14 Gifts the First-time Gardener Will Absolutely Love
When someone you care about starts gardening one thing is clear: They need gear! Here are 14 great ideas that will get their green heart thumping.
When someone first becomes a gardener, it’s kind of like being possessed. Suddenly, they’re rhapsodizing about how satisfying it is to chomp a carrot they coaxed out of the soil themselves. Next, they’re fretting over watering schedules. Then they’re falling in love with … a low-water flowering shrub.
Take solace: Even the greats adored their outdoor spaces. Monet considered his garden at Giverny his most beautiful masterpiece—his paintings came in second—and Jane Austen once wrote in a letter about her brother’s green space in London, “The garden is quite a love. I go and refresh myself every now and then, and then come back to Solitary Coolness.”
Fortunately for us gift-givers, this guide abounds with cool. It seems there’s a tool for pretty much everything where plant lovers are concerned—and a bauble, too. After all, when first getting started, a gardener is more than happy to dig in the soil with an old rusty trowel. But they soon realize, Okay, I’m way into this, but let’s not risk tetanus.
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Below you’ll find a native bee pollinator house that’s seriously next level, an adorable—and handy—watering can with a mister attached, and not one but two different types of gardening gloves. (Yes, gardeners need more than one kind.) Meanwhile, the time has come to ask ourselves this important question: If a plump ornamental eggplant hanging off a fir tree bough doesn’t scream “Happy Holidays,” then, really, what does?
Finally, if you like a deal, we even have some great-looking raised beds kits from garden influencer Kevin Esperitu, with a 5% off gift code just for Sunset readers.
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When You Need to Make an Ultimate Statement
Barebones Living
This Barebones Ultimate Hori Hori is like the John Wick of Japanese weeding and cutting tools—it’s slick, gorgeous, and means business. Don’t miss the clever twine cutter and bottle opener at the base.
When You Want to Bee Sweet
Flow Hive
The Flow Pollinator House is an exquisitely crafted kit that has everything you need to create a home for solitary native nesting bees. (Bee grateful: Flow donates 100% of its profits to support pollinators.)
When It’s Time To Dig In
Terrain
English craftsmen created this functional and fabulous Clarington Forge tool kit using traditional processes dating back to 1780. The set includes standard and transplanting trowels, a weeding fork, and a daisy grubber, all in powder-coated steel and FSC-certified ash wood.
When You’re Feeling Misty
Leon & George
The cutie from House of Botanicals and Léon & George is not only a watering can, it’s a mister, too. Perfect for applying diluted neem oil to deter pests and powdery mildew. Comes in seven classy colors.
When You’re Feeling Hung Up
Courtesy of World Market
This set of vegetable ornaments from World Market is so cute I rushed out to buy it for my own tree. (They have a greenhouse ornament and a gardening boot ornament, too. Just saying.)
When You Wanna Dress to Impress
Carol Barnstead
Gardening is a nail-and-cuticle-killer—and let’s not talk about the rashes and scratches. Foxgloves are nothing like the rubbery, thick gloves you usually find at the garden center—they’re tough but also thin. So elegant, in fact, you could almost wear them to the ball.
When You Wanna Work It
Barebones Living
The classic work gloves by Barebones are made with natural dyes and surprisingly supple. That said, they’re still tough enough to protect those pinkies from prickly cactus, splinters, and thorns.
When You Need a Gift with Serious Style
Thomas J. Story
Sunset teamed up with L.A.’s White Bark Workwear for this 100% organic hemp garden apron. It’s stronger than denim, naturally antimicrobial, and produced from regenerative crops. It’s also wildly good-looking, if we do say so ourselves.
When You’re Sniffing for a Compliment
Zachary Gray
Maybe you took notes during his famed Masterclass, but “A Flower for You”—a new, limited-edition scent by “Gantsta gardener” Ron Finley and parfumier Linda Sivrican of Fiele Fragrances—comes with notes of Indian vetiver, sustainably sourced Hawaiian sandalwood, Madagascar vanilla, Egyptian Rose, geranium, and jasmine. Proceeds benefit the Ron Finley Project.
When You’re Seeding an Idea
Wali Tipping
Siskiyou Seeds are grown in southwest Oregon and are non-GMO, locally produced, and support local farmers. If you don’t know where to start, try Farmer Don’s Favorites, a collection of 16 seed packets that will plant two raised beds, and includes lemon cucumbers, ‘Sputnik’ arugula, ‘Purple Dragon’ carrot, and more.
When You Want Your Gift to Shine
GLDN
These illustrated floral pendants from GLDN come in a full bouquet’s worth of designs—Iris, Aster, Fresia and more. Even better, your gift can be doubly personal if you match the flower to your giftee’s birthday.
When Your Gardener is … a Kid!
This square foot gardening template is so brightly colored and easy to use, a toddler could use it—and probably should! Both new gardeners and experienced ones will thank you for perfectly spaced out vegetables, which will help them grow a larger harvest in a smaller raised bed and save water.
When You Want to Go Big
Birdies Garden Products
If your new gardener hasn’t discovered influencer Kevin Espiritu of Epic Gardening, then lucky you: You get to make the introduction by gifting a colorful, metal Birdies Raised Bed. Special thanks to Espiritu, who’s offered 5% off for our readers with the coupon code SUNSET5. (Promotion ends Jan. 1, 2022.)
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