Gifts from the Garden

Gifts from and for gardeners are novel and appreciated. Don’t overlook garden gifts just because gardening is a warm weather pastime. Gardeners are usually longing for warm weather, thinking about next summer’s flowers and fretting about weeds in their flowerbeds that won’t freeze.

Gifts from the garden are unexpected and give a long time. Give a hanging pot with petunia seeds. Take an 8 or 10-inch diameter hanging pot. Fill it with potting soil. Potting soil is still available in home and garden stores. Sprinkle with petunia seeds. Cover seeds with ¼ inch of soil. Wave© petunia seeds are readily available and the most prolific petunia. Water the pot by sprinkling very gently. No need to soak it. Cover with kitchen plastic wrap. Tie a bow around the rim of the pot, securing the plastic wrap and decorating the pot. The plastic stays on until the seeds sprout. Instruct the gift recipient to place in a sunny window. Include the seed packet with the gift. These will be ready to place outdoors in April and bloom on schedule for spring. Flower enthusiasts will love it.

Christmas themed gifts of greenery are treasured all winter long. Pine and cedar blanket our mountains and trimming inconspicuous boughs for gifts will do little damage. For centerpieces wire a few sticks together, leaving a space in the middle. Tuck greenery into the sticks and secure with wire. Add a red or gold candle to the middle. Wire in some small, colorful Christmas ornaments and a bow. You have a centerpiece that makes a lovely hostess gift. Care must always be taken to avoid fires.

Pine swags decorated with pinecones and red plaid ribbon are versatile. Everyone has a mailbox and most mailboxes could use a pine swag. Bunch the greenery with wire and trim with ribbon. Outdoor greenery gifts will last all winter and be remembered kindly, long after Christmas.

Seed packets themselves make wonderful gifts. The miracle of seeds makes everyone want to garden. People like to start seeds indoors in February, so gifts of seeds get the gardener dreaming early. Seed starter kits are also available. A few seed packets tied with raffia make a nice gift or the packets can be tied to a gift package. Attractive flower seed packets can even be matted and framed and have a special beauty to the gardening enthusiast.

For the gardener, gardening hand tools and gloves are treasured. Most can use an extra hand spade or a hand pruner. Most gardeners like some fertilizer for flowers. Baskets and tool trays are welcomed to keep their tools handy as they move around their yard. Hose nozzles, hose repair kits and hose timers would be a useful surprise. Novelties like decorated stepping-stones, cone shaped vine trellises and flowerpots catch the gardener’s eye. What is popular in spring and summer will bring a smile to your favorite gardener.