Gift Idea For Person Who Loves Gardening

The Best (Strategist-Approved) Gifts for Gardeners

Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Retailers

If you talk to any gardener or horticulturalist, they'll tell you that tending a garden can quickly grow from a hobby into a lifelong passion. That means the gardener in your life likely owns a lot of the tools they need. So, what do you get the person who stockpiles stacks of planters and has already perfected their fertilizer blend? Below, we've rounded up 38 ideas that will enrich their oasis, most of which we have written about before. From artisanal brooms to heritage watering cans to smart, self-watering herb gardens that take the guesswork out of growing, our list includes something for pretty much everyone — whether they're the proud keeper of an English-style cottage garden or a humble apartment gardener hoping to level up their plant-tending skills.

Modern Sprout Terra-cotta Grow Kit — Desert Rose Bonsai

For beginner gardeners who are eager to start growing something before spring (or want to test out the hobby before committing to anything high maintenance), consider this affordable Desert Rose Bonsai grow kit that Strategist contributor Daniel Moldin says is pretty much killproof. It comes with everything you need to sprout the tiny tree, and all you have to do is remember to keep its vessel's reservoir filled with water; a wick that leads from the roots of the plant takes care of the rest.

If they tend a vegetable garden, consider giving the gift of fermentation. Michael Perrine, founder of rejuvenation and detox clinic Vitality NYC likes this kit, which has everything you need to pickle cucumbers or make kimchi.

The avid gardener in your life probably knows a thing or two about back pain. This lightweight gardening seat will help, and also doubles as a tool bag to keep all their shears, hoes, and rakes in one place.

Williams Sonoma Gardening Seat & Tool Kit

If they need new tools, consider this Williams Sonoma set that comes with a storage tote that nests neatly under the stool. It was recommended to us by Catherine Zeta-Jones, who uses it to tend her New York City rose garden that "no one else is allowed to touch."

This citronella-based insect repellent is highly effective and smells so good that senior editor Crystal Martin uses it in "copious amounts," and contributor Aleta Burchyski's husband occasionally wears it as cologne. It comes in handy during the summer months to keep mosquitoes at bay.

Grand Patio Premium Steel Patio Bistro Set

If they tend a garden, chances are they have a patio or a favorite spot where they can sit and admire it. This powder-coated-steel bistro set is cute and durable with a small enough footprint for city gardens.

Or if they're more of a sports person than a bistro person, consider this chair from REI's West Elm collab. It's made from climbing ropes and comes in bright yellow or slate blue.

Pennington Cedar Hanging Bird Bath and Feeder

If your horticulturalist wants birds to visit their garden, birder Juita Martinez recommends installing an open platform feeder like this one because it can accommodate birds of any size.

This fun peace-sign vase can hold their fresh-cut stems — and, unfilled, can double as décor. It is made by Jungalow founder and designer Justina Blakeney and available in the off-white color shown here as well as in bronze, mint, or clay.

Milani Women's Large Brim Summer Bucket Hat

A wide-brimmed sun hat is essential when they're toiling away outdoors, and this one, which multiple Strategist staffers own and love, is affordable and functional. Its wide brim will protect their face from the sun, and it has an adjustable cord that makes it easy to wear around the neck. And it's not too precious to get dirty: Strategist senior editor Simone Kitchens says it's the kind of hat you can "sweat in and fold up and wash easily."

blüBandoo Cooling Water Evaporative Bucket Hat

If they could use a hat that is designed to keep them cool, here's one Strategist contributor Chris Black recommends for daylong hikes that's also useful for daylong planting sessions in the sun. The fast-drying bucket hat comes with special water-activated cooling crystals to help regulate temperature.

Sustainably made from 100-percent-recyclable plastic hemp, these waterproof clogs from France are ideal for tromping around the garden. Both former Strategist writer Hilary Reid and New York Magazine features editor Katy Schneider own a pair, and Schneider says, "They remind me of something my mother would have worn gardening in the '90s, and they're just really pretty and unusual and perfect."

Andrée Jardin Vintage-Inspired French Exterior Ash Wood Broom

We wrote about the rise of the artisanal broom a few years ago. ("People tend to ask, 'Are your brooms sculptures or tools?'" broom-maker Erin Rouse told us. "A nice broom is right at the intersection.") This gorgeous push-broom from French brush-maker Andrée Jardin is made of thermally treated, humidity-resistant ash wood, which means your gardener can use it all year long. It's available with black or coconut bristles, and you can also buy it with or without a handle, if you'd prefer to supply your own.

Professional EZ Travel Collection Telescopic Folding Garden Rake

For something more utilitarian, consider this garden rake that Strategist contributor Joseph Truini, a gardener of four decades, swears by. The lightweight aluminum-alloy rake features a telescopic handle and an adjustable head that goes from 7½ inches to 21¾ inches wide — good for squeezing into narrow spaces between rows of plants.

If your gardener doesn't have a pair of pruners from Swiss company Felco, they'll make a fantastic gift. The F2 model is considered the industry standard, and it tops our roundup of the best expert-recommended pruners. According to Kurt Morrell, the VP of landscape operations at the New York Botanical Garden: "A good gardener or horticulturalist anywhere in the world is most likely going to have a pair of Felcos."

If your gardener is left-handed, this pair of Felco shears is made for a comfortable grip and comes recommended by one of the Strategist's resident lefties, junior writer Leah Muncy.

For pruning and snipping that require a finer touch, these scissors recommended to us by gardeners have thin, Teflon-coated blades and ergonomic handles for ease of use.

This modular piece from designers Chen Chen and Kai Williams tops our list of status planters. It has a smooth porcelain finish and, important for gardeners who may doubt the functionality of design-y planters, integrates a drainage saucer into its design. "That imperceptible drainage tray gets me every time," says Sight Unseen co-founder Jill Singer. "It's basically a sexy workhorse planter."

