GIFTS OF THE GARDEN

by Patricia C. Ferguson

Are you ready? It's Christmas and it's coming soon!! Aunt Hortense and I thought you might like some ideas for people who like gifts of the garden.

A gardener friend who has been at it for fifteen years told me there are things she would never buy for herself but would love to have. When I asked her what, she said she would love to have a garden bench and an outdoor fire pit. She would put the garden bench to use almost immediately and she would enjoy the fire pit in the cooler weather after her gardening chores are finished for the year.

Oh, excuse me, Aunt Hortense is calling out suggestions from the kitchen. Give her what? Hortense! A piranha?? That is not funny. Esmeralda would not be pleased with a piranha to trim the plants in her aquarium. Oh good grief. Where would you get such a thing anyway? Where? The Jacques Costeau International Memorial Conservatory and Scientific Institute for Promoting and Supervision of the Preservation and Protection of Compromised and Endangered Piranha? Oh.

One thing I've noticed over the years is that the longer you are a gardener, the more work there is to be done, therefore the more "stuff" you need. Is this not the most perfect logic? Many gardeners now need a garden cart - the wheelbarrow may not be enough help any more. Another fairly large item to consider is a compost bin. Not exactly the most romantic purchase you can make but after all, this is a gardening column! There are all types and sizes out there to consider. Some varieties will turn your compost automatically, some require the turning to be done by hand which is something a lot of people prefer to do. For future reference, our Adams County Extension Office puts on composting workshops every so often and as part of the workshop the trainee receives a free compost bin. Call the office (334-6271) to find out more about this great program and when the next workshop is scheduled.

Along decorative lines, you may want to think about garden statuary. Some of the larger nurseries have statuary of herons, cranes, geese, rabbits and many, many frogs. Pigs, too. And cows. Pink. The cows. Pink cows. I gave up when I saw a full size, perfectly shaped topiary of Snow Somebody-or-other. Seven dwarfs, carrying a vast array of potentially dangerous objects including a hammer, chain saw, an ax, a broom, were marching around singing about going to work, "Hi Ho, Hi Ho!" Kind of makes you wonder what they do for a living.
There are other decorative items for the garden; consider gifts like different shaped urns, specially painted and decorated watering cans and flower pots. There are different sizes of columnar planters which look good in groupings and there are hand-painted garden seats. These are generally much smaller than a bench or chair, with no back, but when you want to sit for a spell, they're great! Another garden gift idea is to get up-lighting for a special planting area or special tree in the garden. Some work on a sensor and others on timers or a switch but all have the effect of lighting where you want it to be in the garden. Oh, just a minute, Hortense is yelling "UP WHAT"? I said up-LIGHTING, up-LIGHTING.

On the practical side, there are necessaries like good, sturdy gloves, waterproof boots, kneelers or knee pads, good quality trowels, spades, rakes and other well made gardening tools. Snow gauges, while not exactly a necessity, come in a large variety of styles and sizes. I saw a fine looking copper one in a garden catalog that would measure snow up to six feet. Uh oh.

Some gardeners like the really large size, light weight decorative planters but are worried about the weight once they are filled with soil. Fill it with Styrofoam peanuts about three quarters up to the top then fill the rest with garden soil. It makes the container so much lighter and you can then move it quite easily.
Consider gifts of the garden like freshly dried herbs for use in the kitchen and herbal products like special herbal teas, jams, honey, vinegars. There are potpourris made with lavender and roses, flowers and everlastings; there are herbal soaps and lotions and wonderful naturally scented shampoos and conditioners and other grooming products made from garden items!

Remember, too, that you can use garden items as wrapping or containers. For example, you could use a fabulous flower pot as a container for another gift. You could tie a pair of garden gloves on a wrapped gift. Or use garden items like dried flowers or the long blades and blooms of ornamental grasses instead of ribbon as decorations for packages. You might want to wrap a gardening book with burlap and use pine cones or pine branches or bright berried holly sprigs as decoration. You can also string nuts, fruits and berries into garland and use it for decoration on packages or around the house.

Gifts of the garden are always appreciated just like the thoughtful person who gives them. May your holidays be warm and bright and filled with delight!

Patricia C. Ferguson is a Penn State Master Gardener from Adams County.
Penn State in Adams County is located at 670 Old
Harrisburg Road, Gettysburg, PA 17325, phone 334-6271
or 1-888-472-0261.

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