Do you have any gardeners on your Christmas list? There are oodles of gardening gift ideas, to enjoy now or later in the spring!
If you are looking for a plant that will give you a beautiful bloom this winter, look to the amaryllis. Some very dear friends of our gave us an amaryllis bulb a few weeks back; when we opened the box to plant the bulb, we were delighted to see the tip of a leaf showing from the top of the bulb. We eagerly planted the bulb with great anticipation and waited.
Amaryllis bulbs are almost magical; each day our bulb’s greenery grew and it didn’t take us long to see that the little shoot was not a leaf but a bud! And then there were two! There’s a stage where it seems the amaryllis grows almost visibly from morning till night, and now our buds have split, and their little green skins have separated to reveal the soft red and white petals of the flowers, still tightly folded, but it won’t be long now!
Any gardeners on your Christmas list would love an amaryllis; and it seems to me that if you have small children (or grandchildren or nieces and nephews) this would be a great choice to get them interested in plants! For one thing, the bulb is big and easy to handle and see; the plant is low maintenance; and it grows quickly enough that the little ones won’t lose interest because things aren’t happening fast enough! And when the spectacular trumpet blooms appear, you will have a stunning floral display to enjoy!
Another gift idea is a nice planter; gardeners are always thinking ahead to their next gardening project, and a lovely planter is a lasting keepsake that will certainly get used! Some have drainage holes, some don’t; it’s not really a big issue because the extra-decorative planters that don’t have drainage holes can be used to hold other more practical planters that do.
A sturdy pair of secateurs is always a useful choice; gardeners can have more than one pair because we always need them, at the ready, and it’s good to have a backup pair! Same goes for gardening gloves; a dear friend got me a pair of lime-green leather gloves. As I used them they molded to the shape of my hands and were as comfortable as a favorite pair of shoes! I used them so much that it is almost impossible to see what color they were originally, but every time I go to the garden, those gloves go with me.
Gardening books or magazines are still a favorite gift. I know many people find lots of information online, but I think a lot of us still enjoy thumbing through an actual book or magazine. You might consider a subscription to a fine magazine such as “The Gardener” (formerly called The Gardener For The Prairies”) which is published in Saskatchewan and knows all about the gardening challenges in our climate and the best plants for us to try. It has many interesting articles and beautiful photos that will surely inspire any gardener.
Other gift ideas: good gardening tools such as the Japanese hoe that is sold by our society (anyone who has one praises the wonderful job it does on the weeds); a sturdy long-handled lopper; or a garden hat! You know how I always remind you about wearing a hat out in the summer sun: helps prevent overheating and it’s so much safer to protect your skin!
Right now, the Yorkton and District Horticultural Society is in the process of planning the program for next year. There are always so many new things to learn so we hope you’ll join us on our gardening adventures! Be sure to visit us as www.yorktonhort.ca
Have a great week!
