2025 Gift Guide for Gardeners
Looking for the perfect gift for the gardener in your life, or maybe for yourself?
It's estimated that about 63 million people in the United States alone enjoy gardening, whether it's growing flowers, food or a beautifully landscaped yard. And about 20 million of those people are new gardeners who took up the hobby in the past few years. Chances are, you do know a gardener!
I’ve updated my annual gift guide with fresh ideas and a few new favorites for this season, including a handy weather station that every gardener will love.
You’ll also find practical tools, unique gifts to brighten the garden, and resources to inspire year-round growing. Whether your gardener tends a few containers on the porch or an entire backyard plot, there’s something here they’re sure to enjoy.
Read this first
Recently Amazon changed their policy that allowed me to use their images on my website. I haven't figured out how to do that now without jumping through all sorts of technical hoops that I don't understand. (I like growing tomatoes, not messing around with technical stuff!)
So I apologize that there aren't photos of some of these products in this post. It's NOT a trick to get you to click a link.
And just so you know, some of the links below are affiliate links, which means if you follow a link and then place a qualifying order, I might receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read my disclosure here.
But honestly, most of these items are things I use myself and absolutely love! Some were gifts, some are treats that I bought for myself, and some were sent to me for review. I haven't been disappointed! (Or if I was disappointed, I didn't include the product here!)
~~ Weather Station ~~
This Sainlogic weather station SA6 Plus is a perfect gift for gardeners who love keeping an eye on the weather! This station is solar- and battery-powered, and offers a 330-foot wireless range. The 6.5-inch color LCD screen is bright and easy to read, showing current conditions plus moon phase, barometric pressure, humidity, wind speed, and more - plus I can check the weather on my phone with the free Weatherseed app as well - no monthly subscription required.
Simple to install and set up, the SA6 Plus delivers accurate backyard weather info right where and when you need it.
The SA6 Plus weather station takes the guesswork out of gardening, helping gardeners track rainfall, humidity, keep an eye on moon phases, and watch for frost.
Order the Sainlogic SA6 Plus or any of their other products directly from the Sainlogic website for a 30% discount on any of their products.
~~ Garden Seeds ~~
Honestly, any gardener would love a gift certificate for seeds! You decide the amount and they decide what seeds they'd like to receive.
They can choose flowers, vegetables, herbs... a new variety of tomatoes... whatever they would like to grow next season in their own garden.
I recommend Mary's Heirloom Seeds. Mary sells organic, heirloom seeds which are better for our gardens, for our bodies and even for our wallets. Read why in this guest post by Mary.
Go here to order a gift card from Mary's Heirloom Seeds.
If you'd prefer to choose the seeds yourself, Mary also offers several fun seed collections, such as a pizza garden pack, pollinator collection, herb garden, edible flowers and others.
A few years ago a dear friend sent me a birthday card made with seed-embedded paper. I planted the paper and had beautiful zinnias blooming all summer long, then I saved the seeds from those flowers and planted them for many years afterwards.
In fact, that's how my love for zinnias began. They're so easy to grow, very pretty, and can withstand our hot and dry summers. I never would have discovered them without that gift. (Zinnias are pollinator favorites too.)
Wouldn't a seed-embedded card be a fun little gift or stocking stuffer? You can find a variety of seed-embedded cards as well as card enclosures, bookmarks, tags and more on Etsy (click here) and on Amazon (click here) - or learn how to make your own seed-embedded paper here.
~~ Plants ~~
Like with garden seeds, any gardener's heart would be stirred by a gifted plant.
A fruit tree would be a gift that keeps on giving for years and years. My favorite place to purchase fruit trees is from Stark Bros Nursery. They carry more than trees though; I bought my asparagus and strawberry plants from them, and sweet potato slips too.
~~ Grow light bulbs ~~
In winter, when I cannot garden outdoors, I really enjoy my houseplants. But we don't have much sunlight in our home in the winter, so I have several of these grow light bulbs that screw right into regular light sockets.
Grow light bulbs can be used in overhead fixtures or in table lamps. They replace regular light bulbs, and keep house plants happy in the winter.
The light bulbs don't need a special fixture so they are super handy, and they boost the light over my houseplants and keep them happy, which keeps me happy!
No overhead fixtures where a grow light bulb could go? You can replace a regular lamp bulb with a grow light bulb, and set your plants on the table, under the lamp. A gooseneck desk lamp works great!
~~ The Garden Tools Section ~~
Everyday tools wear out, it's a fact of life. Whether your gardener admits it or not, a new garden tool is always appreciated!
Fork hoe
All I can say about my Chillington Fork Hoe from Easy Digging is WOW! This thing is a work horse! Your gardening friend needs one too - and so do you!
This fork hoe is designed to dig in and cultivate the soil with an easy and quick motion that's gentler on your back. You don't need to use a lot of force to break up dirt clods, work your garden soil effortlessly, and aerate the soil for good plant health.
It even dislodges the roots of large weeds so they are easier to pull out of the ground.
And compared to the rakes and shovels and pitchforks I've used all my life, the quality of this fork hoe is amazing. It's probably going to outlive me.
The fork hoe makes the hard work of gardening easier. It's my tool of choice for working in our clay soil, a heavy compost pile, and in my raised beds - perfect for "mature" gardeners or those who struggle with heavy work.
You'll find more information at EasyDigging.com.
The fork hoe next to some 10-gallon nursery pots.
Pruning Shears
Even the best shears and loppers and scissors will become dull over time, perhaps it's time to give your gardener a new pair?
I bought a pair of these Fiskars pruning shears three years ago and they are still my favorite "cutting tool" in the garden.
They are definitely heavy duty enough to handle my rosebushes as well as vegetable plants, and are easy on my "mature" hands. Let's just say that I don't have the hand strength that I used to have, but I can use these shears comfortably and effectively.
Rain Gauge
I use a "redneck rain gauge" these days (ie, I look in the wheelbarrow or feed buckets and know that we had "a little" or "a whole lot" of rain), but I really want to know just how much rain we really got!
Real rain gauges come in a wide variety of sizes and features, are way more accurate than my redneck method, and many are less than $5.
I recommend a plastic rain gauge instead of glass because, um, that's why I no longer have a real rain gauge.
Watering Can
A watering can is very handy for applying comfrey tea fertilizer to plants, or to mix water-soluble organic fertilizers such as fish emulsion. (I like brightly-colored gardening tools so I'm less likely to lose them in the garden!)
Garden gloves
Garden gloves wear out quickly, as well as getting dirty fast - because we're digging in the dirt, right? Why not gift a pair of new gardening gloves to your favorite gardener?
I have high standards for gardening gloves: durable and sticker-resistant. Fabric and knitted gloves attract all the awful stickers we have here in Oklahoma, and wisps of hay get stuck in woven fabrics, making them itchy and unsightly.
In other words, I need heavy-duty gloves that protect my hands and will hold up and look decent.
So I've given up on the cotton gloves that always disappointed me in the past and have been using a pair of these bamboo garden gloves. Your gardener is sure to love them too!
I had my first pair for more than 5 years and they lasted very well in spite of how hard I require them to work.
In fact, I liked them so much that I bought a back-up pair to use when the first pair finally wore out, and now that I'm using that back-up pair, I've bought another pair to have in reserve!
The prickly leaves of comfrey and sticker-y weeds are no problem with these gloves, and my fingernails haven't poked a hole in the end of the fingers either.
The mesh-like fabric on the back is pretty breathable, and my hands aren't all sticky and sweaty inside. I bet your gardener will love them too.
~~ Garden whimsy ~~
Water attracts all sorts of beneficial songbirds, pollinators and frogs to a garden, and moving water is even better, adding the beauty of sight and sound to the loveliest places in nature.
Imagine a yard full of birds and hummingbirds, and the soft sound of tinkling water that's calming and tranquil.
This solar fountain is powered by the sun and adds motion and water spray to any container of water without needing a nearby electrical outlet or extension cord.
A solar fountain in a birdbath adds sound and motion to your patio or garden.
Place the solar fountain in a container of water such as a birdbath, decorative bowl or a small garden pond - even a bucket! - and watch as the sunshine powers the spray. There are several nozzles included so you can choose the height and spread of the spray pattern.
Wind chimes are another gift that many gardeners - and even non-gardeners - will enjoy. Their gentle sound is restful and soothing, turning a breeze into music.
This set of large wind chimes gives off a deep, rich sound. Choose a size that will compliment your space.
From large wind chimes that make a statement both visually and musically to smaller accent pieces, you'll find a large assortment online or at your local garden center. Aluminum alloy chimes make the purest sound, but capiz shells and bamboo chimes make their own kind of music too.
Frog houses and other garden decorations - Frogs and toads are so beneficial in the garden, and frog houses are easy to make.
See this how-to from Gardening Know How for a simple DIY frog house, or you can buy one ready-made from Etsy or Amazon.
.jpg "Frogs and toads eat insects, slugs and snails. Invite them to your garden with a frog-friendly habitat.")
One of the leopard frogs that lives in my garden.
I happen to think they're cute, and so is this frog statue at Amazon that will secretly hold your extra house key.
If your gardener lives in a cold climate, winter is pretty much spent indoors. What do you do during those long evenings? Jigsaw puzzles are a fun way to pass the time, whether worked on alone or with friends or family.
Amazon has a large selection of jigsaw puzzles and many are garden designs: seed packets, a hummingbird garden, and this farmhouse garden.
~~ Bird Feeders ~~
Birds are some of the best pest-control measures in a garden, so why not invite them to visit?
For year-round fun, give your favorite gardener a bird feeder. Add a bag of birdseed so it's ready to use immediately - or for the ultimate gift, offer your time to install it for the recipient too.
Feeders come in several types, such as the squirrel-proof bird feeder above (we have two of these). The roof lifts up for easy filling, and it holds a lot of birdseed.
While the feeder above is my cat's favorite (he watches the birds from the window), the smart bird feeder below from Dokoo is my own favorite.
This feeder's solar-powered camera works on wi-fi and I can keep an eye on winged visitors with the app on my phone, even if I'm away visiting the grandkids. (The grandkids love watching the birds too!)
.jpg "Solar-powered smart bird feeder's camera will keep tabs on all those feathered visitors to your feeder.")
The feeder includes hardware to mount it on a pole or to attach it to a fence or outside wall, plus the solar panel, wi-fi antenna and other accessories.
In hindsight, we installed this pole too close to the fence, and the birds have had to share with the neighborhood squirrel - but squirrel baffles are available to help prevent this problem. And if you have a wooden pole like we do, you'll need a squirrel baffle for wooden posts.
Hanging bird feeders are also popular, with both families and with the birds. This one is actually the most popular feeder in our yard!
If your recipient doesn't have trees to hang bird feeders from, you can include a heavy duty deck hook, or a shepherd's hook for a quick and easy solution, like we did with the feeder above.
Window bird feeders are "up close and personal" and can bring entertainment to young children and to those who might not be able to go outdoors easily.
Some additional choices are suet feeders and thistle feeders. Suet feeders are excellent for winter birds, while the birds that enjoy thistle seeds are usually summer finches that migrate to warmer weather in the winter.
Hummingbird feeders are also a nice gift. Be sure to include this recipe for homemade nectar.
- Claude Monet
~~ 2026 Calendar ~~
Beautiful wall calendars abound online and at the mall, and you're sure to find several that boast abundant gardens, such as this one featuring Monet's garden.
~~ Fun Things to Grow ~~
This mushroom log will let your gardener (or cooking enthusiast) grow mushrooms at home.
Add a book such as Growing Mushrooms for Beginners: A Simple Guide to Cultivating Mushrooms at Home for a well-rounded gift.
.jpg "Growing mushrooms is easy and safe with help from this book, Growing Mushrooms for Beginners.")
I love this book, I've always been a bit afraid of mushrooms but author Sarah Dalziel-Kirchhevel is helping me overcome my fears.
~~ Garden planners ~~
Whether your gardener has grown a square foot garden for decades or is a brand new gardener exploring various methods, the Square Foot Gardening Planner will allow them to record all the garden tasks, plans and harvests for three full years. Organize chores, record seed varieties grown, track garden performance and more in these handy, easy-to-use charts.
The latest edition of Square Foot Gardening would be a great companion gift paired with the planner.
~~ Gardening ebooks ~~
Browse through my garden ebooks as gifts for your gardening friends, filled with helpful tips and inspiration, and available as digital downloads.
The Down-to-Earth Guide to Composting will help any gardener begin and maintain a successful compost pile to amend and enrich their garden soil, whether you have clay or sandy soil or something in between.
A gardener who can make their own rich garden amendments at home? Priceless!
How to Grow Vegetables and Herbs in a Shady Garden will help any gardener with a shady yard or just a shady corner.
The Shady Garden ebook also includes lists of shade-tolerant vegetables and herbs as well as how to identify the best location for a garden, growing in containers, and boosting the sunlight in shady areas such as patios and apartment balconies.
There's renewed interest in growing food at home these days. A backyard shaded by beautiful mature trees doesn't have to "stunt your growth."
If you'd prefer something tangible instead of a digital file to give as a gift, ebooks are easy to print out, then add to a binder or a presentation folder.
Inspiring gifts that keep on growing
I hope this guide helps you find something special for the gardener on your list, or sparks a few ideas for your own wish list.
From practical tools to little touches that make time in the garden even sweeter, these gifts celebrate the joy of growing things. And if you’re looking for an extra dose of inspiration, don’t miss my gardening eBooks, filled with down-to-earth tips and encouragement for every season.
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Related posts:
Homemade Gifts from Your Garden
Simple Gift Ideas from Your Homestead
Vegetables You Can Grow in Containers
Kathi Rodgers is the gardener and writer behind Oak Hill Homestead (est. 2006) and the host of HOMEGROWN: Your Backyard Garden Podcast. With over 30 years of gardening experience in a variety of climates and soils, she helps new and aspiring gardeners grow healthy, organic food right in their own backyards.
A passionate advocate for simple, self-reliant living, Kathi is the author of multiple ebooks, a published magazine contributor, and shares practical advice with readers who want real-life solutions they can trust.
Kathi lives in Oklahoma, where she grows more cherry tomatoes than she can count and keeps a watchful eye on tornado season. A proud grandma and great-grandma, she believes that wisdom - like a bountiful garden harvest - should be shared.
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