Why a List of Items Curated for Gardeners?
OK, let’s say you have a friend or a mom or a dad or a sister or brother or a grandmother or grandfather or an aunt or an uncle…who gardens. They love to garden.
And let’s say Mother’s Day or Father’s Day, a birthday or Just Because I Love You Day is coming up and you want to get them a gift. And, of course, because you are a thoughtful person, you want your gift to be something they will appreciate for its beauty, its utility or both.
But suppose you aren’t sure what to get them because you aren’t much of a gardener yourself. What do you do?
Well, perhaps you read on and find that your problem is mostly solved, because I spent several days curating a list of things that I personally would love to receive as gifts (hint, hint) or that I already own that I think would make wonderful gifts for your gardening friends and loved ones.
Kind of cool, yes?
Guidance for
Gardener Gift-Giving
When shopping for a gift for a gardener, I recommend that you think carefully about what you know about your gardening friend. Have you ever been together when s/he has admired something or commented on something? What was it?
Are they beginners or do they have a well-established garden? Is their garden formal or less formal? Large or small? What’s the vibe?
For example, my neighbor’s garden (which I love) has gravel paths edged with low wattle fencing and is a riot of colors and textures; sort of an English cottage-style garden. They have colorful metal art pieces here and there that look great in their garden.
My garden, on the other hand, is more formal, with bluestone walks and a brick wall around the yard. I have a lot of more formal pieces that I inherited from my mother’s garden, so a lot of things that might otherwise appeal to me in their garden don’t really work in mine. So keep that in mind as you shop.
Full disclosure, if you buy through any of these links, I will receive a small commission. Which would be very nice…because then I can buy more plants.
Just saying.
Garden Art
Glass Garden Gazing Balls and Crystal Suncatchers
I love these, especially if they are blue, pink or purple. I use a lot of pinks and blues, whites, and purples in my gardens and these balls make a nice little pop of color when hung from a tree branch. Look for larger ones (6” and up) rather than the smaller ones—that is, unless you plan to hang a bunch of small ones together. This is the sort of thing gardeners like but often have a hard time justifying the expense. So, they make great gifts!
Large Gazing Ball on Stand
When we were kids, we used to see these in the yards of old people with gardens and make fun of them. No longer. I love the look of a large gazing ball on a stand surrounded by greenery. I would choose a color (like silver) that mirrors whatever is around it rather than something. like red or orange. But that’s me.
Art Glass Hummingbird Feeders
These feeders look a lot like the art glass gazing balls, above. I have had one on my wish list for a long while but haven’t pulled the trigger on it.
A nice way to feed the birds and add a bit of artsy color.
Rusty Metal Art
Lots comes up in this category, and I would urge you to be careful with what you choose. Know your gardener! If your friend’s garden is more formal, steer away from anything cutesy or kitchy. On the other hand, if their garden is less formal or whimsical, you can go with the colorful metal flowers and art.
If you aren’t sure, I might just avoid this category altogether.
Metalbird USA
These Corten steel metal bird silhouettes are classic and beautiful, and great gifts for gardeners who have a lot of upper story trees. Why do I say that? Because they are made to pound into the side of a tree. I suppose you could pound them into a tall wood post if you have a fence. I have a hard time pounding anything into a tree.
My daughter and son-in-law gave me this Corten metal bird and I love it. I pounded it into a piece of wood trim on my garden shed. It looks great there, although not many people get to see it.
Colorful Whimsical Yard Art
If you know your gardener likes fun stuff, then choose something here. Birds, bugs, wind spinners, geckos, flowers, sun and moon, tree faces…there’s all kinds of whimsical, colorful stuff here.
Pruning Shears
A good pair of pruning shears is always appreciated. Here area few good choices for hand-held pruners, shears, and loppers.
If your gardener is a beginner, consider also getting them a bottle of rubbing alcohol so they learn how to clean and sterilize their pruners after use. Most folks don’t know that this is important to prevent the spread of diseases and fungus between plants.
Titanium Bypass Pruners
These are quality pruners that work well for most everything. Gardeners give them high ratings. They will last for years if cared for properly (and not lost or buried!).
Fiskars Micro-tip Pruning Snips
Fiskars makes a quality product. These tip-pruners are great for trimming topiaries and for tip-pruning shrubs and small trees or for picking veggies. They come with a protective sheath.
Garden Scissors
These are great for harvesting flowers, fruits, and veggies as well as for tip pruning. Also comes with a protective sheath.
Lopping Sheakrs
I can’t tell you how often I reach for these. They are indispensable. I have two pair: one for light-duty work and one for heavy-duty. I use them to limb up the trees in the front yard, (I even limbed up a neighbor’s tree for her), and to take the branches off shrubs growing out into the walkway.
Garden Tote Bags
There’s nothing worse than having to make multiple trips to the shed for your tools. When I go out in the garden, I slide all my hand tools into a tote bag with pockets so I can easily grab them for use and then return them to their slot (so I can find them without hunting around in the yard for five minutes) and can pick them all up and move them with me as I work. I have two bags. One came with my kneeling bench; the other is a bag with handles. I use them both.
