^{Most of my links lead to further information. This post has affiliate links which, if you purchase through the link, I may make a teeny tiny commission. All prices as of the day of publishing and may change.}

At the start of almost every season that I have worked at a garden center management has given me a pair of secaturs, or hand pruners. I’ve usually killed them before the season is over. They become wobbly, the blade won’t sharpen, the spring has fallen out and gotten lost. Admittedly, I do a lot more pruning than the average gardener. A shipment of one hundred potted trees and shrubs may arrive, and the way they are crammed on the truck at least a quarter of them have broken branches that need attention. Ultimately, I always go back to my own secaturs.

My Felco #2 and holster are over thirty years. Yes, that’s the secaturs in my profile picture. They’ve seen a lot of pruning. I purchased them during hort school, and used them while running a landscape design/build/maintenance company with my husband. As I was, at that time, certified as an arborist, I did a lot of pruning. The pruners were sharpened weekly and I’ve only had to replace the blade once. Never lost the spring. They’ve stayed balanced and strong. Our dog Teddy Bear tried teething on them, and the paint didn’t even peel off around her teeth marks. On the farm, they’ve pruned everything from raspberries to corn.

Any gardener would appreciate quality tools. Whether they are a new homeowner or someone becoming more involved in their gardening I highly recommend good pruners, like my Felco #2. If you can splurge, get them the Felco holster, too. So convenient to whip out the pruners while you’re mowing the lawn or doing some weeding. With a pair of pruners one should be able to prune anything up to the size of one’s own little finger. Anything bigger you need a pair of loppers, and bigger than one’s thumb you need a pruning saw. You can get other great accessories like sharpeners and oil.

A good set of shovels, spades, rakes and hoes are a must, and I’ve always been impressed by the tools from Lee Valley. The ash handled, ergonomic tools are something else we’ve had for decades and used more than most people would in a lifetime. This spade is a favorite. Now, the ash handled tools are more expensive…but you have to pay for top notch quality, right? I’m a huge fan of a D-hoe, also called a scuffle hoe, at Lee Valley called a Hula Hoe. The only hoe I need, a great tool!

Some other things from Lee Valley that I’ve had for decades are a steel compost bucket for under the sink, a folding plastic mat with sides for potting plants indoors and a set of small stainless steel cups perfect for dipping sauces, snacking on nuts or dried fruit, measuring out spices before starting to cook. The links to Lee Valley products are not affiliate links, I don’t think they do that. I just really like their products. Great things for gardeners, cooks, DIYers and woodworkers.

If your gift recipient is interested in vegetable gardening or houseplants there are a ton of great things. If they are a balcony gardener or have a small yard perhaps rent them a plot at a community garden. I’ve seen these raised beds in action and they’d be appreciated. They are attractive and functional; they could go at the end of a patio or deck to provide privacy, along a fence or lining a sidewalk.

If your giftee is a houseplant enthusiast or getting into starting seeds they need a set of grow lights. Grow lights must be height adjustable; the lights start very close to the seedlings and are raised as the seedling grow. Leggy seedlings come from reaching for light. I have had a system like this grow light here. It’s adjustable, lightweight and easy. I’m also a big fan of the grow bulbs that fit into any lamp, I have these grow bulbs here. I’ve currently got one in a standing lamp in my living room with houseplants around it.

Anybody starting seeds needs a heat mat, growing medium and little flats or pots. Do support your local greenhouse in this holiday season and you’ll probably find exactly what you need. For those particularly eco-friendly I’ve used this newspaper pot maker for years. Great way to upcycle newspapers, which these days are generally on unbleached paper with vegetable or soy inks. Seeds are started in 72 or 124 cell flats then potted up to the paper pots, which can be directly planted in the garden and will biodegrade. Perfect for things with brittle roots like melons and cantelopes.

For stocking stuffers and less expensive ‘Secret Santa’ gifts magazines are a great choice. For new gardeners I always choose something written for their area, information they can use. The Gardener For Canadian Climates, published four times a year or available on the newsstands is a good choice. For the dreamer or experienced gardener I adore some of the British publications like ‘Gardens Illustrated’ or ‘BBC Gardeners World’. From America there is ‘Fine Gardening’. The newbie gardener has to understand that they can’t grow half (or maybe three quarters) of the plants featured in the last three magazines but the knowledge and photography are top notch. ‘The Old Farmer’s Almanac’ is also a fun choice with weather predictions, gardening advice, animal husbandry, moon phases and so much more! Great reading on a cold winter night. There is a Canadian and an American edition.

Books on the topic are always welcome. Again, I like things that are appropriate for the area, especially for newbies. As a cold-climate gardener I have forever been a fan of writings by Lois Hole, Sara Williams, Hugh Skinner and Bob Bors. Those books are all getting old now and don’t include varieties developed in the last twenty years. Some great new plants have been introduced that aren’t mentioned or there are named varieties you can no longer buy. I’ve been quite impressed with the recent series ‘Guides For Prairie Gardeners’ by Janet Melrose and Sheryl Normandeau. With the interest in growing fruits and food I recommend this book from the series. For something more exciting and cutting-edge here’s a link to some of the recommended books from ‘Gardens Illustrated Magazine’.

Coming soon on the blog: Gifts for Nature Lovers