Last-Minute Gift Ideas for Gardeners

Most gardeners are also interested in the birds that come to their property, making a bird feeder a great gift. (Ancha Chiangmai/Shutterstock)

If you’re still looking for a gift for the gardener in your life, here are some thoughtful ideas.

American-Made Bird Feeders

Most gardeners are also interested in the birds that come to their property. If your gardener is one of them, then I suggest he or she would appreciate a bird feeder as a gift. You can combine a bird feeder and some flower seeds into a gift basket for a gift that satisfies both hobbies.

You can’t go wrong with a bird feeder from Aspects or Droll Yankee. Their made-in-the-USA feeders have a lifetime guarantee. You will not find these feeders in big-box stores, as they both support the local retailers who know your local birds best.

Their hummingbird and oriole feeders have the best design with the nectar in a bowl under the feeder ports, so they don’t have bee, wasp, or ant problems. The wide bowl is easy to clean and fill.

Easy cleaning may be the most important feature to look for in a bird feeder. If it isn’t easy to clean, it won’t get done, and then the feeder clogs up and turns moldy. Their tube feeders have a base that quickly snaps off. I prefer the larger diameter feeders, because they stay fuller longer. A full feeder is good for the birds and easier for me. The larger diameter feeder tube is a lot easier to fill.

A wide perch gives cardinals and grosbeaks more room to sit. The only problem with a wide perch is if there are grackles or other pest black birds around. In that case, the short, straight perches are better.

A Bird Photography Primer

Another hobby of many gardeners is photography. Flowers and birds are both very colorful. Flowers don’t move and are easier to photograph than birds. Anyone wanting to learn professional techniques of bird photography should read “The Art of Bird Photography” by Arthur Morris. It is back in print. Morris has updated the subject matter for digital cameras with “The Art of Bird Photography II.” The second book is available on a CD or as an electronic download. They are available in the store section of BirdsAsArt.com.

Smart Tools

A gardening tool that makes a great gift is one I use a lot. When I have to dig small holes for annuals, bulbs, and for getting weeds out of tight spots in between perennials, I use a couple of small trowels from Radius Garden.

The handle of these tools is curved into a half-circle. This shape allows my hand and wrist to be straight in line with the hole I am digging rather than at a right angle to it as with a regular-handled trowel. It perfectly aligns the wrist and trowel for anyone who has arthritis or other joint problems.

The handle is highly visible green thermoplastic that helps me find it when I set it down. It is warm when the weather is cold and cool when the weather is hot, and it is not slippery when wet.

I use the very narrow-bladed Weeder tool to dig many of my holes because it cuts through the soil more easily than a wide-bladed tool.

Radius Garden also has a line of garden shovels that have a circle at the top of the handle to give the gardener a better grip from any angle as they dig the hole.

Summer Protection

A garden hat can really help in the summer. It can protect from the sun’s rays and keep the gardener cooler. Hats with a three-inch brim from the Wallaroo Hat Co. are recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation and are rated at UPF 50 or higher. They have hats for men, women and children. Many garden centers are carrying these hats because so many gardeners need one. Check out the styles on the Wallaroo Hats website.

Email questions to Jeff Rugg at [email protected]. To find out more about Jeff Rugg and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at Creators.com. Copyright 2020 Jeff Rugg. Distributed by Creators Syndicate.