5 more Great Gifts for Gardeners

This is Part 2 of my list to Santa - this selection is tending towards my love for gadgets. I hope you're checking my list Santa!

1. Tree Trainer For Bent Trees
I've often been irritated to have plants delivered to site, and finding that some of the trees that have been supplied are slightly bent. I didn't even know that a tool like this even existed, but I have to have one...
 

 
2. Droplet Mower
How cool is this lawn mower! Not only does it look like something you'd use in outer space, but its also electric. So no more dependence on fossil fuels... I think if we kit our garden service out with these, my staff will have to wear space suits to fit in with what they're using to cut the grass.
 



3. Nature Zap Electric Weed Killer
I'm always looking for environmentally friendly ways of doing what I do, and I hate using chemicals to deal with the problems in my gardens, so if this works, it will be a great tool to add to the garden shed.



 
4. Electronic Soil Analyzer
This is a tool which every gardener should have - It not only measures the fertility and pH of the soil, but it also shows the moisture content and gives a light reading too! Gone are the days of using those irritating, cumbersome pH kits.
 



5. High-Tech Plant Glasses
These glasses seem too good to be true. They've apparently been developed by NASA, and will help you spot stressed plants just by looking at them. This really does seem like a scam, but if they work, I'll be first in line to buy a pair.
 

 

10 Great Gifts for Gardeners Part 1

With Christmas just around the corner, I thought I'd make a list for Santa - I hope she's reading...but if you're looking for gifts for the gardener in your life, or need some inspiration as to what to add to your list for Santa, I've got just the thing(s) for you...

1. Bird Feeder
I first saw these Bird Feeders at the I Heart Market in Durban. They come as a do-it-yourself kit, with everything you need to make your feeder right in the box. The feeder stands 18cm high by 16cm across, and can be hung from a tree or pegged on a broom handle. The kit includes a stack of little signs to bling your feeder once it's assembled.



2. Leafsnap App
Well this is not quite as helpful for us South Africans (being developed for American users), but I'm putting it on the list anyway. More in the hope that something gets developed for South African budding botanists. The name says it all - take a picture of the leaf of an unidentified tree, and using images and algorithms, the app will identify the tree for you. How amazing is that! Or maybe I'm doing myself out of a job?

 
3. Ornate Spades by Master Artist Cal Lane
These spades are not very practical, but I think Form used these to bury Function in a shallow grave. As is the case with so many beautiful things - I love the contrast she creates with her work.



4. Sasol eBirds of Southern Africa iPhone App
Yes, another app, but you'll love this if you're a big twitcher...no, nothing to do with coffee...If you enjoy the classic bird book, then you'll love this app. Its a perfect gift for avid birders or even just for casual spotting in your garden. With images, distribution maps and text descriptions for over 950 bird species found in the Southern African region, its a perfect tool to use with your iPhone, Blackberry or Android.


5. A Pile of Compost
A slightly eccentric gift to be sure, but no gardener would look a gift horse in the...er...manure maker. A load of manure or well-rotted, weed-free compost is like gold to a gardener. If you're in Durban, you can order truckloads from Allgrow or Gromor.


6. Deluxe Weather Station
Ok, this is a bit of a pricey gift, but look what it can do. If you're a climatophile and a gadgetophile (yes, I made both those words up) then this is perfect for you.

 
7. Scarecrow Sprinkler
This would have come in very handy in so many of the gardens that I've done. Its a motion sensor attached to a sprinkler head, which shoots a jet of water out every time something moves near it. Its perfect for gardens with pesky animals that love to dig in your newly planted flower beds. Just make sure that its off before doing your chores...


8. Hammock
With this gift, you're not going to get a lot of those gardening chores done, but it will be time well spent. No garden is complete without one of these.



Photo via Stairropes

 
9. Garden Hose Water Usage Meter
If you're worried about the amount of water disappearing through your hose nozzle, or want to measure how much water is being used on your very thirsty lawn, then clip this meter between your tap and hose. Definitely on my list for Santa...
 
10. Potting Bench
A potting bench is an indispensable piece of equipment for gardeners - if you've got the space, it's definitely something even the occasional gardener would make use of. Even if its just used to display your nursery-bought potted plants, to fool people into thinking you've been hard at work.