Christmas Shopping for the Gardener (12-5-11)

Christmas is a wonderful time. Fond memories of the year, giving thanks, sharing gifts with loved ones, brilliantly decorated homes and businesses, Christmas carols, and parties all help put us in a shopping mood, even with having to deal with elbow to elbow crowds. To avoid some of the Christmas shopping crowds and to help you find gifts for those who you may think have everything, consider gardening gifts. The ideas are unlimited and the gifts can last a lifetime.

First, get out of the way of the masses of shoppers by heading to the lawn and garden sections of your favorite department stores, or shop a specialty lawn and garden center. The diversity of gift ideas is expansive and costs range from only a couple of dollars to several hundred.

Gardening and lawn care books are instructional and very enjoyable to relax with, especially during the doldrums of winter. Gifts such as bird feeders, birdbaths, squirrel feeders, butterfly boxes, birdhouses, etc. will encourage wildlife and add a whole new dimension to the landscape.

Any gardener is pleased to receive new tools as gifts. A few suggested ideas in various price ranges include: pocket knives, electric grass shears, work gloves, pruners, sprinklers, pesticide sprayer, hose reel, lawn rake, garden hoe, shovel, wheel barrow, edger, leaf blower, lawn mower, etc.

Gifts to indicate weather conditions such as rain gauges, indoor-outdoor thermometers, and barometers are also great to have.

Lawn sculpture can be found in every shape, size, color, and range from quite humorous to elegant bronze statues.

Enjoy your Christmas shopping and if you find a gift that you simply must have, you still have time to drop some hints or even wrap a present for yourself.

Published December 5, 2011

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