Continuing Education and
Communication Services
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915
11/19/01
Contacts:
Cindy Haynes, Horticulture Extension, (515) 294-4006, chaynes@iastate.edu
Del Marks, Continuing Education and Communication Services, (515) 294-9807,
delmarks@iastate.edu
Yard and Garden Column for the Week Beginning Nov. 23
Gifts for Gardeners
By Cindy Haynes
Extension horticulturist
Iowa State University Extension
It’s that time of year again. Time to search for that perfect holiday
gift for cherished friends and relatives. Sometimes deciding what to buy
for someone special can consume a lot of time and effort. Fortunately,
buying for a gardener is usually easy. Gardeners of all ages and abilities
will appreciate a gift from the following list.
Anyone who gardens automatically likes plants. Plants that are
great for giving this time of year are holiday cactus, poinsettias, Norfolk
Island pines, and bulbs. While most gardeners will have a few of the holiday
plants around the house, we are always willing to make room for more.
Amaryllis bulbs are excellent gifts for both expert and novice gardeners.
This mid-winter blooming beauty is widely sold, costs under $20, and is
easy to wrap. Sounds like the ideal gift! The recipient pots up the bulb,
waters, and watches it grow and bloom. Paperwhite narcissus is another
bulb that is easy to force into bloom indoors and makes a wonderful gift
for gardeners. Just make sure your friends aren’t offended by their
strong fragrance, otherwise you may receive coal for the holidays.
Other plants that are excellent gifts include orchids, African violets,
and foliage houseplants. For something a little different try giving rosemary
topiaries or wreaths. The only precaution required for giving plants during
winter is to protect them from the cold outdoor temperatures as they are
transported to and from buildings. Make sure they are insulated in paper,
plastic, or cardboard.
By winter most gardeners have retreated indoors and are enjoying a period
of rest and contemplating next year’s garden. Make them salivate
over next year’s possibilities with gardening books, magazines,
CDs, and calendars. Gardeners can never have enough books. For woody
plant lovers on your list check out Growing Shrubs and Small Trees in
Cold Climates by Nancy Rose, Don Selinger, and John Whitman. This book
and the accompanying books on perennials (Growing Perennials in Cold Climates
by Mike Heger and John Whitman) and roses (Growing Roses in Cold Climates
by Jerry Olson) are excellent references for gardeners in Iowa and the
upper Midwest. Many other gardening books are available at your local
bookstore or online.
Gardeners also love to read magazines, newsletters, etc. Give them a
gift subscription to a gardening magazine so they can enjoy your thoughtfulness
and learn more about gardening every month. If your gardening friend is
crazy about a particular plant like magnolias, sign them up with the Magnolia
Society so they can commiserate with other magnolia fanatics. There are
plant societies for almost every kind of plant. Maybe this way they will
spend more time discussing the idiosyncrasies and products of Magnolia
liliiflora hybridization with someone else besides you.
For High Tech gardeners think about computer gifts like landscaping programs
or CDs. What a great way to design the garden from the armchair and computer
screen. No sweat or dirty fingernails! There are also several web-based
companies that offer gift certificates for future purchases as well.
Who doesn’t like looking at gorgeous pictures of plants during winter?
There are plenty of calendars for gardeners that provide not only attractive
photos or drawings but also tips on growing plants. ISU Extension publishes
one such calendar that is available at your local county extension office.
Calendars and journals are great gifts because gardeners can write down
their successes and failures in the garden to remember for next year.
Gardeners like experimenting with new, labor saving tools and
other devices. New shovels, spades, trowels, hoes, and other garden gadgets
make life easier when working in the garden. One of my favorite tools
is an auger that attaches to an electric drill. After purchasing the auger,
I got a great way to plant bulbs quickly and my husband got a new drill
- - win, win for everyone. For the indoor gardener, think about purchasing
a fancy watering can or decorative pots.
Clothing is another great idea for gardener gifts. Gloves, clogs,
aprons, and T-shirts are always appreciated. When dressed appropriately,
even weeding can seem like fun. Don’t forget about hats! Gardeners
spend a lot of time out in the sun. Show them that you care by giving
them a hat to protect them from the sun’s rays.
Just like we love to decorate our bodies, many gardeners love to decorate
their gardens with attractive art and other objects. Every garden needs
a sculpture, fountain, birdbath, wind chime, or gazing globe. Surprise
your favorite gardener with a pink flamingo for their garden. This will
show off your silly side and hopefully amuse your gardening friend. Whether
it shows up in next year’s garden is not important.
Lastly, don’t forget to offer your services to a gardening
friend or neighbor. I don’t know of a single gardener who would turn
down any assistance to help plant or weed the garden. There is always
something to do in the garden; just offer to come over and help occasionally.
(I hope my neighbors are reading this article!)
So start shopping, there are plenty of great ideas out there for gardeners.
Since gardening is the number one leisure activity, these ideas will work
for most people. For all you gardeners out there, just circle your favorite
portion of this article and slip it to your personal Santa. (Matthew…now
you have no excuses!)
-30-
ml: isugarden
Extension programs are available to all without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability.