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

Intermission

I decided to take a break from the 12 Gift series today and give you a brief intermission. Here are some pictures of our tree and some of my favorite ornaments. Of course, there are just a small number of ornaments on the tree this year as it had to be able to withstand Lillian's grasp. But the Little People Nativity Village under the tree and the trains seem to divert her attention from the tree, so there hasn't been any damage to report so far.

This ornament is made from Christmas Cards. It was one of several my girlfriend and I made one year.

I cross-stitched this Santa.

This is one of 12 that my Mom cross-stitched for me. Each is a different Christmas carol. She made a set of 12 for each of her 8 children. That's a lot of x's.

This is one of my ornaments from Royal Copenhagen that I bought when working in Denmark. The heart is a reoccurring theme in their ornaments.

Lillian's having fun playing with her village.

Here Lillian has gathered up all the train cars for some reason.

Twelve Days of Gardening Gifts: Day Six, Tabletop Live Christmas Tree

Today we reach the halfway point in this gift giving series. Let's head back to one of those catalogs which are endlessly filling my mailbox. The catalog du jour is Jackson & Perkins but it's not roses that we will be selecting today. No, it's the Decorated Tabletop Live Spruce Tree.

Now, I realize this tree is not for everyone. But it is the perfect size for many households who have downsized or travel away from home at Christmas or shortly thereafter and don't want to deal with a big tree and all the decorations. Or what about the shut in or nursing home resident or the youngster starting out who might not put up a tree in an apartment? These trees come fully decorated with lights! Of course, I don't know what you do with the tree once Christmas is over. Over at Poor Richard's Almanac, they wrote about the debate between cut, live, and artificial trees where they did touch on the subject. You can read about it here.

But back to Jackson and Perkin's and their live decorated trees. They currently list three on their website, ranging in price from $69.95 - $89.95. Here are pictures of two of them, as you can see, very prettily decorated.





They also sell Rosemary Trees in different presentation pots ranging in price from $29.95 - $39.95. These are undecorated.

Or you could be like Cameron at Defining Your Home Garden and buy one at the local market for at least half that. All you have to do then is add the decorations. Check out Cameron's post here on her Rosemary Tree. When Christmas is over you'll be able to cook with this tree.

No matter what size tree you have or whether it is cut, live, or artificial, that is not where the Spirit of Christmas lies. The Spirit of Christmas is in each of us, just waiting to be shared with the world.

Twelve Days of Gardening Gifts: Day Five, Luscious Hand Creme

Today's gift is one which is useful during all seasons. During the outdoor gardening season, my hands are constantly dry due to digging in the dirt. I wear gloves, but not always, and regardless, my hands dry out terribly. And now that it's winter and the furnace is running constantly to protect us from the frigid outdoor temperatures, my hands are in a constant state of dry and cracked. I feel like Scarlett O'Hara, when her hands were so rough from working at Tara, after the war.

What better to protect and rejuvenate that dry skin than a luscious, luxurious lotion. Here are a few which qualify. If you know of others that you wish to sing the praises of, please do so in the comments. I'm always looking for a good hand lotion.

The Body Shop has lots of products that I really like, from their Body Butters to their Hand and Foot Care items to their Makeup products. But since this post is about hand lotion, let's focus on that. My choice is the Spa Wisdom Africa Spa Honey Butter. According to the website, the key ingredients are lanolin, shea butter, honey, and beeswax. I have this product and it does wonders on my dry skin, making my hands feel silky smooth. It works great on dry, cracked feet too. A 4.4 oz jar is $22. I've had mine for a couple of years now and it's almost gone. I don't use it all the time, just when my hands and feet are really bad and a little goes a long way.

Another great thing about The Body Shop is that they participate in Community Trade programs. Community Trade is a targeted purchasing program of accessories and natural ingredients from disadvantaged communities around the world.

Another good hand healer that I've used is Burt's Bees Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Creme. This also works great on my dry hands and I love the smell. It's key ingredients are sweet almond oil, aloe, and vitamin E. A 2 oz. jar is $8, and like the Honey Butter, a little goes a long way.



The last one that I'm going to mention I know I've used before, but I've never owned it. But my memory reminds me that it was very good for my dry skin and I know there are people who swear by this creme. It is of course none other than, Udderly Smooth Udder Cream. Originally invented for use on dairy cows, it is now used for dry and chapped skin. According to their website, Udderly Smooth Udder Cream is "a greaseless, stainless, water-based moisturizer with a light fresh fragrance." It is also available fragrance free and comes in 2 oz. tubes, 4 oz. tubes, 8 oz. jars, 10 oz.with pump, 12 oz. jars, 16 fl. oz. bottles and 32 fl. oz. bottles at your local store. They also sell it online where a 12 oz. jar is $5.75.


So that's my pick for today. Hand lotion would certainly be a gift I would love to receive. Stay tuned for the next gift pick. We're almost to the half-way point!

