gift guide: gardeners + green thumbs
WHEN MY dad started working from home 2 years ago, he slowly and [I think] sort of inadvertently began building a little cactus nursery near a big window in the house with wee clippings from his various ‘mother’ cacti. What started as a single rescue mission has turned into a whole gaggle of little pots with shoots at various stages of growth and my dad tends to the little guys like a proud papa. It’s pretty adorable.
IT’S EASY to understand why there are so many super passionate gardeners out there. Gardening connects you to the earth and nature in a way that‘s rare in most people’s daily lives. That connection and the time spent tending to precious plants, whether in a windowsill or on an acre, can provide soothing + peaceful solace for busy lives, making space for quiet reflection, reducing anxiety and calming frayed nerves. It can also be a serious mental challenge, which is also healthy. Plus you get the immense satisfaction of watching something that you cared for grow and bloom and sometimes you even get to eat the fresh ‘fruits’ of your labor. My son inhales almost all of the potted herbs before they even make it inside. And our big old dog used to nibble each perfectly ripe raspberry off the bush, one by one, with the gentleness of a tiny baby bunny. It’s just that satisfying to pull something delicious straight from the garden and devour it.
SO IF you love someone who loves to get their hands in the dirt, this Gift Guide is for you. It’s full of beautiful and creative things, many handmade, to elevate any gardener’s practice. Enjoy, lovelies, and save a late summer ripe tomato for me. GIFT A LITTLE HAPPINESS. xo
gifts for gardeners + green thumbs
>> Barebones Living designs and makes timeless, high quality tools for gardeners and outdoor lovers of all kinds [the Hori Hori Classic is one of their most loved and popular tools]. But it’s also a super cool company with a serious mission to ‘build relationships and connect community through food, nature and the pull of fire,’ which they do not only with their amazing products, but also through incredible philanthropic work and their status as a Certified B Corp. Any of their gorgeous things would make a beautiful, thoughtful and useful gift for the gardeners and outdoor lovers you love. <<
>> Flamingo Estate’s Heirloom Tomato Candle has become a bit of a bougie cult favorite. Its earthy, herbaceous scent is specific and super refreshing and a perfect nod to your gardener’s passion. They also have a little collection of other home and body products in the same scent and they’d all make a unique and gorgeous gift for your green thumb. << $61
>> No need to sacrifice style while you’re out in the muck with Australian brand, Merry People’s Bobbi Rain Boots. They’re a classic Chelsea-style boot reimagined in natural rubber with a neoprene lining for comfort and protection. And they come in a bunch of super cute color combos like Beetroot + Light Pink. Wear them for gardening, camping, tromping through the mud, festivals and anywhere else you might encounter some mucky muck. They have Tall Boots, too, if you’re going deep. << $140
>> Well this something different for your green thumb. It’s a Shiitake Mushroom Log Kit from Lost Creek Mushroom Farm in Oklahoma. A hardwood log is seeded with shiitakes and with a little water will produce a crop of mushrooms every two months for up to 3 years. It can be kept inside or out [depending on your climate I’m sure] and the purchase of each kit supports Mushrooms in Ghana, helping small scale mushroom farms in West Africa. How cool is that? << $29.95
>> Keep that fierce sun off your face in style with this handmade Cotton Crusher Hat. It comes in 6 pretty colors, has an inner drawstring for fit, has UPF 50 and is totally packable. I’m totally in. << $40
>> These Barebones Living Classic Work Gloves are made with flexible cowhide and a keystone thumb design for maximum dexterity. They come in 3 different naturally-dyed, chemical-free colors and 3 sizes to suit just about anyone. << $27.99
>> These pretty Opinel Hand Pruners are the perfect intersection of form + function. Opinel has been designing knives for 120 years [their pocket knife is on the Victoria + Albert Museums’ list of the 100 best designed objects in the world] so I think it’s safe to say they know what they’re doing around a blade. Combine that with their distinctive style and you get the perfect shears for green thumbs who want their tools to be as beautiful as their garden. << $79
>> Handmade in Montana, these Plant Markers are pretty and super easy to read. They’re made from untreated wood and come in a ton of different herb + veggie options, plus they’ll make them custom if you’re into growing something more exotic. << from $2.30
>> Hedley & Bennett's gold-standard aprons can handle any kind of mess you make. There are a bunch of styles, colors and prints to choose from, including a line of Denim Aprons and a water-resistant waxed canvas Field Apron that would be a super durable choice for gardening. << from $96
>> Grow a wee avocado tree in your kitchen from the pit of last night’s guac in this pretty glass Avocado Vase. << $9.99
>> Love this cute Grow With the Flow T-Shirt, it’s just happy and sunny for the plant-lovers you love. It comes in 3 neutral colors and a huge range of sizes from infant to adult. << $20
