base to increase the plants’ chances of surviving.

Next, you need to begin looking for your plant material, so take a careful look around your garden at the soil level. Check out which plants are showing multiple stalks growing out of the ground. Or those sprawling plants where a branch has leaned over on to the ground and taken root along the branch, maybe one where a branch has become buried under the mulch.

Or one where there is a sucker growing from the soil a short distance from the parent plant. Another possibility is seedlings growing in the garden a distance from the parent plant material. Maybe there is a clump of plants or a big patch of bulbs where you can do some dividing.

Many of these plants benefit from being divided up or being allowed some more growing room in the particular area where you have taken away some material.

Different parts of Australia will have a differing range of plant species, which lend themselves to this form of self-propagation. If you can’t find any plants that are doing this in your own garden, why not look at a friends or neighbours garden. Or you could maybe join forces and give a joint present using plants from another family member’s garden. Or another possibility is to buy a plant in a pot that has several plants already established in it.

Divide that up before you use half in your own garden, and still have half to repot and give away. Even if you are not confident about your gardening skills you can still pick up cheap plants at the local market, school/church fair, garage sale etc. Repot them into a bigger or nicer pot for a fairly cheap present.

Another possibility is to multiplant a few different plants into a long or large round tub. This will create an instant garden on the move. Some themes you might consider here is herbs, indoor foliage, bulbs, annuals, alpine/rock, cacti/succulent or even patio gardens mixing annuals and perennials.

It is best to moisten the ground around the plant that you are going to work on well before you do the dividing, as this allows you to remove the maximum amount of root mass during the dividing process.

The first step is to divide the clump or cut away the joining branch to make the separate plant available. Then using a spade, fork or gardening trowel, dig as far out from the potential plant as practicable, because this will give you the biggest root mass possible.

Go down as far you believe you need to, (this will depend on such circumstances as size of new plant, species of original plant material, type of soil, other plant or landscaping material around the area, etc.). As gently as you can dig out the new plant. Shake off any excess soil and refill the resulting hole in the ground if necessary.

Prune back the foliage of the new plant to roughly equal size of the root mass, trying to protect some of the new foliage growth. Repot as soon as practicable, so that the roots do not dry out and die.

Another thing to consider is what sort of pot you are gong to plant into; if it is only a plastic pot then you do not need to prepare it beforehand. However if you are looking at painting it, then do this before you get digging.

When painting up pots, you will need to do some preparation work for the paint to stick properly. Plastic pots should have their surface roughened up with a bit of sandpaper. While some terracotta pots should have a primer applied to the outer surface before you paint them. Try not to get primer or paint onto the inside of the planter, because while most wont, there are still some paints which contain chemicals that may affect or contaminate the soil and plant over time.

Other possibilities for decorating up pots include simply gluing on bits and pieces including stones, tiles, buttons, sticks, shells, ornaments, ribbon, stickers and decals, etc. Other ways of decorating up a pot for the initial presentation is to wrap up just the pot (not the actual plant), using either wrapping paper, cellophane, material, a cheap teatowel or even hessian. Hold these wrappers in place with string, ribbon, bandana, scarf, etc.

Other possibilities for adding value to the potplant is to provide some growing information and name tags for the plant/s included. Other little quirks you might add include a personalised name tag, (Hi, my name is David the Diffenbachia . . . ), or a little watering indicator, miniature hand tools, small amounts of fertiliser, pot ornaments, watering can etc.

So as you can see, creating a very personal gift for just about anyone can easily be within the grasp of anyone. Why not go out into your garden and start thinking about what presents you can be preparing for Christmas this weekend.