Other posts in this series
Day One, Amaryllis
Day Two, Jasmine
Day Three, Give-A-Tree Cards
Day Four, Bonsai

Twelve Days of Gardening Gifts: Day Four, Bonsai

Continuing on with the tree theme in our line of gifts, today I offer you a Bonsai. Bonsai literally translated from the Japanese means tray planting. Bonsai can be either indoor or outdoor trees and refers specifically to the training and artistic vision applied to the tree. Bonsai is an art which requires practice, a good aesthetic eye, and patience. Many different species are used for Bonsai, including junipers, pines, maples, and flowering and fruiting trees.

To embark on this new hobby or to set someone up for this pastime requires a little planning and knowledge. I found several websites offering trees of various prices and ages, equipment, how-to books, and info right on their site.

Bonsai Boy of New York has a wide selection of trees, even artificial and preserved ones. Now even the non-gardener can enjoy the beauty of a Bonsai. Here is just a sampling of what they have available.

Medium Juniper Procumbens "nana" Bonsai Tree - $29.95 on sale

According to the site "This dwarf Juniper from Japan is the most popular evergreen in the U.S. When we think of a traditional bonsai and what it should look like, we think of a "Juniper Procumbens Nana." It is very hardy, long-lived, and tolerates many adverse conditions. This is an excellent tree for the beginner."



Artificial Flowering Golden Shower Bonsai Tree - $59.95

According to the site "The flowers and branches of this artificial Golden Shower tree are created from luna clay, making them very flexible and, therefore, can be adjusted to your personal preferences or left as shown in the image. The hand-painted flowers are so life-like that people will want to touch them to see if they are real. This tree will retain its beauty for many, many years to come and can be cleaned with a dampened cloth."


Monteray - Double Trunk Preserved Bonsai Tree - $89.95

According to the site "Neither plastic nor silk, this real live bonsai tree that was carefully crafted and preserved to protect its natural fragrance, color and texture indefinitely. No watering, trimming or maintenance is required."

I wonder how they do that.



Indoor Bonsai Trees also has a wide selection of trees and offer a do it yourself Bonsai starter kit.

American Bonsai Society is a site full of good resources.

Bonsai Gardener is a site with a collection of articles pertaining to everything Bonsai.


Other posts in the series
Day One, Amaryllis
Day Two, Jasmine
Day Three, Give-A-Tree Cards

Twelve Great Gardening Gifts: Day Three, Give-A-Tree Card

For Day Three of the Twelve Great Gardening Gifts, I go back to the mailbox for inspiration. We received a envelope from The Arbor Day Foundation with the following thank you gifts if you become a member: 2 Give-A-Tree Cards, A Rain Forest Rescue Calendar, and The Tree Book. All for the basic $10 membership. And who can forget the free address labels, I love those.

What intrigued me though, were the Give-A-Tree Cards. So off I went to their website to investigate. Every card plants a tree in one of the National Forests in honor of the card recipient. What a great way to honor someone while helping reforest America. Due to the large numbers of recent fires, there is a great need to replant trees in our National Forests. And I know I don't have to tell you about the many species of wildlife that make the forests their home.


The cards are $5.95 each, quantities of 100 or more are $3.50 each. You can order at their website and get cards for various occasions besides Holiday cards. There are also Birthday cards, Just Because cards, Special Occasion cards, and more. If you normally buy cards at a card store, this is really not that much more. Of course, if you buy cards at the Dollar Store like me, it is quite a bit more. Regardless of the cost, it would certainly be a nice gesture to show your support of a good cause.

Another thought I just had was that this would be a great way for a company to do something green. A lot of businesses spend lots of money at the holidays (maybe not as much this year as most), but if they were going to spend the money anyway, why not have it do something for the Earth as well. The cards can also be custom printed and a logo included.

Be sure to check out the Arbor Day Foundation's website. Besides the Give-A-Tree Cards, they do have other gift ideas. The Earth could always use another tree.

Other posts in this series:
Day One, Amaryllis
Day Two, Scented Jasmine

Twelve Days of Gardening Gifts: Day Two, Jasmine

For Day Two of my gift giving list, I will stay with White Flower Farm's catalog just a bit longer.

Every time I look through this catalog I stop at the Jasmine page. There is something about these exotic, delicate looking flowers that calls to me. Maybe it's the thought that I know I would love to have that scent lingering throughout the house. I think I may have once sent a jasmine as a gift. Is it wrong to give gifts that appeal so strongly to yourself? I guess not, as long as you believe it would also appeal to the recipient.




In the words of WFF's writer:
"Fragrance Beyond Description in the Dead of Winter"
"Jasminum polyanthum is a handsome, subtropical vine whose dark green leaves provide a perfect backdrop for its January display of elegant and exquisitely fragrant white flowers. This is the perfume of Arabian nights, a rich, sweet scent that will fill a house or lightly carry through a southern garden."

It goes on to say: " Jasmine is easily grown as a houseplant but will not tolerate dry heat or dry soil, and temperatures above 65 degrees F are to be avoided while the buds are developing. If plants are placed in a cool spot and enjoy bright, indirect light, we guarantee bloom."

They offer their jasmine in several different pot presentations ranging in price from $42 - $62.

Check back tomorrow for the next gift in the series Twelve Days of Gardening Gifts.

Other posts in this series:
Day One, Amaryllis