They say that you should give what you would like to receive. With that in mind, and knowing my husband reads this column, I am going to recommend a few things I would like to receive and a few tried-and-true gifts.
For houseplant aficionados, a metal chopstick is a tool they absolutely need, even if they don’t know it yet. When potting, you can use it to loosen the plant from the pot and gently untangle the roots. Then poke around with your chopstick in the new pot to tamp down the soil, eliminating channels for water to rush through. Lastly, use it to spread any top dressing. This is a very small gift, just right for a stocking, and, because chopsticks come in pairs, you can keep one for yourself. Target in Watertown has a packet of five, $16, (use them as favors at your next garden party); also available online.
While we are talking potting up, may I suggest scoops for potting soil? Having a dedicated metal scoop is so much more civilized than using a plastic pot to do your dirty work. Webstaurantstore.com offers a 16-ounce stainless steel scoop for $14.99. If this seems bulky, rt1home.com has a set of three small scoops, probably designed for bonsai, that allow for careful soil distribution around favorite houseplants. Available as a set or individually, $8 to $26.
I spent a good 45 minutes at Derby Farm Flowers and Garden, in Arlington, looking through their many offerings; their tiny storefront is packed with goodies a gardener might enjoy. Charming gold “Plant Animals” that cling to a pot rim or plant stem are perfect stocking stuffers or you could tuck one into a greeting card for a distant friend, $9. Joyce Chen snips make collecting flowers from the garden or pruning an unruly pothos a delight, “Unlimited Scissors” (for lefties and righties) are $44. One more for the houseplant enthusiast, an “Instant Sun” Grow Bulb from We the Wild turns any lamp into a grow light to keep your houseplants basking in the glow through the winter, $27.
Related Posts
Also at Derby Farm you will find a nail brush with pumice stone, $8, and some beautifully packaged Kew Hand Cream, $14. Add a pair of gardening gloves to the mix and call it a day. I am partial to FoxGloves, available directly from the manufacturer, but there are many garden glove options out there. For the gardener in winter, you might consider Niwaki Insulated (and waterproof) Work Gloves, $20, at Boston General Store.
Check the tool shed and see if your favorite gardener has a small shovel–not a trowel, a mini-shovel. If not, you have hit paydirt; so-called micro-shovels are all the rage, as they should be. They have all the oomph of a full-size shovel but are easier to maneuver in a crowded garden. Mine is an oldie but goodie, but you can find them at Mahoney’s in Winchester and Hillside Gardens in Belmont. Prices vary, starting at around $20. Make sure you get one with a D-grip handle.
I find my collapsible rake to be just so handy. Slide the adjuster down to reach under a hedge, or open it up to cover more ground, and it does not take up much space in the tool shed. TerraVerde adjustable rake, also at Mahoney’s, $14.99.
For the gardener who cannot remember where she put her scissors, Nutscene makes a free-standing, turned beechwood twine dispenser (it really is very attractive) with a built-in cutting blade. Comes with a ball of three-ply jute twine; available in six scrumptious colors, cornflower blue, anyone? A nice present, $28 from gardenheir.com.
Finally, a garden apron. I love mine. It is the “moving up” membership gift from my garden club. It is dark green, made of a durable fabric, and has two pockets–I drop my cell phone in one and stuff my gloves in the other. I wear it whenever I work in the garden and judging from appearance, it has protected my clothing from a lot of debris. Alas, it appears to be the sort of item one orders in bulk. However, I see that Williams Sonoma has a similar one, available in an array of colors, $29.95.
Happy holidays, everyone, and happy gardening.
