Mario Bautista
I always ask myself two questions before I buy gifts for the gardeners in my life. The first: What’s getting them excited about gardening this year? Maybe it’s a new tea garden or a boost in beneficial insects or a flowering focal point. With that in mind, I’ll go after a gift that taps into that energy—a gift that affirms that gardening is as much of a joy as it is a job.
But us gardeners know that sometimes a job is all you can think about. The weeding in between harvests. The extreme weather that demands special care. Slugs—all the slugs. So my second question is: What are they not excited about in their garden this year? In this case, I’ll look for a gardening gift that says “You’ve got this.”
Those two questions guided the picks on this list. The gifts that made the cut include creative suggestions and can’t-go-wrong classics that show you’ve been thinking just as much about their garden as they have.
Best Gifts for Beginner Gardeners
Like many new gardeners, I didn’t have the budget to buy anything but the absolute basics to get my garden growing. That’s why receiving nice-to-have gifts felt so special. Gear that’s both practical and stylish hits the mark, like the French Plasticana Gardana Clogs. User-friendly tools like the Olla Watering Pot make it easier for them to stay on top of tasks.
Best Gifts for Gardeners Who Grow Edibles
As an enthusiastic fruit and vegetable grower, food is always on my mind. To me, nothing tastes better than home-grown crops. How tasty would it be for them to drizzle Brightland Alive Extra Virgin Olive Oil over fresh greens or vine-ripe tomatoes? If sipping is more their style, they can steep herbs like mint, chamomile, or tulsi in the colorful Bodum Assam Brew Teapot.
Best Gifts for Small-Space Gardeners
Gardeners working in tight spaces have to be creative and clever to make the most of their spot. Not only is the 1-foot-wide MGP Willow Round 3-Sided Wood Obelisk Trellis compact, it also takes advantage of prized vertical space. Tools that tuck away or can be used for several tasks, like the multiuse Nisaku NJP651 Hori Hori, allow gardeners to do more with less.
Best Gifts for All-Weather Gardeners
Different temperatures and weather can cause issues in the garden. Gifting them the 3L Waterproof Garden Hat means rain clouds or sun showers won’t make them drop their tools and run for cover. Buggy after the storm or in the dark? They can light up the Madison James Flyaway Sticks to keep mosquitos away with the woodsy scent of geranium, Texas cedar, and clove.
Best Gifts for Indoor Gardeners
Anyone you know who takes care of a houseplant or grows basil on a windowsill is a gardener, too. Help them trap gnats and other pests with the Rooted Super Stick Gnat Traps, pesticide-free stakes that come in four fun, vibrant designs. Those who have a collection of scallion ends floating in water would like the Elementi Sprouting Lids for Wide Mouth Mason Jars, Set of 2 to grow sprouts for zingy, healthy toppings.
Best Gifts for Gardeners When They’re Not Gardening
Whether they view gardening as a casual hobby or their whole personality, these gifts for off-the-clock gardeners are sure to delight. Take the kitschy and covetable Artifact Heirloom Tomato Candle, ripe and ready for the top of a kitchen counter or patio table. Or gift them something decadent like The Quiet Botanist Botanical Chocolate Gift Set, a duo made up of a dark chocolate bar made with blood orange, elderflower, rose petal, and toffee along with a milk chocolate bar sweetened with dates and bee pollen.
