Green Thumb Gifts: Beyond Gardening Gloves

Ahh, spring! It has sprung! Gardeners (and budding gardeners - no pun intended) have begun the quest for a weedless lawn, or a bountiful garden. But if you're looking for gifts for someone with a green thumb (or someone with green thumb envy), consider the situation first.

Some people think of gardening as a chore. Others see it as relaxing. Some will see it as exercise, and still others consider it art. Some people have the magic touch in the garden, while others couldn't grow mold if they tried! This is important when considering gardening gifts. You need to know if you should give something to make gardening easier, more fulfilling, more challenging, or more fun.

For those people who see it as a chore, gardening just adds more items onto the never-ending to-do list. In this case, you need to consider gardening gifts that will make these outdoor chores easier, faster, and less of a hassle.

Power tools and storage & organization aids usually fall into this category, along with the ever popular lawn tractor. A leaf blower/vacuum can make clean-up a breeze (again - no pun intended). The same can be said for a pressure washer. Heavy jobs are made easier with a wheelbarrow or yard cart. And organizing a collection of garden tools is simple with a storage bench or shed. Other ideas include a convenient watering timer.

If your gift recipient enjoys gardening as a hobby, you'll want to take a look at gardening gifts that can bring more fulfillment or enjoyment to the outdoors. They would benefit from a magazine subscription like "Garden Design", or a gardening book ("Front Yard Gardens: Growing More Than Grass") to help cultivate their ideas. Garden enthusiasts like to sit back and enjoy their hard work, so patio furniture and accessories would also be a great gift.

And let's not forget the gardener wanna-be: those whom we love that just can't seem to keep that plant alive - whose thumb isn't really green at all! Start off with a how-to book like "Lawn Care For Dummies" or "Taylor's Encyclopedia of Garden Plants", and complement that with some basic gardening tools or accessories. These types of gifts would also be great for first-time home buyers.

For the gardener who already "has it all", you might want to consider something a little more unique, like an indoor grow light, solar stepping stones, or a cascading fountain. And if you're just not sure what to get, there's always a gift certificate or gift card.

A Heath is a gift researcher for http://www.the-gift-wizard.com