Case Study Ceramics Small Cylinder with Stand

There are many copycats of the Modernica planter out there, but real heads say the original is best for its craftsmanship and aesthetic. Darryl Cheng — the Canadian "plantfluencer" behind House Plant Journal — counts it among the insider goods he and other plant-content creators endorse.

The copper watering can from British brand Haws, which has manufactured watering cans since 1886, has a cult following among serious horticulturists (including Martha Stewart). It has a gleaming finish, an architectural silhouette, and a nozzle that puts forth an even flow of water to "simulate a very gentle rain," according to Cheng.

If the price of the full-size Haws is prohibitive, this mini version in mint-green powder-coated steel is just as stunning and effective.

For an even less expensive option, Strategist writer Erin Schwartz recommends these glass spray bottles. They're durable, easy to refill, and cute enough to leave on a windowsill as a reminder to mist plants in a dry apartment.

Or you can upgrade their watering system with this aesthetically pleasing hose recommended by Lauri Kranz, founder of garden-planning and organic-food-delivery service Edible Gardens LA, for being free of BPA, lead, and phthalates.

An inexpensive gift that will change their life, recommended by Truini. "Simply plunge the two steel probes into the ground and the easy-read meter will indicate if it's time to water, whether the plant is getting enough sun, and if the soil is acidic or alkaline," he says.

Keter Urban Bloomer 1.2 ft x 3 ft Plastic Raised Garden

This raised-bed planter makes a great gift for the gardener-in-training who can't wait for access to their own outdoor space. Suitable for indoor use (or out, if they have a balcony or roof), it's self-watering, which means their victory garden will be fine even if they forget about it for a few days.

17-Inch-Tall 6-in-1 Modular Metal Raised Garden-Bed Kit

Photo: Vego Garden

Vego Garden's raised garden beds are enthusiastically recommended by Kate Anello, backyard gardener and the sister of Strategist writer Chloe Anello. She appreciates that the beds are easy to assemble and modular, "so you can create your own shapes to fit your space." Plus, she describes the delivery box as "compact" enough to be wrapped as a gift.

Herbs are notoriously hard to keep alive in an apartment. Save your urban gardener the hassle with this "smart" herb garden recommended by experts and by Strategist writer Erin Schwartz. It's self-watering and has a built-in grow light, which is especially handy in a city apartment that may not get consistent sun. The device uses Keurig-style plant pods that are biodegradable and contain a special soil that releases nutrients, maintains soil pH, and ensures that plants have enough space to breathe by way of tiny oxygen pockets.

For the novice gardener who's ready to transition from cultivating indoors to outside, Truini swears by this tool set. He says the measured transplanting trowel is "especially important when planting bulbs."

Every gardener needs a vessel to tote their flowers and produce. Sussex Trugs, a company we first heard about from British interior designer Rita Konig, is the best in the business: It invented the modern trug in the 1820s, adapting it from the Anglo-Saxon trog, a multiuse carved wooden vessel. [Editor's note: The price is an estimated conversion of pounds to U.S. dollars.]

For a less expensive, equally useful option, consider this expert-recommended plastic tub from Tubtrugs that can hold everything from annuals to weeds.

For the design-stan gardener, consider a vase from Hawkins New York. Strategist contributor Chloe Malle calls them "delicate but not girly" and "perfect for a sculptural sprig or stalk."

Brooklyn Botanic Garden Individual Membership

A gift membership to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden makes it easy for gardeners in the New York metro area to seek respite in nature or to check out the Bonsai Museum whenever the mood hits. The membership is also "well worth it for skipping the line," according to powerHouse Books founder Daniel Power.

Marc Hachadourian, the New York Botanical Garden's director of glasshouse horticulture and senior curator of orchids, told us that most gardening gloves are too thick and can cause him to "lose the sense of touch that lets me feel the difference between a weed and a real plant." These nitrile gloves are an exception: They're thick enough to protect him while being thin enough that he can feel the plants he's working with (and not end up mistaking them for weeds). Plus they're colorful, so "when you take them off and put them down, you don't lose them in the garden," he says.

If the gardener in your life wants to start composting but doesn't know where to begin, Diane Miessler, author of Grow Your Soil, recommends this vermicompost system. ( Vermicomposting is the term for using a population of worms to break down plant matter.) The finished product of "rich compost writhing with red worms brings joy to most gardeners," she says.

No matter how many pots they own, they can always use another one for propagations or new plant purchases. This blue-gray ceramic pot from the Brooklyn nursery Natty Garden comes in a range of sizes, from 5.5 inches to 12 inches in diameter and includes a saucer to catch drainage.

Johnny's Selected Seeds 7-Inch Stirrup Hoe

Dan Colen, artist and founder of Sky High Farm, a sustainable farm in Hudson Valley, swears by this red steel hoe from Johnny's Selected Seeds. "The blade is sharp; the grip is comfortable," he says. "This one, when you're holding it, is ergonomic — it allows you to use your knees and your back. Without it, I'd be down on my knees pulling things out of the ground or throwing my back out, which I do all the time regardless."

Actress Isabella Rossellini, the founder of Mama Farm, an artisanal farm in Brookhaven, New York, also loves Johnny's seeds. "They have a catalogue that has exclusively organic products — it's well illustrated and has easy and clear explanations for how to plant the seeds and what conditions they need, things like that," she told us. "Most importantly, their deliveries are reliable. This is essential because planting has to be done during specific months of the year."

If you don't know what your gardener wants to grow next, consider a gift certificate to Park Seed. The company is one of the country's oldest and largest mail-order seed operations and was recommended to us by recently retired gardeners. A great gift for anyone with some time to pursue a new project.

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