Gift Ideas for Gardeners
When shopping for the special gardener in your life, you’ll likely find lots of tool kits and combo packs of gear available. But in my professional experience, there are too many specialty items in those kits that never get used. Further complicating your search for the perfect garden gifts is the extensive variety of products (clogs, clippers, sprayers, shovels, gloves, etc.) out there! It can honestly be overwhelming, leaving you confused about what’s really worth it.
To help simplify your shopping this holiday season, I’ve curated two collections of some of my favorite gear, gadgets, and apparel that are both useful and beautiful, and are sure to bring a little joy to your favorite gardening fanatic. For more details and to shop for these items, click on any graphic, or on any item listed in bold green type.
Gather some of these items and package them in a useful tote or a flexible tub to create a thoughtful and practical gift…or simply give a few smaller items as stocking stuffers! Pair those with enrollment in one of my virtual container gardening courses and your gift will be sure to please. (*Note: I may receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you, when items featured here are purchased through my links. I appreciate your support!)
Gifts for the Go-Getter Gardener
If your gardener is focused on getting their hands in the dirt and getting the job done, they might appreciate these useful gifts:
Overalls - Lots of pockets for storing phones and tools, and no drooping pants as you bend in the garden!
Beanie and Boots - It’s amazing what a difference a warm beanie and some waterproof boots can make when working outside in Winter. With head and feet kept nice and toasty, skip the bulky coat.
Sun Hat - The older I get, the more I wish I’d worn a wide-brimmed hat in the early days of my gardening career. The physical shade it provides in Summer keeps you cool and protects the skin on your face and neck from sunburn and premature aging.
Watering Tools: Sprayer, Hose, Watering Can - Proper, consistent watering is critical to success in the garden. If it’s quick, easy, and enjoyable, we’re all more likely to do it! This sprayer and lightweight hose are my all-time faves on job sites and at home. A two-gallon watering can is a must for mixing up and applying water-soluble fertilizer to container gardens. Using anything smaller takes twice as long to get the job done.
Cutting Gear: Shears, Pruning Saw — Compact shears or simple scissors are necessary for deadheading and shaping annuals. For anyone that digs up stubborn root balls from pots at the end of a long season, I recommend a pruning saw to “shave” time and effort from that task.
Keep it Clean: Gloves, Leaf Blower — Protect hands with thin-but-tough gloves. While I often plant with bare hands, gloves with a grippy palm are invaluable when moving heavy pots, removing last season’s plants, and scraping through old soil at the bottom of pots to check for clogs. After the work is complete, a battery powered leaf blower makes for fast and easy cleanup.
Kneeling Pad — I keep one in my garden tote at all times. It’s such a relief to throw this down on the patio when I settle in to fill a pot that’s low to the ground. Every gardener needs one!
Tub and Soil Scoop — I can’t express in words how handy this flexible tub is! Fill it with potting mix or use it as a trash bin as you work. It’s so light and sturdy that you can pick it up in your arms and pour potting mix into your pots, or dump your debris into the compost pile. You’ll wonder how you did anything in the yard without it. A generous scoop is always handy for filling a small pot with potting mix — faster than a trowel.
Gifts for the Fashionable Gardener
For those who appreciate both function AND form, and are be more likely to stroll casually among the flowers or peruse the inspiring pages of a lovely coffee table book, consider some of these thoughtful options that offer style without sacrificing utility.
Apron — They’ll love a neutral apron to throw on over anything and hold a cell phone and snips while meandering through the garden.
Flowery Boots — Equally as lovely on feet and at the door, floral rain boots are a must to keep the mud outside and still look stylish.
Woven Hat — A straw hat with a black band is a classic look in the garden…and the beach! Keeps the sun off delicate skin and keeps hair out of the face.
Long Gloves and Hand Cream — These soft and stretchy gloves have a nice long length to cover wrists, plus rubber dots for extra grip. They aren’t waterproof, but I’ve found them to be really comfortable for working on my pots, and they come in several very pleasant colors. This hand cream has been a favorite of mine for more than 20 years and I’m so glad it’s still available. Getting dirty and scrubbing hands clean should always end with a protective layer of hand lotion.
Bud Vases and Chic Scissors — For anyone who strolls through the flower beds, or among the containers, and loves to snip a few stems to bring inside, these are for you!
Pot with Scalloped Detail — Beautiful container gardens begin with beautiful containers. Inspire your gardener to try container gardening by filling a small, but special pot like this one.
Galvanized Watering Can — I admit this isn’t the most practical watering can, but it’s one of the prettiest and would be lovely perched on a potting table or a bench. Watering plants is important, so if having a lovely vintage-inspired can motivates anyone to do it, I’m all for it.
Gardening Books — For those who enjoy reading and love the feel of a beautiful book in their hands, try one of these popular choices to inspire and guide your person as they hunker down in winter and dream of next year’s garden.
Educational Gifts for the NEW Container Gardener
Contained Creations’ online courses are the perfect way for aspiring container gardeners to learn how to create the professional look in their own pots…from the comfort of home! My online courses are full of in-depth video demonstrations and custom printable guides that will help anyone, from beginner to experienced, take their container gardens to the next level. The online courses listed above are all available to send as GIFTS through email, giving your recipient immediate access to the course(s) you send!
Winter Container Gardens - A class they can put to use right now, this holiday season.
The Ultimate Guide to Container Gardening - A class to help them learn the foundations of Container Gardening and kick off their container gardening endeavors next year.
Four Seasons Bundle - Best value! Four seasons of container gardening instruction and guidance.
Gifts That Are Good for Them
Some of the best gifts we can give are those that encourage learning, creativity, and healthy activities. I hope these ideas inspire your shopping this season…and help you knock a few things off your list, too.
I wish you and yours the Happiest of Holidays!
Steph