53 Best Gifts for Gardeners 2022

53 Best Gifts for Gardeners 2022

Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photo: Retailer

Any gardener or horticulturalist will tell you that tending a garden can quickly grow from a hobby into a lifelong passion. That means the gardener in your life likely owns a lot of the tools they need. So what do you get the person who stockpiles stacks of planters and has already perfected their fertilizer blend? Below, we’ve rounded up 53 ideas that will enrich their oasis, most of which we have written about before. From a practical telescoping rake to a heritage watering can to our favorite smart, self-watering garden that takes the guesswork out of growing herbs indoors, this list includes perennial favorites of the Strategist gardening caucus. There’s something for pretty much everyone — whether they’re the proud keeper of an English-style cottage garden or an apartment gardener leveling up their plant-tending skills.

Felco F2 Classic Bypass Hand Pruner

If your gardener doesn’t have a pair of pruners, the F2 model from Swiss company Felco — our best-in-class pruner — would make a fantastic gift. The pruners are the industry standard: According to Kurt Morrell, the VP of landscape operations at the New York Botanical Garden, “A good gardener or horticulturalist anywhere in the world is most likely going to have a pair of Felcos.”

Felco Left-handed Pruning Garden Shears

Photo: Retailer

If your gardener is left-handed, this pair of Felco shears is made for a comfortable grip and comes recommended by one of the Strategist’s resident lefties, former writer Leah Muncy.

Joyce Chen Kitchen Scissors
Very Good Deal

For pruning and snipping that require a finer touch, these chef-recommended scissors are also great for gardening, according to Strategist writer Emma Wartzman. “Their shape and size gives you a lot of control,” she says, for everything from tomatoes to “smaller herbs like oregano or thyme, when you want to snip a few stems without hacking at the whole plant.”

Tajika Herb Shears

Photo: Retailer

I’m a huge fan of these small, supersharp Japanese iron herb shears, which have a fine point that’s especially useful for snipping herbs from my smart garden.

Fiskars Ergo Garden Tool Set

For the novice gardener who’s ready to transition from cultivating indoors to outside, Strategist contributor Joseph Truini, a gardener of four decades, recommends this tool set. He says the measured transplanting trowel is “especially important when planting bulbs.”

Sunhouse Craft Double Broom

Photo: Retailer

We wrote about the rise of the artisanal broom a few years ago. (“People tend to ask, ‘Are your brooms sculptures or tools?’” broom-maker Erin Rouse told us. “A nice broom is right at the intersection.”) These double brooms are made to order (and can be customized!), so plan a few weeks ahead.

OAKART Mini Metal Dustpan and Brush Set
Very Good Deal

Photo: Courtesy of vendor

A smaller broom is useful for apartment gardeners who find themselves frequently dusting stray soil off plant stands and windowsills. Buddhist monk and author Shoukei Matsumoto recommends this natural-fiber brush and dustpan “to clean up any little mess.”

Professional EZ Travel Collection Telescopic Folding Garden Rake

For a more utilitarian option, Truini swears by this versatile garden rake. The lightweight aluminum-alloy rake features a telescopic handle and an adjustable head that goes from 7½ inches to 21¾ inches wide — good for squeezing into narrow spaces between rows of plants.

Johnny’s Selected Seeds 5-Inch Stirrup Hoe

Dan Colen, artist and founder of Sky High Farm, a sustainable farm in the Hudson Valley, swears by this red steel hoe from Johnny’s Selected Seeds. “The blade is sharp; the grip is comfortable,” he says. “This one, when you’re holding it, is ergonomic — it allows you to use your knees and your back. Without it, I’d be down on my knees pulling things out of the ground or throwing my back out, which I do all the time regardless.”

Alpha60 Saya Hat

“Australians make the best summer hats,” writes Strategist writer Kat Gillespie. This hat from Alpha60, a brand “beloved by stylish Melburnians,” offers great sun protection and comes in several colors and patterns including a cheerful red tartan.

Milani Large-Brim Summer Bucket Hat

Multiple Strategist staffers own and love this affordable and functional sun hat. Its wide brim will protect their face from the sun, and it has an adjustable cord that makes it easy to wear around the neck. And it’s not too precious to get dirty: Strategist senior editor Simone Kitchens says it’s the kind of hat you can “sweat in and fold up and wash easily.”

