What to give the
gardener who has everything? A gift from one avid gardener to
another is usually pretty easy. If you've spent time with them
talking plants, visiting nurseries or touring gardens together,
you know exactly what plant, book or ornament they will cherish.
But if you're a brown thumb, what does an avid gardener really
want for Christmas? To the non-gardener, this can be as hard to
comprehend as the pollination strategies of cherimoya trees.
What gardeners usually get is a glossy garden book from Barnes &
Noble, a blooming orchid or a cellophane wrapped "gift basket"
from the local garden center. Well intentioned, but to a true
gardener it's a bit like a cherry tree in Newport Beach — it
doesn't quite work.
If you're the gardener in a non-gardening family, I suggest you
leave this article accidentally laying on the coffee table this
weekend, where someone else might accidentally stumble upon it.
When gardeners
dream, they dream of being in beautiful gardens, but not just of
looking at a wonderful garden. They dream of experiencing a
garden; digging in it, trimming it, maintaining it, smelling it
and touching it.
The tools of gardeners are one of the most personal of all their
possessions. To most accomplished gardeners, the best pruning
shears in the world have always been made by the Swiss company
Felco. Last year, Felco celebrated its 60th anniversary by
minting a few limited-edition pairs of their famous pruning
shears. Fewer than 100 were shipped to North America. These are
very special shears, never to be made again, with hand-stitched
gold leather grips and presented in a matching leather case.
Each pair is numbered on the blade and accompanied by a
certificate of authenticity signed by Felco's chief executive,
president and chief financial officer. Wow. Now that's a gift!
Most gardeners who invest a lot of time in their garden have a
special pair of shoes they prefer to do their gardening in. The
most popular garden shoes, as well as my favorites, are those
made by the Original Muck Boot Co. The company offers a few
styles, but the best for gardeners is surprisingly called the
Camp Shoe. With a more rigid sole, waterproof qualities, full
lining and easy-on/easy-off convenience; it may be the perfect
garden shoe.
Surprisingly, I found the board game Gardenopoly a lot of fun to
play, even though my teenage daughter usually beats me. This is
the gardener's version of Monopoly, in which different breeds of
plants are used instead of properties (poison ivy replaces
Mediterranean Avenue and orchids replace Boardwalk), you build
flower gardens (with clay pots and greenhouses instead of houses
and hotels) and the game pieces are a wheelbarrow, ladybug and
gardening clog, to name a few.
Almost any gardener will enjoy a gift membership to a great
botanical garden. The Huntington Botanical Gardens (www.huntington.org)
in San Marino, an hour away, is one of the best in the world.
Gift memberships to the Huntington arrive in a beautiful gold
gift box and include yearlong unlimited visits for two (one
could be you).
Closer to home, Sherman Library and Gardens (www.slgardens.org)
in Corona del Mar also offers gift memberships. Sherman Gardens
has invested heavily in its facilities over the last five years,
and there are many new gardens to see, especially the newly
re-created succulent garden. Memberships at botanical gardens
are thoughtful gifts and are always cherished by gardeners.
Garden memberships not only provide access to the gardens, but
they support the work of these nonprofit organizations as well.
If you're not certain, you may want to call the garden's
membership office to make sure the recipient doesn't already
have a membership.
Now, go grab a red pen and circle one or two of these gifts.
Then, carefully fold the paper with this article face up and
place it in a prominent location. There's still time to return
that book with the pretty plant pictures and get a gift that a
gardener really will cherish.
RON VANDERHOFF is the nursery manager at
Roger's Gardens in Corona del Mar.ASK RONQuestion:
The leaves of my hydrangea appear to have a white
powdery fungus. I think it's mildew. What should I do?
ERIC
Corona del Mar
Answer: This is very common on hydrangea
foliage late in the year, especially along the coast. In most
parts of the country hydrangeas loose their leaves completely
each winter. But with our mild weather, they often can't make up
their mind, and the old leaves hang on through the cool months.
Unfortunately, the leaves look more miserable with each passing
month, and powdery mildew often infests them. My suggestion is
to not bother with fungicides; it's a hopeless cause. If things
get particularly ugly you can simply remove the leaves
completely. But be sure not make the frequent mistake of cutting
your hydrangea's stems. If you do, you will be without flowers
next summer.
