Gardening items are wonderful Christmas gifts 12-03-07

The seasonal period from Thanksgiving through Christmas is a wonderful time. Fond memories of the year, giving thanks, sharing gifts with loved ones, brilliantly decorated homes and businesses, Christmas carols, and parties all help put us in a shopping mood, even with having to deal with elbow to elbow crowds. To avoid some of the Christmas shopping crowds and to help you find gifts for those you may think have everything, here are a few tips that may help.

First, get out of the way of the masses of shoppers by heading to the lawn and garden sections of your favorite department stores, or shop a specialty lawn and garden center. The diversity of gift ideas from only a few cents to thousands of dollars even for those having everything will be surprising.

Gardening and lawn care books are instructional and very enjoyable to relax with. Gifts such as bird feeders, birdbaths, squirrel feeders, butterfly boxes, birdhouses, etc. will encourage wildlife and add a whole new dimension to the landscape.

Lawn sculpture can be found in every shape, size, color, and range from pink flamingos to elegant bronze statues.

Gifts to indicate weather conditions such as rain gauges, indoor-outdoor thermometers, and barometers are also great to have.

Any gardener is pleased to receive new tools as gifts. A few suggested ideas in various price ranges include: pocket knives, electric grass shears, work gloves, pruners, sprinklers, pesticide sprayer, hose reel, lawn rake, garden hoe, shovel, wheel barrow, edger, leaf blower, lawn mower, etc., etc, etc.

The ideas are unlimited and the gifts can last a lifetime. Enjoy your Christmas shopping and if you find a gift that you simply must have you still have time to drop some hints or even wrap a present for yourself.

Published December 3, 2007

Dr. Wayne Wells is an Extension Professor and Turfgrass Specialist. His mailing address is Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Mail Stop 9555, Mississippi State, MS 39762. wwells@ext.msstate.edu