‘Kill Your Lawn’ T-Shirt

Photo: Retailer

A T-shirt to declare a love of native biodiversity and enmity toward monoculture lawns, recommended by Strategist senior editor Jen Trolio.

Duluth Trading Co. Women's Heirloom Gardening Bib Overalls

Overalls are a gardener’s uniform for a reason: They’re durable, comfortable, and have plenty of compartments to store tools. Katie Parks, who documents her Northern California gardening on her Instagram, Freckles and Sprouts, is a fan of these Duluth overalls: “They have loads of pockets on the legs, on the front, a pocket for knee pads to be inserted into, and even a small harvest pocket that is detachable,” she says. “Some of the pockets have a small opening at the bottom of the pocket so dirt can sift out.”

Patagonia Men's Iron Forge Hemp Canvas Bib Overalls

We’re also a fan of Patagonia’s sturdy canvas duck overalls, which come in a wide range of sizes and inseams.

Nitrile Touch Gloves

Marc Hachadourian, the New York Botanical Garden’s director of glasshouse horticulture and senior curator of orchids, told us most gardening gloves are too thick and can cause him to “lose the sense of touch that lets me feel the difference between a weed and a real plant.” These nitrile gloves are an exception: They’re thick enough to protect him but thin enough that he can feel the plants he’s working with (and not end up mistaking them for weeds). Plus they’re colorful, sowhen you take them off and put them down, you don’t lose them in the garden,” he says.

Muck Boot Women's Muckster II Mid Rain Boot
Very Good Deal

The breathable and durable Muckster II topped our ranking of garden boots with high marks from ecologist and botanist Becky Searle for being “light, flexible and very comfortable.” “These are my go-to shoes whether I’m in my garden, walking my dog, or doing the school run,” she says.

Kinfield Golden Hour Bug Repellent

This citronella-based insect repellent is highly effective and smells so good senior editor Crystal Martin uses it in “copious amounts,” while contributor Aleta Burchyski’s husband occasionally wears it as cologne. It comes in handy during the summer months to keep mosquitoes at bay.

Bug Bite Thing Suction Tool

If a few bugs make it past the bug spray, this inexpensive plastic doodad, which uses suction to extract saliva or venom from bug bites, won over Strategist writer Lauren Ro, who has used it to treat “dozens of bites.”

Grand Patio Premium Steel Patio Bistro Set
Very Good Deal

If they tend a garden, chances are they have a favorite spot to sit and admire it. This powder-coated-steel bistro set is cute and durable and folds up with a small enough footprint for city gardens.

MoMA Exclusive Classic Lawn Chair

Photo: Retailer

Or if their taste is more retro, gift them a classic, made-in-America aluminum-framed lawn chair in colorways exclusive to the MoMA Design Store.

Good Gain Waterproof Picnic Blanket

For their garden picnics, gift them a waterproof gingham blanket that New York deputy editor Alexis Swerdloff confirms looks more expensive than it is.

Pennington Cedar Hanging Bird Bath and Feeder

If your horticulturalist wants birds to visit their garden, birder Juita Martinez recommends installing an open-platform feeder like this one because it can accommodate birds of any size.

Keter Urban Bloomer Plastic Raised Garden

This raised-bed planter makes a great gift for the gardener-in-training who can’t wait for their own plot at the community space. Suitable for indoor use (or out, if they have a balcony or roof), it’s self-watering, which means their victory garden will be fine even if they forget about it for a few days.

Vego Garden 6-in-1 Modular Metal 17-Inch Raised Garden-Bed Kit

Photo: Vego Garden

Vego Garden’s raised beds are enthusiastically recommended by Kate Anello, backyard gardener and sister of former Strategist writer Chloe Anello. She appreciates that the beds are easy to assemble and modular “so you can create your own shapes to fit your space” — plus, the delivery box is compact enough to be wrapped as a gift.

Peace Vase by Justina Blakeney

This fun peace-sign vase can hold their fresh-cut stems — and looks just as good unfilled. It’s made by Jungalow founder and designer Justina Blakeney and is available in 12 matte and shiny colors including bronze, mint, and clay.

