Holiday Gifting the Natural Way

Lisa's Landscape & Design ♦ 10/30/2010 ♦ Leave a comment

Getting Back to Nature

This season wouldn’t it be nice to give a gift that is really special? More than ever, we need a little nature for nurture and houseplants, patio plants, seasonal perennials and gardening tools are a great start.

Plants Are the Gift that Give All Year!

Let’s take our holiday gift giving back to nature. The winter months are the perfect time for planting fruit trees, roses, blackberries, bulbs and shade trees. What could be better than the gift that keeps on giving? Many of these ideas can be for little or no cost if you are creative enough.

Living Easy Rose

Plants and Shrubs for the Winter Months

There are many, many Earth Kind Roses that require low water and little maintenance and have very few disease issues, but are prolific bloomers.

Find some fruit trees on the A&M website that are for our Central Texas “chill hours” (approx 650) that only require one tree for fruit production (some require two so do your homework). Giving a tree that needs a mate for fertilization may make your gift less thoughtful. 

Berries and Bulbs

Thornless Blackberries are incredibly prolific and the fruit from this plant will last for most of early spring and every time the recipient enjoys the fruit, they will think of your thoughtfulness.

Purple bearded iris

Bulbs, especially Bearded Iris are super easy to care for and the spring is even more lovely with these little jewels in the garden. You may even have some in your own garden you could share as a gift which makes this gift free but thoughtful and personal.

Oranges, lemons and kumquats

Trees Are the Gift of Hope

Giving a shade tree can also be a fun gift for a new home owner, someone with a new addition to the family, or anyone needing shade in their yard. Shade trees give reprieve from the hot Texas sun, saves on energy when placed near the home and provide shelter for wildlife.

Hiring a company to plant the tree you purchase can be a generous gift as well. There is no need to buy a tree larger than 10 gallons. The smaller the tree, the easier it is for the homeowner to care for. Besides, small trees grow faster in our hard Texas soil than big ones anyway.

Providing your family and friends with a free service can also be a great gift. You could even contact a local business to give a landscape design, consultation, or maybe a few months of lawn service (organic of course).

River rock in grass with edible borders.

Gifts that Can Last a Lifetime 

Garden tools, gloves, plant seeds, a garden cart, or Texas landscape books are also excellent gifts. Organic pest management, bird watching, butterfly recognition and special do-it-yourself project books are also fun gifts. (as always, when giving plant books, be sure to choose” Texas” books specifically)

Many great books can be found at a discount online and this can make shopping easier too. Bird baths, and birdhouses are always a great gift as they attract wildlife for the recipient to enjoy all year long.

Garden tools are a great gift for any gardener.

Or… you can take your generosity to a whole new level and give a coupon of yourself. A coupon to help in the garden, to plant a tree that you give, or to help with weeding, mulching, establishing a veggie bed, or just for general yard maintenance is a very kind way to do something special for someone you love. This is a great way to give a great gift when you are on a tight budget as many if us are these days.

Mother Nature Thanks you!
Any gift that encourages folks to get back to nature is a good gift. In such a commercialized instant gratification world, we have gotten away from the value of a little garden therapy. Some gifts are worth waiting for 😉

Happy Gardening & Happy Holidays!!

Lisa LaPaso

Lisa’s landscape & Design

“Saving the Planet one Yard at a Time”