Now that my Christmas shopping is pretty much done, I can sit back and breathe a sigh of relief that I am two weeks ahead of the game. That’s a first for me! I am now going to sit back and enjoy what’s left of this holiday season.

Now that the gift buying is complete for everyone else, you can actually stop and think about what you would like Santa Claus to bring you! What does someone get for a gardener? A bucket of dirt? A packet of seeds? There is just the right gift for every level of gardener out there–amateur to master. Here are few ideas for gifts for every type of gardener on your gift giving list!

1. The Amateur, or the “You have to water this!?” Gardener

• Watering Can— some of the most beautiful gardening supplies I have ever seen are a simple watering can with great design.
• Gardening Gloves— being a country girl, you were considered a wuss if you wore gardening gloves. I have since learned that gloves come in very handy when pulling weeds. You can pull twice as many with gloves on!
• Knee Pads— as I stated in an earlier post about planting spring bulbs, my knee pad saved my life. You can also buy knee pads that attach right to your knees.
• Gardening Tools— just the basics. Just get them a “digger” and call it a day.

2.    The Seasoned, or the “Yea, I Am a Gardening Expert” Gardener  

• Planters — the more you garden, the more you want to plant more stuff. There are beautiful planters out there to go with any decor.
• Seeds— you would think an Amateur would like this, but in all actuality, they are still very new to gardening, and they would think seeds would be a lame gift. Now, for the seasoned gardener, this is like striking gold. The less you need to pay for, the better!
• Garden Decorations– garden decorations of any kind will make any seasoned gardener jump for joy. Gnomes, snails, mushrooms, bird baths– bring it on!
• Soaps, bath oils, etc. –– if I have been out digging in the dirt without my gloves on, I notice that my hands get really dry. There are many beautiful soaps, bath oils and salts that restore and rejuvenate your body from all the hard work you put in to your garden that day.

3. The Master, or ” I am too Sexy for My Shirt” Gardener (I’m just kidding, I just couldn’t think of anything for this one!)

• Copper-Plated Tools — actually, I wouldn’t mind at least one of these for myself. Copper is a natural slug deterrent, and they do have some nice copper plated trowels, cultivators, etc. The copper is supposed to fleck off from your tools when you use them and it sends slugs running! The not so great thing is that these tools start around $60 apiece– hmm, um Santa?!
• Gardening Books— master gardeners have spent a lot of time learning in and out of the garden. Why not give them something to feed their appetite for gardening know-how?
• Plants, bulbs, etc. — you can give these to any level gardener, but when you have years of gardening experience under your belt, you really come to appreciate different specimens of plants and want to add to your collection!

Gifts not mentioned but worth taking into consideration:

Large brimmed hats, water bottles, pocket knives, garden boots and clogs — all very important in the gardening process.

Now, trust me, just to have some fun, I split gardeners into levels. I can tell you that anyone who is interested in gardening will love any of the above gifts. There are no designated levels of gardening, and that’s what makes it beautiful.

So, what’s on my list?

A potting soil scoop — I didn’t even know they made these until last week! I saw it in the garden center and would jump for joy if I got this for Christmas. I am sick of spilling potting soil all over when I re-pot plants.

Soap— I saw this display of soaps and thought about how nice it would be if my hands didn’t get so dried out after digging in the dirt.

 

Heated Bird Bath — I really want to have a bird bath for the Winter, and when I saw that they actually made heated bird baths, well, I just have to have one! I love feeding the birds in the Winter, so this may be something that will have to be a part of my yard sooner rather than later…

Plants— I turn my attention to houseplants in the Winter. (Posts to follow!) I love Ferns. I love the simple beauty they possess. Ever since I saw an alligator fern at the botanical gardens, I have wanted it. When I happened upon this at the garden nursery today, I wanted to squee with joy!

 

So, no matter what you gift to your favorite gardener this holiday season, it will sure to be a hit!