Areaware Stacked Porcelain Planter

Photo: Retailer

This modular piece from designers Chen Chen and Kai Williams tops our list of status planters and was hard to find in stock late in gifting season last year. It has a smooth porcelain finish and — important for gardeners who may doubt the functionality of designy planters — integrates a drainage saucer into its design. “That imperceptible drainage tray gets me every time,” says Sight Unseen co-founder Jill Singer. “It’s basically a sexy workhorse planter.” The planters are also a favorite of Strategist senior editor Winnie Yang, who says they’re “really well made and just have a pleasing shape.”

Tapered Ceramic Pot

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No matter how many pots they own, they can always use another one for propagations or impulse plant purchases. (And if you’re gifting them a plant, it’s helpful to include a pot.) This blue-gray ceramic beauty from the Brooklyn nursery Natty Garden comes in a range of sizes, from 5.5 inches to 12 inches in diameter, and includes a saucer to catch drainage.

Case Study Ceramics Small Cylinder With Stand

There are many copycats of the Modernica Case Study planter out there, but real heads say the original is best for its craftsmanship and aesthetic. Darryl Cheng — the Canadian “plantfluencer” behind House Plant Journal — counts it among the insider goods he and other plant-content creators endorse.

Rejuvenation Brass Plant Sticks

Photo: Retailer

If they have plants that need a little support standing up, Trolio likes these curvy brass sticks from Rejuvenation. They’re between seven and 11 inches tall, so they work best for plants on the smaller side.

Royal Sussex Flower Trug

Every gardener needs a vessel to tote their flowers and produce. Sussex Trugs, a company we first heard about from British interior designer Rita Konig, is the best in the business: It invented the modern trug in the 1820s, adapting it from the Anglo-Saxon trog, a multiuse carved wooden vessel. [Editor’s note: The price is an estimated conversion of pounds to U.S. dollars.]

Hawkins New York Slim Glass Vase

For the design-stan gardener, consider a vase from Hawkins New York. Strategist contributor Chloe Malle calls them “delicate but not girly” and “perfect for a sculptural sprig or stalk.”

Haws Copper Watering Can

The copper watering can from British brand Haws, which has manufactured watering cans since 1886, has a cult following among serious horticulturists (including Martha Stewart). It has a gleaming finish, an architectural silhouette, and a nozzle that puts forth an even flow of water to “simulate a very gentle rain,” according to Cheng.

Haws Indoor Watering Can

Photo: Retailer

If the price of the full-size Haws is prohibitive, this version in forest-green powder-coated metal is just as stunning and effective at getting water to their plants.

Plant Nanny 4 Count Wine Bottle Stake Set

Photo: Retailer

Yang has been using these terra-cotta watering tools since 2014 for her indoor plants with a recycled glass bottle of water positioned upside-down on top of the spike. “They release just the right amount of water into the surrounding soil — when your soil gets drier, more water passes through the terra-cotta,” she says.

Hoselink Retractable Garden Hose, 50 Feet

Heritage Garden Hose

Or you can upgrade their watering system with this aesthetically pleasing hose recommended by Lauri Kranz, founder of garden-planning and organic-food-delivery service Edible Gardens LA. Kranz appreciates that the hose is free of BPA, lead, and phthalates.

Europrene 3-in-1 Soil Moisture Sensor

An inexpensive gift that will change their life, recommended by Truini. “Simply plunge the two steel probes into the ground and the easy-read meter will indicate if it’s time to water, whether the plant is getting enough sun, and if the soil is acidic or alkaline,” he says.

Bamboozle Compost Bin

Strategist contributor Ruth Baron gives Bamboozle’s compost bin high marks for both aesthetics and functionality: It’s used by other “hot, environmentally conscious New Yorkers,” and despite its lightweight footprint, Baron reports it’s sturdier than it looks.

Complete Mason Jar Fermentation Kit
Very Good Deal

If they tend a vegetable garden, consider giving the gift of fermentation. Michael Perrine, founder of rejuvenation and detox clinic Vitality NYC, likes this kit, which has everything you need to pickle cucumbers or make kimchi.

FCMP Yimby Outdoor Tumbling Composter (37 Gallon)

Our best-in-class outdoor compost tumbler, this durable, “surprisingly weather-resistant” tumbler will help them convert their kitchen scraps and yard waste into nutrient-rich fertilizer.

