SALISBURY — In the past, we covered practical and educational gardening gift ideas for the gardener on your holiday shopping list. In today’s article, we’ll mention a few decorating gift ideas for the outdoor garden.
Good garden design often includes a focal point, just as an interior room benefits from a focal point such as a fireplace. In the garden, that focal point can be a plant or plant grouping, or it could be an architectural feature such as a decorative shed, a gazebo or an arbor. Although these structures can be exciting, they are often unattainable due to their expense. However, there are many affordable garden accent ideas that can make lovely holiday gifts.
Garden accents can be classy or whimsical, practical or frivolous, permanent or mobile. Take for example, the lovely tea cup/saucer garden “totem” I picked up at a Master Gardener plant sale. Not only is it cleverly made, it is one of a kind. It is standing in my entrance garden and beautifully sets off the plant groupings next to it. Totems can also be found online.
Other garden accents can include benches, obelisks, trellises, urns, pots, window boxes and hanging planters. A few years ago, my husband gave me a unique, large hanging basket hung on a half-moon-shaped stand. It looks terrific all year, filled with partial shade-tolerant, evergreen, Asian Jasmine.
Kinsman Company makes special planters with liners that allow for side planting. This gives a fuller looking basket more quickly. What about using old metal antiques, such as an old milk can for an accent? Even old salvage parts can be turned into interesting garden art.
For those of you who are handy, try turning old lamp parts into a decorative planter or trellis. Handmade gifts often have special meaning for the recipient, especially if they are made from pieces of items revolving around past memories. By removing one of the glass panes, I was able to covert an old lantern from my former house into a unique planter. Whenever I see the planter, I remember my old neighborhood.
One of my favorite garden accents is a table umbrella planter that wraps around the pole of the umbrella. It comes in two pieces, making it easy to use. It provides a continual centerpiece for outdoor dining.
There are so many wonderful gardening gift ideas, from the practical, to the educational, to the decorative. Hopefully some of these ideas will help make your holiday shopping easier for the gardener in your life.