Bags that come with tools
Some bags come with tools, and I’m not sure what to say about that as I am somewhat picky about my tools. I like wood handles, not plastic, and I prefer tools with a little heft in my hand. If you are buying for a beginner or for someone who you know needs hand tools, by all means, get a tote that comes with tools. But read the descriptions carefully. Don’t buy cheapo tools!
Here are three bags I like.
Sophie Conran Tote Bag
This is a lovely bag. I like that it has leather handles that are stitched on as well as attached with brads. It is stylish if that matters to you in the garden…🪴
Organizer Tote Bag
This is a sturdy bag that gets good reviews from people who have bought it: 78% give it 5 stars and another 10% give it 4. Comes in only green/white/black.
Garden Tote and Bucket Organizer
This one really intrigues me. Not only is it sturdy and good-looking, it comes with a handy ball of twine, a seed spreader, and a pair of snips. I’m pretty sure all of those things will come in handy. It gets great reviews, and most interesting of all, it is built to accept a 2-gallon bucket making it very versatile.
I asked for one of these last year for Mother’s Day, and my girls came through with what is now one of my favorite gardening tools.
I don’t know what I’d do without this thing. You can turn it in one direction and sit on it to work or rest and turn it upside down and kneel to work. And what is great (at my age) is that when used as a kneeler, the legs are up in the air as handles you can use to stand up.
Whether your gardener is a beginner or a seasoned one, this is a great gift if they don’t already have one. When I asked my husband if he had any recommendations for this list, he instantly said, “That garden seat kneeler thing your girls gave you.” You’ll win with this one!
Garden Kneeler and Seat
This one comes with a bag that slides over the side of the seat/kneeler, and also a second tote with handles. It is sturdy and well-made according to reviews by almost 1,900 people with an average rating of 4.7. 81% give it 5 stars.
Heavy Duty Gardening Bench Stool with 2 Tool Pouch Bags
This one also comes with two bags, both of which slide over the frame of the seat/kneeler. It gets great reviews from 740 people with an average rating of 4.7 and with 80% giving it 5 stars.
I have a potting station built into my garden shed (pictured at right) but I have always wished I had a potting tray that I could plop over the surface of my bench to contain the mess.
I know a lot of gardeners who use indoor spaces (like their tables and countertops) for potting who would appreciate a potting mat or tray. Actually, I know a few spouses who would appreciate it if their wife or hubby got one. Just sayin.
Fabric Potting Mat
This potting mat is made of dense fabric. The corners snap together to form a tray. After use, you can shake it out, unsnap the corners, and roll it up for storage. Other potting mats are made of plastic—usually polyvinyl chloride. I like this fabric version better. I also like that it rolls up and takes up little space when not in use.
Extra Large Plastic Tray with Handles
I looked and looked for a tray that I could slide onto my potting bench and store below it when not in use. It wasn’t easy. Most trays are about 12” x 19,” not nearly big enough for this use. But this one comes in two sizes and the larger one measures 25” x 16” with tall enough sides to contain a lot of mess. It comes in black or mahogany brown. I can’t decide whether I like this idea better than the fabric potting mat. Truth is, anything is better than the mess!
Gardening Gloves
I know this may seem silly to those of you who don’t garden, but having a supply of gloves on hand that aren’t totally gross and are cleanable is a big deal to a gardener. If you know a beginning gardener, especially, these will be appreciated. Because they don’t even know how much they need them!
CoolJob Garden Gloves for Women
I order a pack of these gloves every spring. They come six pair to a package. The palms are rubberized to protect your hands from stickers and the backsides are breathable, stretchy fabric. After a day of gardening, I wash my hands in my outdoor sink with my gloves on, then rinse them, squeeze them out, and lay them out to dry. They clean up beautifully.
CoolJob Garden Gloves for Men.
This is the men’s version of the gloves above. Same features as the women’s but totally manly colors.
Leather Work Gloves for Men or Women
These are heavy-duty gardening gloves, great for heavy work like carrying brush or spreading mulch. I prefer the CoolJob gloves for lighter-duty garden work because they are breathable and allow finer control. In other words, light duty gloves allow my hands to do the work. But when it comes to heavier work, I like a pair of leather gloves to protect my hands when manual dexterity is not what is needed.
Lightweight Leather Gloves for Women
These are leather on the palms and fabric on the back. Another good option for women looking for a heavier duty glove for heavier duty work.
This search link will also bring up the art glass feeders, already listed above. I list them separately because I think these are more of your workhorse feeders.
I have four large glass feeders and four mini feeders made of plastic. For a long time, I had only one feeder and then added a second. But I found that the hummingbirds that visit my yard are extremely territorial and tend to fight to be the only one at a feeder rather than sharing space. So, after hanging multiple feeders, I am getting more birds.
I honestly can’t figure this out as I have seen 20 or so hummingbirds at a time on feeders in other places. Perhaps city hummers are more aggressive than their country cousins? Oh well. I suppose that’s good news for hummingbird manufacturers.
