Indulgences for the gardener who has it all

SO, LET us assume your gardener friend does not like
garden books. | find this to be a little like assuming that
kids do not like ice cream or that fish do not like water,
but stranger things have happened.

The good garden gift can ap-
pear in forms other than fine lit-
erature and high art. How about a
trug or a pair of garden clogs?
Besides being enlightened, scholar-
ly and refined, gardeners hold
other facets to their personalities
which should be examined in
order to best meet their expecta-
tions.

They do like to get dirty. A lit-

. tle loam under the finger nails is
more a badge of honor than
something to be ashamed of. With
this in mind you might want to
include some Salt Spring [sland
gardener’s soap.

It is handmade, localiy produc-
ed and comes with or without
pumice for the really dirty ones.

Another consideration is the
impact this beloved loam~has on
the carpets and other surfaces in-
side the house. The kinds of goo
the average gardener can bring in
from out of doors can be more
than even the mudroom can han-

le.

On my last visit to The Avant
Gardener, I saw just the thing
needed to make sure the worst of
that. goo stays outside: a great lit-
tle bristle-covered jhedgehog boot
scraper.

Speaking of things for the feet,
I would like to tell you a little
more about those joliy gardener’s

Sale items. ~

“include:

Juvenile bedroom
Flexsteel sofas

- Tavertine Dining

Black Entertainment Centre

Curios

Leather

Occasional tables
Shaker bedroom

Cooper sofa bed & chair

AND MUCH
MORE!

Ho

Geoff
Tobiasson

OVER THE GARDEN GATE

clogs I mentioned.
Several garden gift’ shops are
carrying these plastic imitations of

the traditional Dutch clog. The.

words ‘‘plastic’’ and ‘‘imitation’’
are not adjectives | would normal-
ly use in descriptions of something
worthy enough to be considered as
a gift for the gardener. In this
case, I choose to overlook their
composition in deference to their
comfort and usefulness.

Gardeners are forever trying to
get organized. Even though the
very act of gardening is little more

Help us move the
and save a bundie!

Ho

than an attempt to ‘‘organize’’ the
natural world around them, they
seidom succeed with respect to
their own habits. I am constantly
trying to remember what the name
of this or that plant is or where I
planted those seeds or which path
will take me home. Whether they
have the good sense to use them

or not, plant tags, labels and
markers will always be appreci-
ated.

My latest issues of Fine Garden-
ing Magazine reminds of another
characteristic of the gardener; they
show no shame in casting admir-
ing glances at the results of their
efforts. The gazing balls or globes

floor samples

Home delivery! Open Mon--Sai.

are the latest thing in esoteric
garden paraphernalia. Originally
the rage in the 17th century, they
have recently been rediscovered as
the perfect present for the garden
or gardener that kas everything.
The best globes are lined with real

See Bonsai page 18

GERBER HOME FURNISHINGS

734 WEST 14TH STREET
NORTH VANCOUVER B.o.

985-9351

One block north of Marine Drive & one block west of Bewicke. Flanking the east side of Mosquito Creek