Growing our own food
It may seem difficult to achieve much indoors, but there are some opportunities which are more appropriate inside because of the difference in temperature, especially in winter. Sprouts grown from seeds and pulses, for instance, can be grown almost anywhere that is warm, and these do not even require light. We can also grow herbs on window sills. Mushrooms can be grown in complete darkness in a cellar or outhouse, and yoghurt and similar cultures can be seen as a way of growing fresh food. If you have a conservatory, you may choose to grow plants and vegetables that cannot be grown outside.

Storing food
Storing food to provide for the winter is not as necessary as it was in the past. However we should ensure that any produce we do grow is kept in the best condition possible. Apples from an apple tree or potatoes from an allotment require space allocated in the coolest location possible. Systems for ensuring that no food is kept longer than its recommended eat-by date are important.

Processing our own food
We are buying more processed food than ever at present. Often this means the centralisation of production with all the inefficiencies of packaging and transport that result. Preparing food ourselves, shortly before eating it, is also healthier. A well-designed food preparation worktop is the heart of a good kitchen.

Making, repairing and maintaining
Looking after our possessions prolongs their life and reduces the need for replacements. Suitable workspaces and kits for the repair of clothes, furniture, toys and appliances etc. greatly facilitates these activities. Good maintenance habits are all ecological and should be given the necessary priority.

Recycling
There is almost nothing that cannot be recycled. However it is an important principle that these materials need to be separately categorised. This requires space for a storage system of drawers, cupboards or containers. An ecological household will put as much energy into the proper disposal of goods and materials as it does into procuring them in the first place. Even the recycling of water, heat and air is possible to some degree and requires the allocation of space for the necessary equipment.

There are many more ways in which we can be self-sufficient: in education, entertainment and health, for instance. The important point is to give priority to the activities which reduce our unecological levels of consumption.

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Buying a present for a gardener should be easy. Whether they are a novice or an expert, you’ll find the holidays are the ideal time to give them gifts they will enjoy. When spring rolls around, they’ll have had plenty of time to decide how and where to use the gift you’ve given them.

You won’t have to go far to find the right gift. You probably have a gardeners’ catalog in your mailbox, a garden supply store nearby, and access to the Internet. There are many websites for wonderful selections.

Giving Practical Gifts

Your local hardware store or garden supply should have a good line of practical gifts. For the gardening beginner, gifts such as a shovel or trowel, garden hose or other digging and planting tools are perfect. Perhaps your gardener would like to attract butterflies and hummingbirds. There are certain flowers and plants that will draw them to a garden, and you can most likely get them at your local garden supply. Not too sure about buying plants? How about a gift certificate to a garden supply store?

Baskets Of Gifts

Another great gift idea is a basket full of excellent “stuff” for the gardener. You can purchase one already assembled, or find a basket you like and fill it with some of the many items you will find in a garden shop. A basket with just essentials is a good choice for the beginner. It could include gloves, poison oak/ivy medication, flower seeds, plant food, a rain gauge, a Farmers Almanac, and special hand cream.

Gardening Books Are Nice

Gardening books can be a treasured gift for the gardener on your list. Any bookstore will carry books covering a variety of gardening topics. Choose among specialty garden books, such as wildflower gardens, vegetable gardens, or drought-tolerant gardens. Buy them a book on the subject of perennials and annuals. Which flowers are best suited to their climate? How do you select plants that grow best in their type of soil? These and countless other questions are answered in the many books available on gardening. You’ll find that some of the larger bookstores have whole sections devoted to gardening.

Garden Stones

A garden stone is another perfect gift for gardeners. Garden stones can be found in unusual shapes and colors, or inscribed with famous quotations or poems. Kits are available to make garden stones with a child’s handprint and name added to it. That’s the making of wonderful memories for the child and for the gardener. You can also buy a garden stone and personalize it by putting your favorite gardener’s marriage year, or the year the garden was established. Personalization can turn a plain gift into something unique.

On the more practical side, there are hundreds of gifts to choose from. Hose carts and attractive pots for storing garden hoses out of sight are easy to find. Water sprinklers and fertilizer sprinklers are also good gifts. You can find fun water sprinklers, like one in the shape of a John Deere Tractor.

Fun Gifts

Some gifts add whimsy and fun to a garden. They are easy to find, and make perfect gifts, whatever your gardener’s experience. Gazing balls are available in all sizes and colors, and add a creative dimension to the garden. Holders for the gazing balls come in dozens of various shapes, sizes and materials, too.

Among the most fashionable gifts for gardeners are wind spinners and flags. You can find wind spinners in a variety of colors, such as the patriotic red, white, and blue spinner, or the rainbow spinner. Garden flags are a popular gift because they can be changed to coordinate with the seasons, or more frequently just to create a new look in the garden.

Exotic Gift Ideas

Wanting something a little more unusual? Your gardener might love an exotic plant, such as the amaryllis exotica, a gift of unusual Iris bulbs, or a sago palm. How about a ginkgo tree growing kit, or a Shitake mushroom log?

Statues of animals, gnomes or angels of have regained popularity after many years of being out of favor, and they make great garden gifts. Birdbaths and bird feeders attract birds, a source of joy for most gardeners. You’ll also find delightful hummingbird feeders that will keep these beautiful birds coming all rear round.

Whatever your gardener’s inclinations are, you’ll be able to find the perfect gift..

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