List of gift ideas for your gardening friends grows

Jim Mayfield knows all about gardening gifts. He's been given his share of gardening-related Christmas gifts and has even helped shoppers find the perfect item for those on their shopping lists.

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So, when it comes to finding that just-right gift for the gardener on your list, Mayfield is full of suggestions.

"Rain gauges are a great idea, what with all of the rain we've been having," said Mayfield, who works part time at Culpepper Lumber Co. Inc. Ace Hardware in Evans. Gauges can range in price from a few dollars to more than $50 for the electronic versions.

A few other good gifts this time of year are bird feeders and bird houses. The gardener's feathered friends shouldn't be forgotten during the winter months.

Gift certificates to a garden-supply store or nursery also are much appreciated, said Mayfield. And since now is the time to plant trees, bushes and bulbs, those, too, are good gift ideas.

According to the About.com Web site, gardeners also appreciate magazine subscriptions and rooting vases. Hand lotion, to soothe often-calloused hands after a hard day of working in the garden, is a great stocking stuffer. Of course, garden tools are always great gifts and the types of gardening tools on the market are nearly endless.

Leaf collecting kits, windowsill gardens, stepping stone kits and child-friendly watering cans are perfect for children, while men will appreciate tool organizers and pruning saws. Organic gardeners might find composting supplies useful, while every gardener can appreciate a load of compost, potting soil or manure.

"Even chemicals like weed killers or rye grass seed would be good gifts," said Mayfield.

While spring is four months away, a seed company catalog accompanied by a gift certificate will help gardeners get a jump start on their spring planting.

"Magazines and books are always great gifts," Mayfield said.

There are also generous gift ideas for those on a limited budget: a garden plaque or stone, plant stakes or decorative pots.

For those with no budget, consider a certificate redeemable for an hour or day of help in the garden.

Although there are only a few days left until Christmas, there is still time to get something special for the gardener on your list.