VermiHut Plus 5-Tray Worm Compost Bin

If the gardener in your life wants to start composting but doesn’t know where to begin, Grow Your Soil author Diane Miessler recommends this vermicompost system. (Vermicomposting is the term for using a population of worms to break down plant matter.) The finished product of “rich compost writhing with red worms brings joy to most gardeners,” she says.

SCD Probiotics All Seasons Indoor Composter Kit With Bokashi

If they’re interested in trying a new composting method, consider this Bokashi system, which uses a microorganism-saturated oat bran to partially ferment food scraps, which then get buried in the garden as a soil enricher. According to Rebecca Louie, the founder of the Compostess, a benefit of a Bokashi composter is that it can handle “the crazy Frankenstein stuff in the back of your fridge — like condiments or oily things — that wouldn’t go in a normal compost system.”

Modern Sprout Terra-cotta Grow Kit — Desert Rose Bonsai

For beginner gardeners who are eager to start growing something before spring (or want to test out the hobby before committing to anything high maintenance), consider this affordable Desert Rose Bonsai grow kit that Strategist contributor Daniel Moldin says is pretty much killproof. It comes with everything you need to sprout the tiny tree, and all you have to do is remember to keep its vessel’s reservoir filled with water; a wick that leads from the roots of the plant takes care of the rest.

AeroGarden Sprout
Strategist Tested

Herbs are notoriously hard to keep alive indoors. Save your urban gardener the hassle with our best-in-class smart garden — it’s self-watering and has a built-in grow light, which is especially handy in a kitchen that may not get consistent sun.

Spicy Micro Mix Organic Microgreen Seed

Actress Isabella Rossellini, the founder of Mama Farm, an artisanal farm in Brookhaven, New York, loves Johnny’s Selected Seeds. “They have a catalogue that has exclusively organic products — it’s well illustrated and has easy and clear explanations for how to plant the seeds and what conditions they need,” she told us. “Most importantly, their deliveries are reliable. This is essential because planting has to be done during specific months of the year.”

Euphorbia Lactea Dragon Bone Cactus

Photo: Retailer

In our guide to the best plants to give as gifts, both Erin Marino, the director of brand marketing at the Sill, and Tula plant specialist Ariel Ries recommended a Euphorbia Lactea cactus, which Ries calls “absolutely gorgeous.”

Improved Meyer Semi-Dwarf Lemon Tree

Or gift them a Meyer lemon tree, one of our favorite fruiting trees to grow indoors — Daryl Beyers, a gardening instructor at the New York Botanical Garden, calls it a “classic” choice.

Park Seed Gift Certificate

If you don’t know what your gardener wants to grow next, consider a gift certificate to Park Seed. The company is one of the country’s oldest and largest mail-order seed operations and was recommended to us by recently retired gardeners. A great gift for anyone with some time to pursue a new project.

Maxsea Plant Food 16-16-16

This expert-recommended fertilizer, derived in part from seaweed, is a good all-purpose formulation for common leafy houseplants and is water-soluble so can be used for hydroponic growing. It’s also a favorite of carnivorous-plant growers, who dilute it to a weaker solution than is listed on the container.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden Individual Membership

A gift membership to their local botanical garden — for example, in the New York metro area, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden — makes it easy for gardeners to seek respite in nature and get ideas for their own plantings. The BBG membership is also “well worth it for skipping the line,” according to PowerHouse Books founder Daniel Power.

'The Art of Fermentation,' by Sandor Ellix Katz

Photo: Retailer

Gift them the book sometimes referred to as the “Bible of fermentation.” “The Art of Fermentation contains a lot of general knowledge of all the different fermented products of the world in a very relaxed manner and helps you understand how you might be able to start making all of your fermented projects,” says chef Dave Park, who recommends the book for beginners.

Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America

A bird field guide is a great gift for gardeners and birders alike. “They’re available for countless locations around the world, from the obvious to the extremely esoteric,” says Andrew Farnsworth, a research associate at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. He has “a soft spot for” this Peterson guide, which has detailed illustrations of hundreds of bird species.

‘Wilding: Returning Nature to Our Farm,’ by Isabella Tree
Very Good Deal

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Isabella Tree’s memoir of “rewilding” a 3,500-acre West Sussex farm makes a great gift for a gardener who enjoys watching the ecosystem in their backyard.

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