Mother's Day Gifts for Specialty Gardeners: From Earth-Friendly to Newbies

Mother's Day is right around the corner, and most of us are blessed with a lady or two who deserves a gift on that special day. There is a bounty of items out there to choose a Mother's Day gift for gardeners. You can choose from a $2 package of seeds and your time to help plant them up to just about anything a gardener could dream of.

New gardeners The new gardener is going to need some serious advice. There are great books for Mother's Day gardener gifts out there ranging from $8 and up. Authors P. Allen Smith, Eliot Coleman and his wife Barbara Damrosh (The Garden Primer) are valuable sources of practical information and have written many books which can be found at any bookstore and on line. I have one piece of advice, give the new vegetable gardener a blank book to keep record of each years crops and a diagram of the garden plot.

"Green" Environmental gardener An earth-friendly gardener will love a subscription to Organic Gardener magazine. OG has an excellent website with an offer for a 2 year at $23.94 subscription running right now. This is an information packed magazine and priceless Web site for the gardener. gardeners.com has many products suitable for Mother's Day gifts for gardeners. The popular "Tubtrug" is made from recycled tires. It is a great flexible carrier for supplies, weeds, garden and more. It comes in a variety of colors and the 11-gallon size is under $20.

Elderly or physically challenged gardeners There are wonderful gardening options for those gardeners with challenges, arthritis, stature, apartment living, mobility and more. Gardening is a soul enriching activity that anyone should be able to have . Here are just a few of the many products that will be great gardening gifts for Mother's Day to help enable these special gardeners. Garden kneeler - $30.00 and up, Knee pads- $30.00, ergonomic hand tools- $15 and up. Container gardens are a wonderful option. They can be placed on decks, patios and other waist level areas giving ease to a gardener that can not bend or lean comfortably. Kitchen, herbal and mint gardens are another treasure for those who love to grow things and find it hard to go into a large outdoor area. There are many kinds of containers including whiskey barrels (average cost $100) , window boxes, hanging planters and pots. Sources to purchase these type of items, Lowe's, Home Depot, hardware, discount and on line stores.

Fantasy or whimsical garden Is your lady the type that loves signs or creatures in her garden? Check out Mother's Day gifts for gardeners at gardens.com, lakeside.com or etsy.com for those unique gifts. You can find signs in a range of prices and themes, unusual planters and outdoor water center (Decorative bench $16.95, water center $59.95 at Lakeside) and more.

Basket of goodies A great Mother's Day gift basket could hold an issue of the current gardening magazine found at your local news stand, hand held cultivator and trowel, a hat for sunburn protection, a pack or two of flower seedlings and gardening gloves. A packet of gummy worms or frogs would bring a smile too.

The longtime gardener You think the gardener that has two green thumbs is your big challenge but don't worry, there are great Mother's Day gifts for this gardener you love. Check with your county extension service or state university to find out about the Master Gardener's program. Any gardener would take a great sense of pride in earning this certification. There is a fee so it is wise to check with your local source. Jackson & Perkins, Goldsmith's, Johnny's Selected Seeds and Burpee Seeds are some of the top quality producers of gardening goods in the country. You'll never go wrong with products, gift certificates and tools from these sources. www.jacksonandperkins.com has an awesome website with beautiful photos of their famous high quality rose bushes, perennials and bulbs. They also feature a gift guide which will help the shopper from under $30.00 including flowering plants with a free box of chocolates!

Miscellaneous garden gift ideas Does you lady have houseplants that need attention? Give her a bag of new soil appropriate for her plants and help her re-pot and clean them up. How about providing some beautiful flat rock that can be set into the pathway leading to her flower beds or garden. A comfortable lawn chair would be awesome if it's set near her garden where she can sit, rest a bit, drink some cool water and enjoy the vision of her work. On Mother's Day just sit with her and talk about gardening, what her plans are and you will see her in a whole new light. She'll love the time you spend with her.
If you're really wild you could get her a greenhouse kit which can run from a tiny unit in the under $500.00 range to thousands. If you're that wild, I want one,hint hint!

I remember reading a book years ago. The main character was planting hundreds of flower bulbs with her siblings and in the spring the yard was transformed after a long hard winter. Gardening brings new life and a sense of accomplishment to those who participate. A gardener feels close to the earth and is still amazed each time a new spurt of green bursts forth. Life doesn't give up. Gardeners know that and some can be heard whispering thanks to God when the flowers bloom and seedlings break through the sun kissed soil.

Other shopping sources for gardener gifts www.dutchgardens.com, www.marthastewert.com, www.mantis.com, www.qvc.com, www.hsn.com