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Garden Gift Baskets for the Avid Gardener

By Mary Hanna

If you have a friend or relative that is an avid gardener, there is no more thoughtful gift than a garden gift basket for a holiday, birthday or anniversary present. At first, you may seem overwhelmed when shopping in your garden center or on the internet. There are a few things to consider when trying to find just the right "flavor" for your garden gift basket to give to the people who love to play in the dirt, so to speak.

First you must determine how much you want to spend for the garden gift basket. After you have the dollar amount, walk through the aisles of the garden center to see what items are available. Of course, you could also do an internet search to see what the most popular tools and gadgets are selling. You will be surprised at the range of goods that are available from the inexpensive to the extravagant. Keep in mind that you will want to get quality products that will last so your friend or relative will have years of enjoyment.

If your gardener is a novice you may want to start with the basics, a pruner, a watering can, gardening gloves, or special nozzles for the hose. There are many garden centers that have gift baskets already made up. It could include some gardening tools and seeds revolving around a specific theme like, vegetables or roses or herbs. If you choose to go with the herb theme and want to do it on your own, include some tasty herb seed packets, some small, pretty pots and a journal where notes can be kept.

If you have a gardener with a well used garden rake and tool belt, you can pretty much surmise that they have all of the state-of-the-art tools and have been collecting gardening equipment for years. Here, a simple but thoughtful gift would be a work apron that has be monogrammed or personalized with a funny garden saying. A well-seasoned gardener will appreciate the thought you have put into the gift.

To really get the best gift for your gardener you should know the level of their expertise and if they have a theme. For example there are gardeners that only grow roses while there are others that specialize in herb gardening, knowing this will help you pick out the perfect gift. For instance a scarecrow would look dumb in a rose garden whereas a hummingbird feeder is way out of place in a vegetable patch. And be careful with the "cutesy" garden decorations, some people love garden gnomes or stone gargoyles whereas someone with an award winning exotic tropical garden wouldn't think of having one.

If after you have gone through all these options, level of expertise and if they have a theme or not and you still don't know what to buy, the answer is simple. Purchase them a gift certificate from your local garden center. Every gardener needs supplies through the year and your gift will help to offset the expense of their garden.

If after considering the gardener's experience level and theme of their garden you remain stumped, a gardening gift certificate allowing them to select their own gift is a sure-fire way to please and inspire them as their garden grows through the years.

With a little inspiration you can find the perfect gift basket for your avid gardener. Don't forget to put a pretty bow on the basket! Here is a natural pesticide that you may want to print on a card and include in the gift basket:

In a jar, combine 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid and 1 cup vegetable oil. Shake vigorously. In an empty spray bottle, combine 2 teaspoons of this mixture and 1 cup water. Use at ten-day intervals (or more often if needed) to rid plants of whiteflies, mites, aphids, scales, and other pests.

Every gardener likes to keep the garden as chemical free as they can.

Happy Gardening!

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Mary Hanna is an aspiring herbalist who lives in Central Florida. This allows her to grow gardens inside and outside year round. She has published other articles on Cruising, Gardening and Cooking. Visit her websites at http://www.CruiseTravelDirectory.com, http://www.ContainerGardeningSecrets.com, and http://www.GardeningHerb.com

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