15 ~ Friday, December 9, 1988 - North Shore News

Gardening gifts may sol a present-buying dilem

CHRISTMAS IS a wonder- ful time of the year. Full of warmth, love, kindness, and understanding; so why do [ always feel so bad if Christmas is so good?

The answer lies in another ques- tion; ‘‘What should we get so- and-so for Christmas?” or even worse, ‘What do you want for Christmas?” How should I know? Your brother wants a Porsche, your dad could use a world cruise, and I would love to have the body of a 20-year-old.

So, now that we have made the trip to fantasyland, let’s get real. Is it going to be socks or a tie for dad? If we get your brother another bottle, maybe he’l! forget the Porsche. And I’m sure I could use a desk set for the office. Ho hum.

Even if you overlook the ob- vious exaggerations, I think you can see my point. I offer the fol- lowing list of gift ideas for the gardener with relief of this unnec- essary stress in mind.

The best gifts are those that the receiver desperately wants and yet would never think of buying. A shovel is a good example of the **Gee whiz, thanks dear” category of present. A stainless steel spade made by Spear & Jackson of England is guaranteed to be met much more enthusiastically.

Nobody, but nobody makes quality garden paraphernalia like the Brits. Everything from aluminum plant labels to that Rolls Royce of watering cans, the Hawes.

Put me in a shop with a good selection of garden gadgets from the U.K. and you may need to root prune me to get me out.

Don’t be afraid of the unusual; sometimes the oddest gift can become the most memorable and the most appreciated. I saw some great bronze faucets the other day; just the thing for that hose bib in the middle of the herb garden.

There are sun dials, copper wind chimes, teak garden furniture, pH test kits and meters, bonsai tools and pots, seed starter kits, indoor lights and more for the under-the- tree gifts, while plant labels, prun- ing knives, dibbles (?), etc. can make perfect stocking stuffers.

If you have a friend suffering from arthritis, wrap up a set of

Keep Xmas safe for kids

MAKE SURE decorations don’t wind up in children’s mouths.

They should be flame-resistant, non-combustible and should not conduct electricity.

Do not use the decoration ‘angel hair’’ together with spray- on snow — the combination is highly combustible, according to the Canada Safety Council.

Teach children not to eat any part of Christmas plants such as holly, Jerusalem Cherry, mistletoe and poinsettia; they can cause ir- ritation and vomiting.

over the garden gate

Geoff Tobiasson

stainless steel hand tools by Allen Simpson or Taylor. They are built to last and the unique hand grip

can re-institute gardening as a pleasant experience.

Books are good.

Take a look at recent publica- tions by John Brookes: The Garden Book, The Country Garden Book, and The Indoor Garden Book. For the herb gardener there’s Herbs: Gardens, Decorations, and Recipes by Emelie Tolley and Chris Mead.

Others include The Wreath Book by Rob Pulleyn, Decorating With Dried Flowers by Malcoim Hillier, Wild Flowers of the Pacific Northwest by Lewis J. Clark, and many more.

Old style botanical drawings and prints are currently in vogue. There are a number of beautiful posters and limited edition prints that would make wonderful gifts.

Look for the works of Lyn No- ble, a local artist who has done some lovely work on_ botanical drawings of alpines and other plant materials.

INTERIORS

Gardener’s calendars and jour- nals fit my perception of what a good gift should be.

It is unlikely that an individual would buy one of these for themselves, but all gardeners would appreciate a nice place to write notes and records relating specifically to this year’s garden projects.

There are two garden stores in Vancouver which stand out as good sources for quality garden equipment that is both unique and worth considering as a gift: Avant Gardener at 1448 Marine Drive in West Vancouver and Earthrise Garden Store of 2954 West Fourth Ave. in Vancouver. Both are worth visiting even if you don’t buy anything.

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T should also include vhe gift shop at Van Dusen Botanical Gardens. Although the selections are more limited than the above, they too offer a good selection of solutions to the annual gift giving dilemma.

And while you’ re visiting the gift shop, give someone a special treat and take them to see the annual ‘Festival of Lights Show.’ Over five acres of the garden are transformed into a sparkling wonderland from § p.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily.

The event runs from Tuesday, Dec. 13 to Sunday, Jan. 1 (ex- cluding Christmas Day).

Admission is $2 for adults, $4 family (parents and children) or ‘$1 for seniors and VBGA members.

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