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The Gifts Gardeners Really Want

By: Sandra Nelson; Images Sandy DeFoe

A few close friends and I were having coffee the other morning when the conversation drifted off to holiday gift-giving and how difficult it can  be to find that exactly “right” gift for the “right” person. We started reminiscing about some of the gifts we have received through the years, usually from our husbands. Some were sweet, some were strange and some were absolutely hilarious

When we got to our best ever gifts, I immediately thought of the load of mulch that my husband had delivered for me for Mother’s Day one year. It was, in my eyes, the most thoughtful thing he could have given me. I didn’t have to make a dozen trips back and forth to the garden center, I didn’t have to lift 50 pound bags out of the back of my car and it was already there whenever I could squeeze a few hours of garden time out of my schedule.

I do realize that not everyone would think that a huge pile of mulch on the driveway is the perfect gift, but those of us who are gardeners see life just a little differently. So, tonight I compiled a list of gifts that I think are perfect for the gardeners in your life. Who knows, maybe my husband will even see it….

 

 
  1. High quality, ergonomically designed garden tools —  save those wrists and backs
  2. Gardener’s tote — carry all the tools at once  (think about filling the tote with the tools from #1)
  3. Three sets of gardening gloves  — three different weights and fabrics;  all designed for specific uses
  4. Potting bench with storage bins for soil and amendments
  5. Garden shed JUST for the gardener — no sharing!
  6. Rain gauges and attractive outdoor thermometers — include a promise to install
  7. Wind chimes — gentle sounds to fill the garden
    pot
  8. Set of striking outdoor pots — replace those worn, chipped ones
  9. Gift certificate to a local garden center — fill all those pots and beds
  10. Gift certificate to a mail order catalog — often a source for heirloom varieties not seen anywhere else
  11. Set of garden tags — styles available for every taste
  12. High quality garden hoses and water breakers with a programmable timer– nothing more annoying than kinked hoses and forgetting to turn the water off!
  13. Fire pit — consider a fire and water bowl for a striking combination
  14. Green wall structure — with a gift certificate to purchase the soil and plants
  15. Set of garden lighting —  with professional installation to make it even easier
    lighting
  16. Art piece — create a unique focal point
  17. Fountain/ water feature — to introduce tranquility into your landscape
  18. Squirrel proof bird feeders — most gardeners love birds too!
  19. A variety of premium bird seed — different types of seed brings different types of birds
  20. Gift certificate for professional landscape design — the entire yard or a new feature area
    Backyard design by Embassy Landscape Group.

    Backyard design by Embassy Landscape Group.

  21. Specimen tree — either evergreen or deciduous  (read our previous blogs for ideas)
  22. Hardscape project — a new patio or seating area
  23. Stylish outdoor furniture — decorate that new patio
  24. Composting bin with a drum that turns — include a counter top bucket for convenience, especially in winter
  25. Subscription to a favorite gardening magazine — buy several individual copies and let the gardener decide
    books and magazines
  26. Gardening book — either a “how to” or one exploring some of the newest landscaping philosophies
  27. Annual pass to an arboretum or botanical garden — a truly all- season gift
     
    missouri bot. gardenSt. Louis Botanical Garden
  28. Fees for a horticultural class  — continuing education courses are often available through local colleges
  29. Trip of a life time to renowned American gardens — educational and inspirational
  30. A year of  Maintenance by Embassy Landscape Group  — lawn maintenance and seasonal color included

Embassy Landscape Group can give you your own personal sanctuary. Design by Dan Nelson.