Updated Jul. 31, 2024
If you have a green thumb, then your wishlist is about to get a whole lot longer. These are the best gifts for gardeners, including practical picks and more frivolous favorites.
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Whether you’re a gardener yourself or just buying for one, there are so many gifting routes to take—especially if you want to go beyond some seeds and the basic sun hat. (Although those are good gifts, especially for those just starting off!)
First, there’s the act of gardening that requires some tools. Think shovels, planters, wheelbarrows and watering cans. The recipient of these gifts might be a new homeowner looking to landscape for the first time and make their outdoor space their own. Or maybe they’re a longtime gardener, rather, who gets caught up in the hobby and puts off updating their collection. Quality basics are in order for them, too.
Then there’s the harvest itself that spawns a whole new category of gardening gifts. Maybe they’re a vegetable gardener who’s hoping to become an all-out locavore. A cookbook, vegetable basket or pickling set is perfect for them. Maybe they’re a flower gardener whose fulfillment comes from looking at the cacophony of blossoms that sprout from just a few seeds. A flower carrier or a flower press kit is a better fit for them. Or maybe they’re a birder on a mission to bring more flying friends to their yard by way of flowers.
We harvested these items with all kinds of green thumbs in mind. Now, if only spring could get here faster!
via merchant
Help your garden-loving pal bring even more life to their outdoor space by attracting hummingbirds. This vibrant feeder boasts three carafes for nectar and fits stylistically into any eclectic yard. For even better luck, stock up on the best foods to attract backyard birds.
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If she loves the Pioneer Woman’s flower prints, then she’ll love wearing Ree Drummond’s gear while working in her flower garden. This colorful apron helps her carry her trowel, hand rake and gloves all at once—and look cute while doing it.
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Available in 3-, 6- and 12-month options, this Harry & David subscription service delivers beautiful, pre-planted bulbs to their door. They’ll love caring for the bulbs and watching them bloom in the decorative woven planter over the course of the next two to six weeks—and beyond. Learn more!
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It’s important to protect yourself from the elements when you’re working outside all day. This Duluth Trading Company sun hat has UPF 50 coating to shield you from the sun. It’s also packable, so it can be crushed, folded and tossed about. If this hat gets dirty, toss it right in the wash.
via Uncommon Goods
After taking all that time to plant, you can bet there will be a lot to harvest. This wire-bottom basket is perfect for collecting and cleaning the fruits of your labor. If you’d rather, take it to the farmers market to gather vendors’ goodies for these amazing recipes.
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No one likes coiling up a hose at the end of the day. This lightweight hose expands when you turn on the water and shrinks back down when you’re done. It’s lightweight and easy to store during the off season.
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They might already have a wheelbarrow in their repertoire—but certainly not one like this. Allsop reinvented the wheel(barrow) with a collapsible model that stores compactly, allows users to work at ground-level, and readily totes soil, bark, rocks and more.
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There’s no cuter way for them to flaunt their flowers. These cotton carriers come in two patterns—a simple lined option and a springy floral one. Your favorite gardener can slip the stems of their blooms straight into the tote, then transport them with ease.
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Here’s another item that’s likely already in their gardening shed—and in desperate need of an upgrade. This four-quart watering can with antique appeal is as gorgeous as it is ergonomic. The removable rosette diffuser disperses water evenly and with control.
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Help them enjoy their homegrown veggies in a whole new way with this Lekue pickling kit. It includes glass containers with valve lids and labels, adjustable pressing discs, tongs and a recipe booklet. Pickled cucumber and carrots, here they come!
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This stainless steel trowel is the right shape and size for gardeners who work in small planters or raised beds. It has a durable, rust-resistant blade, plus a comfy, ergonomic handle, too.
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Gardening can be relaxing. It also can mean trudging through mud and getting wet. Don’t wear your favorite sneakers outside. Instead, get some comfortable gardening boots that can be hosed off at the end of the day. We love this patterned pair from BOGS.
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She’s got the BOGS boots, but now she needs the socks to wear under them. With the purchase of this pair of socks, available in a number of patterns, four trees are planted. If your green-thumbed BFF is big on other causes, you could also buy socks them that help conserve rainforests, protect national parks or provide water.
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What’s a gardener without her seeds? Whichever varietals you and your green thumbs love, this unique collection will have them. It’s a splurge, for sure, but the surge of color and novel blooms in your garden will make it well worth it.
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Gardening is hard work, and weeding, planting and trimming can put a lot of strain on the ol’ body, especially the knees. Treat your gardener friends (or yourself!) to a super cushy knee pad to make all that labor just a bit easier.
Birds and Blooms
Help the avid gardener in your life attract birds, bees and butterflies with the guidance of a gardening book. This informative resource features beautiful photos, creative ideas and expert advice. It’s compiled by the editors of Birds & Blooms magazine.
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In the kitchen, you can never have enough tea towels and hot pads. In the garden, you can never have enough gloves. Treat your green-thumbed loved one to a new eye-catching floral pair.
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They no longer need to say goodbye to their blossoms in the off season! This complete flower press kit allows them to create beautiful floral crafts, such as ornaments, shadow boxes, jewelry and more, that they can enjoy year-round.
Via gelighting.com
Sometimes your garden-lover doesn’t have a garden, in which case, they might turn to indoor plants. Enter LED Grow Lights, which are absolutely perfect for indoor plants year-round. They can use these energy-efficient bulbs for a kitchen herb garden.
Obviously, anything in the above guide makes a great gift for a gardener. That being said, gardening is as personal a hobby as anything else. That means each person will want and need different things to keep that hobby going. You can always ask that gardener what they wish they had or what things they wish they could grow and then center your gift-giving around their answer. Just be careful not to overstep or go out of bounds—a person specializing in succulents, for instance, doesn’t need a bunch of irrigation equipment; similarly, a floriculturist (flower grower) might not be interested in or get use out of food-based gardening gifts.
If the gardener in your life is new to having a green thumb, you’ll have a lot more options for what to get them. That being said, newbies will probably benefit most from gardening tools, as these devices are necessary for success. That includes things like trowels, watering cans, pruning shears, protective gloves, etc. If they have those covered, you could also turn to seeds and plants—helping them kickstart their garden.
As mentioned, this question is best answered on a personal basis—meaning not everyone needs or wants the same things. That being said, vegetable gardeners have unique needs served by unique tools. It wouldn’t be off base to get a vegetable gardener gifts that allow them to use their vegetables in cooking—like spices or a pickling kit. You can use your critical thinking skills to get gardening-related gifts that might not be as obvious (and potentially unnecessary) as, say, another personalized apron.
Originally Published: March 11, 2021
