Brian Minter: Clever gifts for the gardeners on your list

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Finding just the right gift for someone who has a passion for gardening can be a bit of a challenge. Most of the gardening community appreciate gifts that are a little unique, a little bit of fun, and have a purpose.  The gardening world is an extension of nature and the environment, so we need to work harder to understand and appreciate both.

With this in mind, here are some relevant gift ideas:

Winter flowering plants are ideal presents as they will continue to grow each year, lift our spirits in the dull days ahead, and provide flowers for hummingbirds and the odd overwintering pollinator which may venture out in milder weather.

Red flowering sasanqua camellias like Yuletide, viburnum Pink Dawn, and lonicera fragrantissima are just three of many possibilities. The new Gold collection of hellebores, or Christmas Roses, are now in full bloom and will continue to flower into late winter.

As the Avian flu continues to be a challenge for bird feeders, planting living bird feed is a great alternative. Three berried plants in particular are much loved by birds: the deciduous holly, ilex verticillata with red or yellow berries, evergreen pyracantha, also available in shades of orange, red or yellow,  and cotoneasters are all beautiful, versatile landscape plants, and are a great source of food for birds.

The growing trend of food gardening is becoming more specialized as younger folks are looking for more exotic and heat loving vegetables. Melons of all types are very popular as well. Packages of seeds, which are also available online from seed companies