I clean and refill all my feeders weekly. I dump them out, rinse them, and then soak them together with their plastic wells in a sink filled with water and a little bleach for at least 20 minutes. Then I rinse them with hot water and refill with sugar water made with a ratio of one cup sugar to four parts water, which I boil and then cool. (Do not add food color; it’s not good for the birds.)
10 oz Glass Hummingbird Feeder
These come as a set of two. You can get them in plastic cheaper, but as I said, I recommend glass. I have four of these and I can’t say enough good about them. I know a lot of the pictures (this one included) show red liquid, but don’t do that. Hummers don’t need food coloring in their little bodies. They like red, so bring them in with the red plastic on the feeder and even better, red and pink flowers in your garden.
Set of 6 Mini Hummingbird Feeders
These little mini feeders made of plastic. I hang them individually from chains in trees and shrubs and they get a lot of business. I clean them the same way as my big glass feeders.
Big Ticket Items
If you are inclined to go big, here are a few ideas for you. I suggest gifting your loved one a trip to a home and garden store or a gift certificate so they can choose what they like, as these things generally are long-lived and likely will eventually be passed down to other gardeners. For example, I bought a faux wicker porch swing about 20 years ago that I eventually gave to my daughter. Made of an alloy steel frame and plastic webbing, It has outlived the structure it used to hang from and is waiting for a new one.
I have many pieces of sculpture in my own garden that were given to me by my mom when she moved to a condo in 2010. Pictured at right is “Our Lady of Perpetual Nakedness” who was rescued from a garden center in Mt. Pleasant about 30 years ago after being broken by vandals. My dad brought her home and put her back together. (If you look closely, you can see where she was broken at her knees.) My nephews named her. Apparently little boys are scandalized by nudes.
Our Lady of Perpetual Nakedness
Bird Baths
There are so many types and styles of birdbaths, and again, these things can last a lifetime. My birdbath (2 pieces made of concrete and pictured at right) was bought as a gift to my grandmother from my mom. Grams used to enjoy watching the birds from her window.
Here are ideas to get you started. If you want concrete, buy it locally.
Porch Swings
Again, so. many different types and styles. Don’t guess; take them shopping for what they want. I ordered my swing (pictured at right) from Ballard Designs and wove jute into the chains. It sits under a roof, so it is protected from both rain and sun. The porch swing I gave my daughter was made of resin and steel. It has taken a beating for 20 years, exposed to rain, sun, heat, cold, and is still in great shape.
Garden Benches
Again, lots of choices of styles and materials here. Let your gardener make the choice based on where the bench will be placed.
I recommend all metal benches for placement outdoors because they hold up to the weather. Anything with wood will require maintenance to keep it looking good, and often, the wood will deteriorate due to exposure. In my opinion, wood benches, including teak, are best used under a porch roof. Even then, they will require regular cleaning and occasional coats of sealant to prevent damage from the elements.
Fountains
I have three, and I built them all myself. But not because I don’t love what you can buy; rather, because I couldn’t afford what I wanted.
There are many materials to choose from, including cement, pottery, and resin to name a few. And many different sizes and shapes as well. I particularly like urns, wall fountains, and tall jars.
For smaller spaces or for use on porches and decks, consider bowl shapes and smaller fountains.
Final Thoughts
Here are some other ideas your gardener might like.
Trelises and Arbors
Trelises and arbors are used for training vining and climbing plants. Trelises are usually flat, while arbors are usually arched so you can walk under them.
I have a trelis that I use as a backdrop against a wall that needs a little screening. Ironwork is always welcome in my garden!
Watering Tools
Watering cans are indespensible in the garden. They come in all shapes and sizes and materials. I have three: a one-gallon plastic long-stem can; a 2 gallon plastic showering can, and an old galvanized can with the shower spout missing.
Also a good watering wand is always appreciated. Anything that lives outdoors wears out, so I have to replace mine every few years.
Weeders
There are many different types of weeding tools. I have two. My favorite hand-held weeder is pictured at right: the Cape Cod Weeder. I have had mine for about 35 years. This is a great tool not only for weeding, but for dislodging roots during transplanting. Mine is for right-handed use. If you gardener is left handed, look for one made for lefties.
I also own a Gardener’s Supply Lifetime Half-Moon Hoe. I think I paid about $30 for it about 40 years ago. It is a workhorse too. It now costs $80. It is great for weeding as it gets under the roots easily without disloging too much dirt.
Above: Cape Cod Weeder
Below: Half Moon Weeder
Resources
Books
Whether your gardener is into vegetable gardening or flowers, shrubs and trees, or herbs, raised beds, or garden design, they will appreciate a book.
Subscriptions to Gardening Magazines
I have a subscription to Fine Gardening, which I love. Other great choices are Garden Gate, Birds and Blooms, and Horticulture, and The American Gardener.
Apps
A Master Gardener friend shared Picture This with me. With it, you can take a picture of any plant and it will return information that accurately identifies the plant along with information about how to grow it and care for it. I bought a subscription, currently $30 a year on Apple or Google Play. It’s free to install, but full function requires the subscription.
A Gift Certificate from a Local Nursery
What can I say except you can’t go wrong here…unless you don’t know what nurseries your gardener likes!