February

Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas for Gardeners

By Sarah Marcheschi

When it comes to holidays, Valentine’s Day is tough to beat. I decorate my house in pink and red and snack on conversation hearts. Personally, I can’t wait to drop cute paper love notes in the post to my family and friends. I embrace pretty much any excuse to celebrate the people in my life. Valentine’s Day comes without all the bustle and pressure of certain other occasions, (I’m looking at you, Christmas). Thoughtful, personalized gifts are always a welcome alternative to the standard heart-shaped box of chocolates. Consider one of these Valentine’s Day gift ideas if you want to express some love for the gardener in your life.

Garden Gloves

I know what you’re thinking. Every gardener has a pair (or two) of gloves. But if the gardener in your life is anything like me, half those pairs are stiff, wrinkled, worn out, and probably missing a mate. I remember the first time I splurged on a fancy pair of gloves – the lightweight, flexible, breathable kind that allow for maximum dexterity and actually feel good on my hands. They came with a slightly heftier price tag, but the trade off in comfort was worth it. Ten years later I still have them – both of them!

Because such gloves can be a bit more expensive, they make a great gift for gardeners who may be hesitant to treat themselves. Does the person in your life grow roses? Pick up a pair of leather elbow-length pruning gloves to protect her arms from thorns and twigs and brambles. Is your gardener a bit indecisive, constantly planting and transplanting all season long? Get him a pair of heavy-duty claw-tipped gloves, They make digging around and uprooting the Astilbes quick and easy. If style a top priority, select a pair with a pretty floral pattern or eye-catching color scheme. For an extra touch, have them monogrammed.

Gardening Books

Let’s face it, gardeners are a voyeuristic bunch. They love peeking over the garden gate, so to speak. They enjoy ideas from friends, neighbors, and complete strangers for new designs and things to try. During the long winter months they remain indoors with a stack of books. They pore over beautiful color pictures and plotting, scheming, and picking out plants to try in the season to come. Every year brings a new crop of glossy, hardcover coffee table books. They’re perfect for cozying up with a mug of tea on a snowy February day. There are also the more practical guides to different types of flowers, shrubs, and trees that can be an indispensable part of a gardener’s library. Or consider an attractive gardening journal, with space for detailed records and planting notes that can be used from year to year.

Garden Seeds

Something as simple as a packet of heirloom seeds tucked into a charming greeting card can be a thoughtful and inexpensive token for the gardener in your life. Pick a favorite veggie or choose the “ingredients” for a themed salsa garden or herb garden. And, you can’t go wrong with seeds for romantically named old-fashioned favorites like forget-me-nots, (Myosotis), kiss-me-over-the-garden-gate, (Polygonum orientale), or love-in-a-mist, (Nigella damascene). A unique and special gift, your recipient will look forward to planting seeds in a few weeks, and think fondly of you when the flowers bloom or veggies ripen later in the season.

Gardening Boots

Similar to durable gloves, a pair of sturdy rubber boots or garden clogs is something every gardener would love to have. But, instead they often makes do with old gym shoes, or worse, easy to clean flip flops! High quality boots or clogs can be an investment. But, good ones will last for years and make working outdoors in wet, muddy conditions a breeze. Wear them with thick socks for the chilly days of early spring and fall, and after mucking about in the soggy April earth, just hose them off and they’ll look almost new again! Pair these with a good set of gloves or wide-brimmed hat for that really special someone.

Garden Cart

A garden cart is one thing I have never bought myself, but always wish I had. (Hint to anyone who might be taking notes.) Hardly a day goes by during the summer months that does not require unloading plants, hauling plants, or dragging plants clumsily around the yard. By the end of the day, muscles ache. You are kicking yourself for forgetting to lift with your legs, instead of your back! Select a weatherproof utility cart with solid tires that can be pushed or pulled easily over grass or other rough terrain like gravel paths and driveways. It will be a welcome addition to anyone’s shed. It’ll be remembered long after Valentine’s Day.

Skin Repair Treatments

There is no shortage of salves on the market for dealing with the dry, cracked, and chapped hands, knees, feet, and elbows that often go along with hours spent watering, weeding, and digging in the dirt. Another splurge-y item, these creams often come in gift-worthy packages – and feel like a luxury. Choose a product formulated specifically for gardeners, as these are often thicker and include ingredients with more healing properties than the average drugstore hand lotion. Look for a nourishing balm with beeswax, oatmeal, and soothing essential oils like lavender or sandalwood. Is there a better way to say love at Valentine’s Day than with a skin care product?

No matter which Valentine’s Day gift item, or combination of items, you choose from this list, you can be confident that the gardener in your life will be thrilled. Putting the time and energy into sourcing a truly thoughtful gift is almost a present in itself. Perhaps the best part is that gifts like these bring a welcome dose of sunshine to the bleak February days when it seems like warmer temperatures are never going to arrive. Let a Valentine’s Day gift serve as a reminder that spring is coming!