Christmas shopping for the gardener (11-28-2005)

Have Thanksgiving leftovers, brilliantly decorated shopping malls, and Christmas carols put you in a shopping mood? In the madness of Christmas shopping crowds and finding gifts for those who have everything, let me offer these suggestions.

First, to get out of the way of the majority of the masses of shoppers head to the lawn and garden sections of your favorite department stores, or visit specialty lawn and garden centers. You will be surprised at the diversity of gift ideas from only a few cents to thousands of dollars even for those having everything.

To offer some help I’ll mention a few ideas that I would be delighted to receive as gifts:

• Gardening and lawn care books are instructional and very enjoyable to relax with
• Bird feeders, birdbaths, squirrel feeders, butterfly boxes, birdhouses, etc. will encourage wildlife and add a whole new dimension to the landscape.
• Lawn sculpture can be found in every shape, size, color, and range from pink flamingos to elegant bronze statues
• Gifts to indicate weather conditions such as rain gauges, indoor-outdoor thermometers, and barometers are also great to have
• Any gardener is pleased to receive new tools as gifts

Here are a few more suggested ideas in various price ranges; pocket knife, electric grass shears, work gloves, pruners, sprinklers, pesticide sprayer, hose reel, lawn rake, garden hoe, shovel, wheel barrow, edger, leaf blower, lawn mower, etc., etc, etc.

The ideas are unlimited and the gifts can last a lifetime. Enjoy your Christmas shopping and if you just can’t resist buying more of these neat gifts than you have people on your shopping list then let me know and I’ll send you my address.

Published November 28, 2005

Dr. Wayne Wells is an Extension Professor and Turfgrass Specialist. His mailing address is Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Mail Stop 9555, Mississippi State, MS 39762. wwells@ext.msstate.edu