Gardening With Brenda

PROFESSIONAL HELP: Tips from local leaders in their industry Brenda Powell • GARDENING

Gifts for Gardeners

By Brenda Powell

IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN. THE SCENT OF FIR FILLS THE AIR, CAROLS RING OUT, AND RED IS OUR FAVORITE COLOR. IT’S ALSO TIME TO COME UP WITH A CREATIVE GIFT FOR YOUR

LOVED ONE OR FRIEND. For some, that can be invigorating and for others intimidating. While there’s no guarantee that the recipient will love the gift (that’s why there are gift receipts), we have a few suggestions that might help.

Felco 640 pruning saw: a full-stroke, ergonomic pruning saw for limbs too big for a lopper and not big enough for a chain saw.

Oregon Gardening Guide for the

Willamette Valley: A permanent calendar with hints on what to do in the garden each month specifically for our area. This is a fundraiser for the Assistance League of Corvallis.

Tool Seat: A tool bag attached to a folding canvas seat. Saves the gardener’s back and knees, plus it has storage for 10 tools, a notebook, pens, and a cell phone.

A gardening apron: There are pockets in the front to hold gardening gear. Keeps clothes clean. Looks good with a gardening hat.

Propagation kit with a wood base from

Syndicate: This is perfect for starting leaf cuttings in water on your kitchen windowsill. I always have something rooting there, and I want it to look nice.

Houseplant-themed refrigerator

magnets and coffee mugs: For those obsessed with their indoor babies.

Pot buddies: From Britain. Pot buddies hang on the side of pots as decorations. Snails, sloths, and cats are available.

Whimsical pots: Who wouldn’t love a llama, hedgehog, owl, or sloth pot? Bonus points if you add a plant to go with it.

Gardening gloves: The equivalent of the ever-popular gift of socks. It may sound boring, but every gardener can use another pair of gloves. Like socks, there is a wide range of styles and prices.

Root Slayer: our #1 shovel. Cuts through roots and soil like a hot knife through butter.

A relaxation package: after I work hard using the Root Slayer, I love to take a bath, cleaning up with European soaps with their amazing fragrance. Of course, there is a glass of local wine (Pinot Noir is my preference) and the subtle light from a holiday-scented candle. Follow that up with chocolate hazelnuts or toffee brittle from Hazelnut Hill in Junction City. Hey… that sounds like a great gift basket that even non-gardeners enjoy.

www.GarlandNursery.com

A gift card to their favorite local

garden center: If you just can’t find the right thing or run out of time. 99.9% of recipients of Garland Nursery gift cards love that gift.

Brenda

Brenda Powell is a fourth generation owner of Garland Nursery in Corvallis.

Follow her writing at garlandnursery.wordpress.com