Make the holidays extra special for the gardeners in our lives with gifts that they can enjoy and use throughout the year! Gifts that complement individual gardening skills and, ultimately, their home landscapes will be sincerely appreciated and eagerly used. Penn State Extension Butler County Master Gardeners offer their suggestions for books, tools and supplies that all gardeners can enjoy.

Books are always a welcome gift whether they are digital or traditional print versions.

“Cool Flowers: How to Grow and Enjoy Long-Blooming Hardy Annual Flowers Using Cool Weather Techniques” by Lisa Mason Ziegler describes step-by-step practices on how to start early spring blooming flowers using cool conditions.

“Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden: Grow, Harvest, and Arrange Stunning Seasonal Blooms” by Erin Benzakein illustrates how to grow flowers, process them, and use them for floral arrangements.

Published in 2024, “The Lives of Bees: A Natural History of Our Planet's Bee Life” by Penn State University researchers Christina Grozinger and Harland Patch offers insights into the cultural, ecological and economic connections between humans and bees.

This book is part of a series that also includes additional volumes on spiders, butterflies, moths and other organisms (“The Lives of the Natural World,” Princeton University Press). For a classic choice, Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, whose call to environmental action was heard worldwide, is as relevant today as it was 1962.

The right tools make a gardener’s work easier and are always enthusiastically received.

A weed puller that allows the user to stand instead of kneeling turns the drudgery of weeding into an effortless task. Battery-operated pruning shears make quick work of pruning without repetitive motion and strain on the hands. Look for pruning shears that have interchangeable blades for cutting branches and trimming shrubs.

A telescoping or extended reach rake/hoe combination allows for cultivating between shrubs and rows of vegetable plants, as well as working in raised beds. Various companies manufacture all of these tools; compare prices, customer reviews and size specifications when deciding on a purchase.

Supplies for gardeners and gardens are thoughtful gifts. Bird feeders and bird seed, as well as bird bath water deicers, keep birds and gardeners happy throughout the winter.

Iconic Lego sets help families pass long winter days and nights. Look for Lego insect collection, plants (orchids, roses, bonsai tree) and wildflower bouquet sets.

Grow fresh and fragrant herb and salad greens using indoor hydroponic gardening kits.

For gift baskets, combine theme-related items, such as gardening gloves, seed packets, seed-starting supplies, and a book about starting seeds indoors. Items for a self-care gift basket include hand cream, sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses and a blank journal with pen.

Monetary gift cards to nurseries and garden centers, tickets to garden shows, online or mailed gardening magazine subscriptions, and enrollment in educational sessions are always appreciated gifts.

Penn State Extension offers a host of online and on-site education opportunities throughout the year. To learn more about gardening-related education from Penn State Extension, visit extension.psu.edu. If you have questions about gardening practices, call the Master Gardeners of Butler County Garden Hotline at 724-287-4761, ext. 7, or email the Master Gardeners at butlermg@psu.edu.

Lisa Marie Bernardo is a Penn State Extension Butler County Master Gardener.

Lisa Marie Bernardo