Practical gifts for real gardeners

I’m thinking about starting my holiday shopping soon. It appears that I’ve been having a bit too much fun planning for next gardening season and forgot about things like Christmas shopping.

If you’re like me and you have, well, all your shopping to do I can at least help out with any gardeners on your list. 

If you have a keen vegetable gardener on your list make a gift basket full of gear they’ll love.

• French galvanized harvest basket (I use mine all the time). 
• Harvest knife (also works great for cutting back perennials).
• Pick up a collection of seeds, like this vegetable medley from Sow Right Seeds.
• I’ve been trying out these gloves lately and they might be my new favorites. I size down to a small from my usual Atlas Gloves size medium.

This kit is perfect for a budding gardener who wants to dip their toe into growing from seed.

• Those gloves again ($14 for six pairs!)
• Park Seed’s Bio-dome kit is an all-in-one solution to start an entire garden worth of seeds. *
• A small grow light is all they need to get those plants growing. This one is a tabletop kit. *
• Pick up a few packets of seeds too!*

* Use the Promo code ImpatientGardener15 at Park Seed for 15% off.

Serious seed starters will actually use what might look like otherwise pretty boring gear. This is all high quality gear that they’ll use for years.

• It’s pricey, but this is still my favorite grow light. I’ve had some of mine for years.
• These seed cell trays are gone changers. These are designed by the legendary Charles Dowding and they should last for decades.
• Make sure you pick up the bottom watering trays that fit perfectly.
• I love this heat mat, which fits four trays (smaller sizes are available).
• I did a plant label test last year and these were my favorite.

Everyone loves a book. Gardeners, I’ve found, really love books. These are some of my favorites.

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(Click on the covers to shop.)

• American Roots features gardeners from around the U.S. (including me!) who share their distinct style.
• I refer to Tropical Plants all the time.
• The Well-Tended Perennial Garden is the book I give to everyone.

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• Delightful and informational letters shared by friends Beth Chatto and Christopher Lloyd.
• Need container inspiration? Look no further than Claus Dalby.
• My only problem with Margaret Roach’s books is that she doesn’t write more of them.

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• The shade bible.
• Niki Jabbour’s books are all great but I always go back to this fun offering for new ideas.
• Lee Reich is a pruning master and he writes in a way that makes it feel like he’s standing next to you telling you where to cut.

I featured lots of my favorite tools as gift ideas on Instagram. Check out my Gifts for Gardeners reels for a few ideas for yourself too.