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Welcome to my Western Pennsylvania garden. Join me on a "Walk Down the Garden Path".

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

12 Days of Gardening Gifts: Day Seven, Magazines

We all have them, probably piles of them. I know I do and I just pulled one from my stash that's dated 2003. But for Day Seven of this gift giving series, I think Gardening Magazines is just the thing. If you have a favorite that you know the giftee doesn't already receive, maybe you would want to give a subscription. Or if you aren't sure of their taste in magazines, you could pick out a few and give the latest copy of each. A couple of magazines stuffed in a stocking along with the fixings for some hot cocoa would make a delightful gift to be enjoyed by the fireside on a cold winter's night. And winter is the best time for catching up on the latest trends in the gardening world.

Currently I don't subscribe to any magazines, but here are a few that I've subscribed to over the years. Please let me know what your favorites are in the comments. Maybe one or two of them will find their way into my stocking this year.

Horticulture - 6 issues for $19.95. Classic magazine with lots of design and plant info.

Gardening How-To - You receive this magazine when you become a member of the National Home Gardening Club. I believe the magazine is bimonthly and that dues are $1/month, if I'm reading the info on the website correctly. I was a member a few years ago, and if I remember correctly, you could also sign up to test new products. I was sent a type of plant food to test.

Taunton's Fine Gardening - 6 issues for $29.95
This is a bit pricey which is why I don't subscribe all the time but Taunton's Fine Gardening and Taunton's Fine Cooking are two magazines that I LOVE. If you've never read them, you should treat yourself and check them out.

Garden Gate - 6 issues for $20. In Garden Gate you'll find plant info and design info but not one ad. I love that.

Birds & Blooms - 6 issues for $14.98. If you love to garden and watch the birds and butterflies this is the magazine for you. Tons of reader input and ideas. And I don't know if it is still this way but when I subscribed there were no ads.

Backyard Living - 6 issues for $14.98. I think this is published by the same people as Birds & Blooms. It covers gardens, grilling, recipes, and weekend projects. Again, with lots of reader input and ideas and my issues don't have ads.

That's what's in my magazine bin. What's in yours that you would recommend?

Other posts in this series:
Day One: Amaryllis
Day Two: Jasmine
Day Three: Give-A-Tree Cards
Day Four: Bonsai
Day Five: Hand Lotion
Day Six: Tabletop Tree

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, these aren't gardening magazines per se, but there's a lot of gardening in them, and I find them useful, informative and entertaining: Backwoods Home, Mother Earth News, Back Home, and Hobby Farm. If you don't know them, check 'em out and see what you think!

tina said...

Good morning Cindy, I've subscribed to all of those you named. Horticulture and Fine Gardening being the best garden ones I really like. Let me add two more to your list: Organic Gardening, and Mother Earth News. Both are about sustainable gardening, have great articles, and good info. In fact, I need to get my card in the mail...

Nola said...

Garden Gate and Backyard Living sound great. Since I found the world of blogging, I rarely buy mags, and have dropped all my subscriptions. Why pay for all the ads? On blogs, I can get the same info for *FREE*!!!

Gail said...

Hi Cindy, I have let all but Fine Gardening go! I have everyone of the magazines since the first issue! I do think I know them by heart and that's because I used them as references. I give this magazine to someone each year...usually a good gardening friend!

Gail

Anonymous said...

All wonderful selections for the gardener or wildlife lover! I give BHG to a few family members each year. :)

F Cameron said...

I love BBC Gardens Illustrated.

I used to have a subscription to Fine Gardening, but after it expired, I didn't renew it. I still find myself buying it off the shelf, so I need to renew my subscription. I read their online articles all the time and get their newsletter.

Cameron

Rose said...

Cindy, This would definitely be on my gift list for myself! I still like the old stand-by, Better Homes and Gardens. I usually skim through the decorating and recipe pages and drool over the featured gardens. I also get Gardening How-To; they haven't sent me anything to test in a long while--probably because I didn't become a life member--but they do have lots of good information.

I'm catching up on all your 12 Days' posts--I just wish everyone on my list was a gardener; it would make gift-giving so much easier!

Anonymous said...

Hi Cindy, this is a great gift idea. I also used to take a lot of magazines but let them drop when I started blogging, now only taking a few. Fine Gardening and Horticulture are great, I have added the UK English Gardens and started a subscription for the BBC Gardens Illustrated too but have not received the first issue yet so cannot comment about it. The photos in English Gardens speak to me and the garden of my dreams.
Frances

Wayne Stratz said...

this is a nice series that you are doing. I am going to request the school I work at gets a subscription to some of these. I have been meaning to for years.