>> Learn about dry gardening pioneer, Ruth Bancroft, in The Bold Dry Garden. Her famous namesake dry garden in Walnut Creek, CA is one of the most acclaimed and you can see why in these gorgeous pages. << $37.50
>> Protect your arms from rashes, sun exposure and allergens while keeping cool with Farmer’s Defense Sleeves. They come in a bunch of fun prints or solids, are machine washable and provide UPF 50 to shield your skin from the sun. << $26.99
>> YouTube sensation, Huw Richards, teaches newbies and seasoned green thumbs alike how to grow an abundance of veggies in one raised bed year-round in Veg in One Bed. << $24.99
>> Love this Woven Ranch Sun Hat. It’s Fair Trade Certified hand-woven in Mexico from palm fibers. It has an interior cotton band for fit, comfort and mopping up sweat, offers UPF 50 protection and has a pretty leather adjustable chin strap. You’ll be protected from the sun and looking super stylish, too. << $68
>> Geometry has a huge selection of really pretty Tea Towels, Dish Cloths and Tableware with prints that celebrate gardens of all kinds from delicate florals to ripe veggies to bold fruits. Your green thumb will feel seen and they’ll have a useful tool for drying their hands after a good dig in the dirt. Love the Ripe and Ready, Veggies and Floral Garden prints if you need a place to start. <<
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>> This Butterfly Garden Seed Kit comes with everything you need to start a little patch of butterly-loving wildflowers to attract some pretty friends to your garden. They also have kits for Honey Bees, Herbal Tea, Cut Flowers and more and they’re all perfectly packaged for gifting. This is a sweet gift for little gardeners, too. << $26
>> I just love this rustic Moss Ring Bird Feeder. Each one has been handmade with natural materials and makes a sweet little resting spot for your feathered friends. << $50
>> Established in 1921, Steele Canvas Basket Corp has had some time to perfect their craft. This Heavy-duty Steele Canvas Utility Tote can handle whatever you throw at it. It has 8 (yes 8) exterior pockets to store ALL the stuff and reinforced leather handles so you can drag this beauty all around your garden [or the farmer’s market] without a care. It comes in 7 colors, too. << $139.95
>> Part useful guide and part gorgeous inspiration, Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden by florist farmer, Erin Benzakein of Floret Farm in Washington, would make a really beautiful gift for any flower lover or gardener. Her Year in Flowers book on floral arranging looks amazing, too. << $35
>> Terrain’s Gaurd’en Sticks are natural insect repellents and outdoor incense in one. They have three different scent profiles to choose from, Cedar + Neroli, Orange Blossom + Amber and Lavender + Eucalyptus, which all sound delightful and a sophisticated step up from the basic citronella. Burn them while working in the garden, camping, picnicking or wherever else pesky bugs might ‘bug’ you. << $38
>> This vintage-inspired Barebones Living Harvesting & Gathering Bag is so cool. It’s made of super durable paraffin waxed canvas and has a watertight removable liner. The bottom drops out so you can easily retrieve your bounty. And you can wear it either on your shoulder or back depending on your activity and comfort. << $95.99
>> This gorgeous Succulent Garden Jigsaw Puzzle is double-sided for an extra challenge and two puzzles in one for when your green thumb is ready to come inside for a bit. << $14.99
>> This sweet Three-Compartment Pollination Palace provides rest and shelter for all kids of beneficial pollinators, encouraging them to nest in your special garden. Solitary bees, ladybugs and butterflies all like different compartments. The Palace can be hung, mounted or set on the ground in your garden. << $24.95
>> Take your gardening one step further by learning to use those plants, herbs and flowers to make herbal blends and potions for healing from The Green Witch. The book also has suggestions for rituals, sacred food recipes and advice about how to commune with nature. << $17.99
>> Seriously elevate the aesthetics of your plant-care ritual with this beautiful Modern Sprout Plant Mister. Choose an all-brass or brass + glass mister to replace that plastic spray bottle you’re using now. They have awesome highly-rated Shears, too, in pretty colors to go with. << $34
>> Flora: Inside the Secret World of Plantsis as fascinating as it is stunning. It’s both an in-depth botanical guide and pure work of art that anyone interested in plants, science, art or gardening would enjoy. << $50
>> Plantables & Paper on Etsy has a massive selection of really cute seed bombs and plantable paper that would make such sweet gifts or party favors. They have some curated boxes and some holiday themed ones, too, making it a super easy gift. << from $6.50
>> Floriography is a unique, beautifully-illustrated book that teaches you about the historical significance and secret meaning of a wide variety of flowers and herbs. Alongside her gorgeous illustrations, artist Jessica Roux, tells you all about the clear messages that flowers imparted, both for love and malice. << $19.99
>> Scrub up those dirty hands after a good session with this handmade Cake Body Garden Grit Soap. It’s hand-made in small batches in TX with coffee grounds, poppy seeds and pumice for a really deep down clean after playing in the dirt. << $6.50
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