Green Thumb Gifts: Beyond Gardening Gloves

Ahh, spring! It has sprung! Gardeners (and budding gardeners - no pun intended) have begun the quest for a weedless lawn, or a bountiful garden. But if you're looking for gifts for someone with a green thumb (or someone with green thumb envy), consider the situation first.

Some people think of gardening as a chore. Others see it as relaxing. Some will see it as exercise, and still others consider it art. Some people have the magic touch in the garden, while others couldn't grow mold if they tried! This is important when considering gardening gifts. You need to know if you should give something to make gardening easier, more fulfilling, more challenging, or more fun.

For those people who see it as a chore, gardening just adds more items onto the never-ending to-do list. In this case, you need to consider gardening gifts that will make these outdoor chores easier, faster, and less of a hassle.

Power tools and storage & organization aids usually fall into this category, along with the ever popular lawn tractor. A leaf blower/vacuum can make clean-up a breeze (again - no pun intended). The same can be said for a pressure washer. Heavy jobs are made easier with a wheelbarrow or yard cart. And organizing a collection of garden tools is simple with a storage bench or shed. Other ideas include a convenient watering timer.

If your gift recipient enjoys gardening as a hobby, you'll want to take a look at gardening gifts that can bring more fulfillment or enjoyment to the outdoors. They would benefit from a magazine subscription like "Garden Design", or a gardening book ("Front Yard Gardens: Growing More Than Grass") to help cultivate their ideas. Garden enthusiasts like to sit back and enjoy their hard work, so patio furniture and accessories would also be a great gift.

And let's not forget the gardener wanna-be: those whom we love that just can't seem to keep that plant alive - whose thumb isn't really green at all! Start off with a how-to book like "Lawn Care For Dummies" or "Taylor's Encyclopedia of Garden Plants", and complement that with some basic gardening tools or accessories. These types of gifts would also be great for first-time home buyers.

For the gardener who already "has it all", you might want to consider something a little more unique, like an indoor grow light, solar stepping stones, or a cascading fountain. And if you're just not sure what to get, there's always a gift certificate or gift card.

A Heath is a gift researcher for http://www.the-gift-wizard.com

In The News:

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/showbiz-and-lifestyle/features/2008/10/11/a-garden-good-enough-to-eat-91466-22008222/cid=0ei=WE3xSI7eMajk6gPqwui7Bwusg=AFQjCNHYCW3YdjRreFQjF63tImM-rFXfHQA bgarden/b good enough to eat/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fWalesOnline,nbsp;United Kingdomnbsp;-/font nobr12 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1“Basically, edible blandscaping/b is a way of growing flowers and vegetables together in a way that looks beautiful and is good to eat. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article%3FAID%3D/20081011/LIVING02/810110304/1084/LIVING02cid=1256338608ei=WE3xSI7eMajk6gPqwui7Bwusg=AFQjCNFfYaTaxdh3IdsydWA1LqUxYm32YQHome and bGarden/b Calendar/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fIndianapolis Star,nbsp;United Statesnbsp;-/font nobr18 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Collect seeds from the prairie habitat and native flower beds to use in home blandscaping/b. Instructions on how to collect seeds will be given by naturalists. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.star-telegram.com/home/story/964322.htmlcid=0ei=WE3xSI7eMajk6gPqwui7Bwusg=AFQjCNG57i2SFFEoU-4JJgvObKrhUei0MANeil Sperry: For unusual blandscaping/b areas, try a creative or b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fFort Worth Star Telegram,nbsp;TXnbsp;-/font nobr19 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Neil Sperry publishes Gardens magazine and hosts Texas bGardening/b radio show 8-11 am Saturdays and Sundays on KRLD/1080 AM. Reach him during those hours at b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.vicksburgpost.com/articles/2008/10/11/features/doc48efbe0c76aac520203711.txtcid=0ei=WE3xSI7eMajk6gPqwui7Bwusg=AFQjCNFDH-Kd1D5LkIDE6_DI8lo4komwwwMiriam Jabour in the bGarden/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fVicksburg Post,nbsp;MSnbsp;-/font nobr9 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1b.../b but small animals that love to munch on some of our favorite bulbs can disrupt our blandscaping/b endeavors. Nothing is more upsetting to a bgardener/b than b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.mydesert.com/article/20081011/COLUMNS38/810100341/1067/lifestyles11cid=0ei=WE3xSI7eMajk6gPqwui7Bwusg=AFQjCNHzSeXzdgdj3lKqoA4kcdSFTNmYQQbGardening/b by community/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe Desert Sun,nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobr16 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1“Developing Guidelines for HOA Utilizing Desert bLandscape/b” presented by Tess Anas of Summit HOA at noon. “bGarden/b Club” presented by Robin Pokorski of b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://beaconmedianews.com/%3Fp%3D2111cid=0ei=WE3xSI7eMajk6gPqwui7Bwusg=AFQjCNGB1vjZ9XsqpSNOG3ET1aSa2LoL8AFashion bGardening/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe Foothill Weeklies,nbsp;Californianbsp;-/font nobrOct 10, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1b.../b I decided to warm things up by inviting my “bLandscaping/b Queen” to help me the next day, in preparing the proposed rose bgarden/b for planting. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/101108/lif_342559079.shtmlcid=0ei=WE3xSI7eMajk6gPqwui7Bwusg=AFQjCNGa6-qmEqHNbg1eK9XCYNaPZgS18gHome and bgarden/b briefs/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fFlorida Times-Union,nbsp;FLnbsp;-/font nobr20 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1With a little help from the Reflections of Nature bGarden/b Center, you can brighten your fall blandscape/b with native wildflowers. James Loper will discuss b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.tampabay.com/SearchForwardServlet.do%3FarticleId%3D846580cid=1256390138ei=WE3xSI7eMajk6gPqwui7Bwusg=AFQjCNFVm5JpM-uNajbye-qg2Rg1ssqQqwimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=IuV4KvO2YP0Jimgurl=www.tampabay.com/multimedia/archive/00041/HOM_GARDENCAL101108_41456c.jpeg width=80 height=61 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Tampabay.com/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.tampabay.com/SearchForwardServlet.do%3FarticleId%3D846580cid=1256390138ei=WE3xSI7eMajk6gPqwui7Bwusg=AFQjCNFVm5JpM-uNajbye-qg2Rg1ssqQqwbGarden/b calendar of events/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fTampabay.com,nbsp;FLnbsp;-/font nobrOct 10, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Master bGardeners/b provide answers to bgardening/b, blandscaping/b, insect questions. Or call 9 am-5 pm Mon.-Fri. for advice. Free. (352) 754-4433. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.theadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article%3FAID%3D/20081011/LIFESTYLE/810110328cid=0ei=WE3xSI7eMajk6gPqwui7Bwusg=AFQjCNH3I7TbWdiTeNuOp6tiKvw32-CLDwWhy not plant perennials only in your bgarden/b?/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe Daily Advertiser,nbsp;LAnbsp;-/font nobr17 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Even though they will return from the roots the following season, there is likely to be a longer period during which that spot in the blandscaping/b will be b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.theithacajournal.com/article/20081010/LIFESTYLE04/810100332cid=0ei=WE3xSI7eMajk6gPqwui7Bwusg=AFQjCNFkpLrUI5DdhxbKC56yqZMMokbVUgHouse amp; bGarden/b Briefs/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fIthaca Journal,nbsp;NYnbsp;-/font nobrOct 10, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The bGarden/b Hotline will be open from 10 am to noon Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays to provide advice on a variety of blandscaping/b, bgardening/b, and lawn care b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
landscaping gardening - Google News

