If you have a friend or relative that is an avid
gardener, there is no more thoughtful gift than a garden gift basket
for a holiday, birthday or anniversary present. At first, you may seem
overwhelmed when shopping in your garden center or on the internet.
There are a few things to consider when trying to find just the right
"flavor" for your garden gift basket to give to the people who love to
play in the dirt, so t speak.
First you must determine how much
you want to spend for the garden gift basket. After you have the dollar
amount, walk through the aisles of the garden center to see what items
are available. Of course, you could also do an internet search to see
what the most popular tools and gadgets are selling. You will be
surprised at the range of goods that are available from the inexpensive
to the extravagant. Keep in mind that you will want to get quality
products that will last so your friend or relative will have years of
enjoyment.
If your gardener is a novice you may want to start
with the basics, a pruner, a watering can, gardening gloves, or special
nozzles for the hose. There are many garden centers that have gift
baskets already made up. It could include some gardening tools and
seeds revolving around a specific theme like, vegetables or roses or
herbs. If you choose to go with the herb theme and want to do it on
your own, include some tasty herb seed packets, some small, pretty pots
and a journal where notes can be kept.
If you have a gardener
with a well used garden rake and tool belt, you can pretty much surmise
that they have all of the state-of-the-art tools and have been
collecting gardening equipment for years. Here, a simple but thoughtful
gift would be a work apron that has be monogrammed or personalized with
a funny garden saying. A well seasoned gardener will appreciate the
thought you have put into the gift.
To really get the best gift
for your gardener you should know the level of their expertise and if
they have a theme. For example there are gardeners that only grow roses
while there are others that specialize in herb gardening, knowing this
will help you pick out the perfect gift. For instance a scarecrow would
look dumb in a rose garden whereas a hummingbird feeder is way out of
place in a vegetable patch. And be careful with the "cutesy" garden
decorations, some people love garden gnomes or stone gargoyles whereas
someone with an award winning exotic tropical garden wouldn't think of
having one.
If after you have gone through all these options,
level of expertise and if they have a theme or not and you still don't
know what to buy, the answer is simple. Purchase them a gift
certificate from your local garden center. Every gardener needs
supplies through the year and your gift will help to offset the expense
of their garden.
If after considering the gardener's experience
level and theme of their garden you remain stumped, a gardening gift
certificate allowing them to select their own gift is a surefire way to
please and inspire them as their garden grows through the years.
With
a little inspiration you can find the perfect gift basket for your avid
gardener. Don't forget to put a pretty bow on the basket! Here is a
natural pesticide that you may want to print on a card and include in
the gift basket:
In a jar, combine 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid
and 1 cup vegetable oil. Shake vigorously. In an empty spray bottle,
combine 2 teaspoons of this mixture and 1 cup water. Use at ten-day
intervals (or more often if needed) to rid plants of whiteflies, mites,
aphids, scales, and other pests.
Every gardener likes to keep the garden as chemical free as they can.
Happy Gardening!
Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.
This
article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines,
as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the
resource box are unchanged.
Mary
Hanna is an aspiring herbalist who lives in Central Florida. This
allows her to grow gardens inside and outside year round. She has
published other articles on Cruising, Gardening and Cooking. Visit her
websites at Gardening Landscaping Tips, Gardening Outside and Herb Gardening