Gardening for Health

Gifts for Gardeners

By Maria Price

To me, finding gifts for gardeners is easy. I like everything for the garden. If there’s a gardener in your life, something we all love receiving is a special plant. For the holidays, amaryllis make wonderful gifts. Every time I see some of my amaryllis blooming, I think of the friends that gave them to me. They all rebloom at slightly different times after the first of the year, so you can enjoy the flowers from December to February. You can also collect a variety of different amaryllis to enjoy. One of my favorite varieties is “Cherry Nymph”, which has tripled sets of petals in a deep red. It also sends up about three stalks of flowers. “Bright Nymph” is striped red and white, with colors in various shades of reds, whites, peaches, and pinks. White Flower Farm (1-800-503-9624) has a dizzying array of varieties.

Poinsettias are traditional plants at Christmas and come in so many varieties. Homestead Gardens carry many styles, from small to large.

Bulb pots, also carried by White Flower Farm, come in beautiful combinations and can be ordered to arrive as early as mid-December. You put these in a sunny window and a delightful display of colorful bulbs bloom in about 4-5 weeks. Tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and more are pre-planted in these beautiful bulb pots.

Wreaths made with dried flowers and herbs also make a great gift as they’ll remind the gardener of a blooming garden.

Gardeners love to see birds in their gardens, so anything that attracts birds is appreciated. There are birdseed garlands, wreaths and door decorations made to feed birds. Bird feeders and birdhouses make great gifts. Bluebird houses with bluebird suet make a great gift.

Lavender and rosemary plants make great holiday gifts especially when they’re clipped into a Christmas tree shape. You can shape your own starting in late summer. Keep pruning until you have a dense shape. Keep it in a sunny window and don’t overwater. Adding a set of mini-lights makes them very special.

Lavender sachets or pillows are also a great gift for a long winter’s nap. Lavender potpourri and hand cream are also a restorative gift.

Garden gloves and tools make great gifts. Foxgloves are a brand of gloves that fit tightly and stretch. They’re very comfortable and come in long lengths for pruning roses.

I also recommend a good pair of clippers make a wonderful gift. Felco clippers come in many styles and last for many years. I’ve had mine for over 20 years and love them. A gardener will always remember the person who gave them a pair of Felco pruners.