I put together this top 10 best Christmas gifts for gardeners guide because as a gardener myself, I’ve received my share of wonderful gifts, but I’ve also received my share of peculiar gifts that spoke clearly to the fact that the giver wasn’t a gardener.

Gardeners are a peculiar lot. We love trying new tools and gadgets, for instance, but we also cling to traditional gardening implements. Most of us love reading about gardening, but rarely have the time to indulge in a gardening book or two except perhaps by the fireside on a cold winter’s night. But even then, there are houseplants to water, and of course other garden-related pursuits such as feeding the birds.

The list below reflect my suggestions for your favorite gardener. Each of these tools received very high marks on Amazon, too. And by the way, I am an Amazon affiliate, so when you click a link and make a purchase, I receive a little commission (but it does not affect your price in any way).

The Best Christmas Gifts for Gardeners

The Best Gardening Tools

1. The Gardener’s Friend Ratchet Pruners: These pruners take a little time to get to know, but once you begin using them, you will love them! They are especially good for people with arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome or other grip-related issues. They come with a lifetime guarantee. The blades are quite sharp, and the three-stage ratchet system can cut a variety of shrubs, branches and more. The only complaint I’ve ever heard about these pruners is that for people with small hands, they can be a bit on the large size.

2. Japanese Hori Hori Knife:  The first time I saw a Japanese Hori Hori Knife, I thought, “That can’t really work – can it?” Well, it does work! It works as a digging tool, it cuts, and you can use it to dig up those annoying weed roots that seem to be made of steel. You know the kind I mean – those mini trees that threaten to take over the garden. A Japanese Hori Hori knife can handle it. And besides, you’ll feel like a Samurai when you use it!

3. Spear Head Spade: The Spear Head Spade is designed to cut more easily through soil, and the makers promise to reduce digging effort by 80%.  I don’t know how they test that, but I do have a spade just like this and it makes cutting through turf a lot easier. The Spear Head Spade is made in the USA and is especially good for working rocky, clay type soils such as those we have here in Virginia.

4. Yard Butler Garden Kneeler and Seat:  Are you looking for a gift for an older gardener? This kneeler and seat is perfect for anyone with bad knees or anyone who has trouble kneeling down in the garden. It converts from a cushioned kneeler into a little seat, so if you get tired, you can sit down and harvest, prune or stake up those tomatoes. It’s lightweight, portable, and durable. It holds up to 250 pounds so it is suitable for most adults. It also comes with a lifetime guarantee.

5. Badger Gardening Gloves: You knew I had to mention these again, right? I reviewed the Badger Gardening Gloves a few weeks ago when the manufacturer sent me a pair, and I love them more and more every time I wear them. They are very durable and protect my hands well, and the claws are great for pulling up weeds or digging into the soil a little when you don’t want to reach for a gardening tool or you forgot to carry one out to the garden. The gloves are heavy neoprene, with “claws” attached to either the left, right or both fingertips to protect your nails and aid gardening efforts.

 

The Best Garden Accents

1. Woodstock Amazing Grace Chimes, Medium:  I have had these chimes for seven years now and I never tire of them. The large, heavy metal chimes ring the notes of “Amazing Grace” – but only if the wind, or perhaps, the spirit cooperates! The sound is beautiful, lush and rich, without that tinny metallic sound cheaper wind chimes have. The wooden finish has remained beautiful through seven seasons, and only now as the chimes enter their eighth year hanging from my front porch is the finish on the metal chimes starting to pit from weathering. My sister gave me my Woodstock Amazing Grace Chimes and I love them. I recommend them highly!

2.  H Potter Plant Container Terrarium Case: If I could buy any decorative, functional terrarium, it would be this one. Terrarium gardening is making a comeback, and these beautiful modern terrariums combine the best of modern manufacturing with old-fashioned charm and style. This particular model sports a hinged glass roof that lifts off completely so that you can easily place your plants, water them and tend to them. The base has a liner to prevent rust forming, and little ball feet keep the entire container off your tabletops. Visit your local garden center for soil, activated charcoal and plants, and you’re on your way to creating your very own terrarium garden.

3. Smart Solar 20326R01 Umbrella Series Solar Fountain, Boy and Girl Reading on a Bench: So many solar powered fountains don’t work as promised, but the Smart Solar model received great ratings from customers who purchased it. The attractive aged bronze finish shows off handsomely in the garden. Features a little boy and girl under an umbrella, with water coming off the umbrella. Makes a great water feature for your birds, too! It must be placed in full, direct sunlight in order to work.

And don’t forget my book…Attract Birds to Your Garden! A great stocking stuffer, this little book helps you transform your yard into a wildlife sanctuary. Learn which trees, shrubs and flowers attract beautiful birds to your yard, and more.

 

Christmas at Seven Oaks

Christmas around our house is decidedly low-key. Aside from having friends and family over for dinner sometime during Advent, we don’t go crazy shopping for Christmas. We try to buy things for one another that have special meaning.
The highlight of Christmas for me is singing with my friends at Midnight Mass at St. Theresa church. We begin with community Christmas caroling and a Christmas carol sing-along at 11:30, and then Midnight Mass begins at – yes – midnight. We always conclude Mass by singing “Joy to the World.” To me, that’s the official start of the Christmas season!

But we do get into the spirit of things. We even decorate the outdoor cat’s house. I’ll leave you today with this picture of our cats’ house decorated for Christmas last year: