by Rebecca Fridley, Denton County Master Gardener Intern
Here we are approaching the holidays. The holiday season is the most wonderful time of the year because it is a great time to spoil your favorite gardener (and yourself!) with unique gifts for the garden. I have compiled a list of my favorite garden tools, useful items, and fun things.
My favorite garden gift idea is a 2ft X 4ft elevated planter box. I purchased one in the spring for my front patio and used it for my herbs. The box is a perfect height, so I do not have to bend and stress my back. The elevated box is the ideal height for a gardener in a wheelchair or who needs to sit in a chair while working.
Another favorite purchase this year is a wheelbarrow and garden cart. This handy gadget is so versatile and fun to use. Features to look for are a lightweight wheelbarrow, yard cart, bag holder, dolly, extended dolly, cylinder carrier, trailer tote, and, my favorite, a rock and plant mover strap. The strap allows me to move heavy pots with ease.
My next gift idea is a foldable garden kneeler with a seat and kneeler in one. A garden bench with a canvas pouch on the side for your tools is super handy. This is a gardener's dream, especially if you find it difficult to crawl on the ground.
If you are looking for a gift for a very precise gardener, a seeding square or template may be the idea you have been seeking. A seeding template enables perfect spacing between seeds regardless of what you are planting. Ideal for maximizing small garden spaces, like raised beds.
A Hori-Hori is a Japanese gardening knife and is a great tool to have in your toolkit. This marvel of gardening technology enables the skilled gardener to dig, cut, plant, and trench. This tool is very SHARP and can be dangerous if not used with caution. Please be careful!
Gardeners know gardens need water, air, good soil, and bees! A bee house is a fun way to attract bees to your garden. A house is a safe place for the bees to live as the tubes serve as their home. A bee house is a beautiful addition to the garden and provides hours of entertainment, watching the bees create their habitat.
Gifting an essential gardening tool set is always a winner—any gardener who could use a fresh set of garden tools. Tools frequently break and always get dull or lost. An extra trowel, pruning shears, or hand rake is never a bad thing to have on hand.
Lastly, a gardening apron is a stylish and versatile item to add to any gardening wardrobe. I used mine for the first time while volunteering at the Denton County Master Gardener Annual Plant Sale in April, which was so handy. Look for one with big pockets you can fill with seeds, pens, paper, tools, and trash; washable and lightweight.
Holiday shopping for your most cherished gardener, friendly horticulturalists, or neighbor who loves yardwork has never been easier with this list. Denton County Master Gardener wishes you the most joyous holiday season and a prosperous new year.
For more information about gardening in North Texas see dcmga.com/north-texas-gardening/.
Happy Gardening!
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