The end of our calandar year approaches and with it a plethora of holiday celebrations, both religious and secular. Very often plants have important roles to play in these celebrations. They are often deeply interwoven into the lore of holidays and ethnic celebrations.
At the very least plants are always welcome gifts and to a gardener, well, the gift of a plant or tool (whether a tried and true classic or a new fangled high tech gizmo) says the giver truely cares.
Below our Garden Community Editors offer up their holiday article offerings both for this year and from years past. They invite you to visit with them and see just what they have to offer for the holidays:
Gardeners love to Give, Gardeners Love to Receive
Great gift ideas for gardeners to give and for that gardener on your list.
Gifts for Gardeners (2001)" . . .Some gift ideas for your favorite gardener" is offered by Mary Lou Gripshover of our Daffodils topic.
Gifts from the Heart (2002) by Connie Bright, Fruit Gardening. "It's easy to choose gifts for gardeners and fruit lovers. Handmade items are always welcome."
Holiday Giftbooks for Gardeners (2002) ,again by Connie Bright, looks at some other gifts that keep on giving. "Whatever the gardener's interest there's a book that makes the perfect holiday gift."
Connie's Holiday Gifts for Gardeners and Fruit Lovers "was selected for Suite 101's Best of Winter ebook 2001. Whether you present handmade gifts or buy them, make them meaningful gifts"
The Gardeners Gift of Travel is offered by Home Landscape Design editor Georgene Bramlage. "Travel is one of the finest gifts that can be offered to a gardener. As satisfying as the exotic or expensive outing might at times be, this gift need not be either exotic or expensive."
Explore the origins of legends surrounding plants often associated with the holidays.Learn those special, and sometimes simple culture techniques to growing those special specimens.
A Green Christmas (December 2002) is offered by our very own novelist, Audrey Stallsmith who edits our Historical Plants topic. "This article deals with the history, folklore, and uses of some of the holiday greens--including holly, ivy, bay, the yule log, and the Christmas tree."
Also by Audrey, Hellebore: The Christmas Rose (December 2001) describes the "the history, folklore, and uses of hellebore."