Rock Gardens - A Different Kind of Garden

Planting a Rock Garden is a great alternative to the... Read More

Choosing Garden Furniture

No matter how pleasant a garden is, it is not... Read More

Black Walnut Trees Produce A Natural Insecticide

The black walnut tree manufactures a substance that is a... Read More

How to Rid that Lawn of Thatch!

You know that brown patchy debris in a lawn that... Read More

Tomatoes: History, Origin, Facts... or Fiction?

A tomato importer, John Nix, decided to challenge the law... Read More

Moss on Lawns

Just about right now, we start to see moss on... Read More

The Swallowtail -- A Beautiful Butterfly

Swallowtail butterflies are some of the most beautiful butterflies found... Read More

How to Find and Work With a Porch Swing Contractor To Install the Porch Swing of Your Dreams

You've found a great Porch Swing and you know exactly... Read More

Buying a Lawn Mower

Anyone with a lawn, no matter how small will at... Read More

Feeding the Hummingbirds

Early in May here in west central Wisconsin, I can... Read More

Mix Perennials into Your Garden for Staying Power

Perennial plants and flowers stay around for more than just... Read More

About Hummingbirds and How to Attract Them to Your Garden

Visualize watching a bright green hummingbird in your garden moving... Read More

A Garden Bench: A Beautiful Addition To Any Garden

Okay, so you have spent hours upon hours creating the... Read More

Potting Benches: Beautiful and Practical

Do you love spending time outdoors in your garden creating... Read More

Wind Chimes Go Great With Gardening

What could be more relaxing than gardening on a nice... Read More

Orchids Are One Of Natures Most Beautiful Flowers

Orchids are beautiful flowers. The interesting thing about orchids is... Read More

Cyclamen

Think of cyclamen and the chances are that Mothers Day... Read More

Learn All About Feng Shui Money Trees

A feng shui money tree is an indoor plant used... Read More

Plan Before Buying Rose Bushes

So, you have decided to plant rose bushes in your... Read More

The Home Garden

The garden should be near the house and away from... Read More

Mosquito Farms? Is That What Water Gardens Are?

What is nicer that a lovely backyard garden pond. The... Read More

Marjoram: The Herb of Happiness

Called the "herb of happiness," Origanum majorana, commonly known as... Read More

Garden Sheds - More Than Just Storage

You may already have a garage or shed in your... Read More

Tractors and Their History

I recently bought a small tractor for my garden, which... Read More

Rosemary: The Herb of Remembrance and Friendship

Rosmarinus officinalis, commonly called rosemary is an aromatic herb indigenous... Read More