Gift-giving season is with us and here are some ideas for some of those on your list.
What gardener doesn’t like comfort?
You can’t beat Duluth Trading Co.’s Heirloom Gardening Pants. The pants are designed for the role, but also would be perfect for hiking, camping or just running errands.
They are made with 4.8 ounce DuluthFlex ripstop fabric, which resists stains and abrasions, and repels water, but is not waterproof. Talk about fit, comfort and function. There are pockets for everything: snips, tree saws, pencil, paper, seed packets. You name it, there’s a pocket for it. The pants have pouches for Duluth-brand knee pads, too.
The middle of the back has what Duluth calls Curvesetter Waistband, which is just a bit higher than the rest of the band, designed to keep us covered when bending over. They come in steel blue or deep olive, 29- or 31-inch length, and sell for $74.50. I love mine. Find them at Duluth Trading Co. in Noblesville, or online.
First-timers in their own abode
Of course, they will want to try a houseplant or two, but are unsure which plants to select or how to take care of them. We’ve all been there. Help them succeed.
Michigan garden writer Lisa Eldred Steinkopf provides the answers in her book, Houseplants: The Complete Guide. Known as The Houseplant Guru, Steinkopf covers everything houseplant, from planting to problem solving, in the 275-page hardcover book.
This would be a terrific book for anyone interested in houseplants. Besides being informative, it has beautiful photographs shot by Steinkopf’s daughter Chelsea. Published this fall by Cool Springs Press, the book is $30 and is available at bookstores and Amazon.
Missing from the tool box?
Just when you thought weeding tools couldn’t get any better comes CobraHead Mini Weeder and Cultivator. This is the little sister to 13-inch long CobraHead ($24.95), the original tool from the Wisconsin manufacturer.
The Mini, at 8 ¾ inches and outfitted with CobraHead’s extremely sharp Steel Fingernail, is perfect for removing weeds from cracks and crevices, such as between sidewalks, stepping stones and other tight spaces. The Mini is $21.95 at Cobrahead and Amazon.
Another fine tool is Sneeboer’s Precision Weeder. It looks like a small harpoon and works well under shrubs or around perennials without destroying roots. Made by the Dutch company Sneeboer Manufacturing, the weeder is $48 at White Flower Farm.
These are just a sampler of gifts for gardeners and others, but ones that will be appreciated.