For the Organized Gardener ---- a handy, canvas and mesh carry-all, perfect for carting all those tools, seed packets, gloves and other paraphernalia to the garden …. and for making sure it stays in one place. Generally available in tote or duffel bag style. For an added touch, fill the carry-all with items like plant markers, waterproof garden clogs, a pair of flower cutters, gardeners’ hand cream.
Or give a Garden Journal for recording what’s planted and when, what thrived and what didn’t. Journals come in styles from plain and practical to elegant to poetic, complete with inspirational quotes.
For the Gardener Who Has Everything ---- Barnyard Tea Bags, containing not tea, but manure. With cute farm animals on the box, these no-smell, no-mess tea bags are the perfect method of application for that special container. A box of 25 bags is available from Lee Valley Tools.
How about giving the gift of some labor in the garden to a family member or neighbor? Perhaps a commitment of a certain number of hours per week or help with a specific task.
For the Literary Gardener ---- there are scads of gorgeous gardening books available to suit any passion, from specific how-to manuals to literary essays to coffee table showpieces replete with stunning pictures. Michael Pollan’s Botany of Desire is a terrifically readable, thoughtful exploration of the interrelationship between man and four specific plants – the apple, potato, marijuana and the tulip. A beautifully illustrated book, published by Dorling Kindersley is Malcolm Hillier’s Container Gardening, in which he provides detailed suggestions on container combinations. A wonderful little book (almost stocking-stuffer size!) is Good Bugs for Your Garden by Allison Mia Starcher. Lots of useful information and illustrations on beneficial insects --- what they eat, what they look like, what plants will attract them --- is presented in an easy-to-read format. And if you have to choose one coffee-table dazzler, pick Wine Country Gardens by Molly Chapalette, for its spectacular pictures of amazing gardens.
