Tips

Suggestions, tips, and how-to’s for finding, selecting, and buying great gardening gifts.

Forcing Hyacinth Bulbs Brings A Hint Of Spring To Indoor Gardens

If your long range weather forecast is like ours, you better bundle up and plan on another 15-20″ of snow before spring arrives.  Time to start forcing hyacinth bulbs and creating a beautiful spring-like garden indoors!

When you get hyacinths to bloom indoors before their normal bloom time it’s called “forcing” the bulbs to grow.   They really are so easy and they make wonderful gifts. 

You know how anxious people are to see the first jolt of spring color after a long, grey, cold winter!  (Especially if Phil sees his shadow today!)  You’re sure to see smiles when you give hyacinth bulbs and vases as hostess gifts, or birthday gifts, or even Valentine’s Day…

Need Gifts For Bird Lovers On Your List? Under $50?

Buying a hobby related present is sure to be a hit with anyone on your list and finding great gifts for bird lovers is no different.  But there are so many choices!   Anything you need to feed, bathe, or house any wild bird passing through the neighborhood!  So, I’ve selected a few of my favorites to help you save time in your search.

Less Than $50

Basket Wreath:  The Large Woodland Basket is not only a storehouse of seeds and nesting materials for the birds, but it also looks great hanging on an outside door!
Puzzle:  This 500-piece Wings Of Nature puzzle features…

Easy Secrets To Make A Bow For Beautiful Gift Wrapping

Deciding what wrapping paper to use for the Christmas or birthday presents is a serious decision for some people I know.  Maybe all the gifts will follow a theme this year or maybe all the wrapping paper will be solid colors.  But don’t forget the final accessory … the bows!  Knowing how to make a bow that perfectly fits the paper you’ve chosen turns those Christmas presents under the tree into elegant additions to your holiday decorations.

Don’t you love to give something that’s just perfect for your gift recipient?  Just a little creativity helps you make the outside of the box…

The Perfect Dog Lover Gift Sits And Stays In The Garden

I hear that some dogs create havoc in the garden with their digging and their running and their messes (not my precious, Millie!).   But I have found the perfect dog lover gift for the gardener on your list.  In fact, you can choose from four different styles that don’t dig, don’t run, and don’t make a mess!  They just add to the garden decor.   More great gardening gifts!

Resin Lawn Sculptures

These beautiful lawn sculptures are cast in a strong marble and resin material that is very resistant to outside weather conditions.   I think a life-like dog sculpture like this one is great on a front porch, deck, or patio,…

Save Those Falling Leaves For Next Year’s Compost

Last week I wrote about making quick compost and leaf mold with falling leaves.  The process is so simple for such a huge payoff in your garden soil – and the plants love it.  A gardener’s dream and they’re FREE!

However, there’s one more way to use those leaves that I don’t want you to forget.  Save them to add to next spring’s compost. 

Next spring you’ll have no problem finding green, nitrogen-rich materials to add to your compost pile.  Fresh grass clippings will be abundant as you step up your mowing schedule.  However, sometimes it’s difficult to find dried, carbon-rich materials in the midst…

Leaf Mold Is A Gardening Gift From Mother Nature

This week my articles are mainly focusing on composting and using the leaves that are now falling.  As you see, my yard is blessed with oak and maple leaves and sometimes Millie just blends right in!  But I don’t mind the leaves.  Especially when I know how leaf mold improves the soil quality in my gardens.  What a great gardening gift  from Mother Nature!  And this garden mulch is so easy to make!

Leaf mold is simply partially decomposed leaves.  It’s either dark brown or black and has a crumbly texture with a pleasant, earthy smell.  I’m most familiar with finding it in my gutters when they haven’t been cleaned out…

Preserving Fall Leaves Perks Up Fall Decor

I love to watch trees begin to change color here in the Midwest.  Against a bright blue sky the leaves just seem to glow in the sun – like this maple tree in my backyard.  Preserving fall leaves helps sustain those beautiful colors even longer in my fall decor.

Preserving Fall Leaves and Branches

If you’ve wondered how to preserve leaves instead of seeing them crumble into dry pieces, it’s really pretty simple.  And just a little bit of vegetable glycerin is the secret ingredient.

Stir about 1/2 teaspoon of vegetable glycerin (available in health food stores) in a full vase of water.  Then just…

Top Ten Fall Garden Gifts

Ready or not, fall is here!

There are plenty of wonderful choices for fall garden gifts no matter what the occasion or your budget. As usual, I promise unique and functional gift ideas for the gardeners on your list. After much searching and deliberation, here are my picks for the Top Ten Fall Garden Gifts.

1. If you’re thinking about a live plant, consider a rose. This time of the year, you’re better off selecting a container grown plant instead of bare root because they already have a head start. (Check out my Five Tips For Planting Roses In The Fall article.)…

Home Grown Seeds In Homemade Seed Packets Make Special Gifts

Yesterday, I added a video showing how to harvest seeds from the cleome flowers in my garden.  Then I started thinking how you could make a really unique gift with the seeds and I came up with an idea.  After you gather those healthy, dry seeds from your garden, why not start your own seed company and personalize your own seed packets!

To make it really easy for you, here is a Seed Packet TEMPLATE you can customize for your own use.  I’ve adapted the WORD template just a bit so you can add the name of your company along with some important…

Save Money On Garden Gifts By Harvesting Seeds

Now that the summer blooms are starting to fade, it’s time to start thinking about harvesting seeds from my favorite flowers.  Saving seeds from my flowers is a good idea because it helps me start those same plants somewhere else in my garden and I know my fellow gardeners appreciate receiving them as a gift.  And I don’t need to spend a dime!

You may have already tagged the biggest and brightest flowers in your garden in anticipation of seed harvesting.  Well, aren’t you planning ahead!  However, the rest of us are now starting to tour our garden and select our plants for harvesting.

Be sure the seeds are ready. …

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