Last-Minute Gifts

Special Edition for the Procrastinators Among Us

If you celebrate Christmas but haven’t yet, um…wrapped up your shopping, then this issue’s for you! Is there a special someone on your list who’s an actual or aspiring eco-gardener? Or who’s maybe just eco-curious? With five days to go, I’ve got you covered.

1. Nature’s Best Hope by Doug Tallamy

Tallamy’s an entomologist. People who study insects for a living are not generally known for their brilliant wordsmithing or social activism. But I’d wager Doug has done more in recent years to galvanize the native planting and sustainable landscaping fields than anyone. This book was a major eye-opener for me. It helped me understand the direct connection between what I plant in my own yard and the health of our planet. As individuals, we have an opportunity – and also a huge responsibility – to stem the tide of biodiversity decline. Buy Nature’s Best Hope at your local indie bookstore if they have it. Otherwise order it online with rush delivery and it may arrive under the wire. (I love my Kindle, but this book’s better in hard copy for the images. Tallamy’s also a pretty darn good nature photographer.)

2. Membership in Your Local Native Plant Society

These are typically volunteer-run, shoestring operations that could use our support. What’s more, they’re invaluable sources of information and inspiration. Plant lists! Field trips! Workshops! Local expertise! Here are just a few of the hundreds out there: Virginia Native Plant Society, Maryland Native Plant Society (has a DC chapter), Connecticut Botanical Society. California Native Plant Society, New York Flora Association, Native Plant Trust (focuses on New England), Grow Native Massachusetts, and Midwest Native Plant Society. For the price of a mere week’s worth of venti chestnut praline lattes, your giftee could access all that these organizations have to offer.

3. A National Wildlife Federation Gift Card

With a Garden for Wildlife Gift Card, your horticultural enthusiast can order a native plant collection specifically curated for their state and growing conditions. Easy-peasy. The one pictured above is the “Monarch Munchables” package. Eye candy for us and candy candy for butterflies. To be clear, I haven't tried these NWF collections, nor would I necessarily recommend them as a long-term approach to populating a garden. But as a starter pack to get over the hump, why not?

4. An Online Class on Native Plants or Gardening

Mt. Cuba Center, Hockessin, DE; Credit Tom Potterfield

I’ll talk more about Mt. Cuba Center, a wonderful Delaware botanical garden focused on native species, in a future Bees’ Knees issue. Meanwhile, it offers a slew of in-person and virtual programming. What about bestowing upon your gardener an online class on edible native plants, creating an inviting entry garden, or – my personal favorite – the mysteries of fungi? “Discover the fascinating Kingdom Fungi – heroes of symbioses, delicacies of our plate, decomposers of plant material, and communicators in the forest floor. From 8-meter mushrooms to zombie ants, Serenella Linares explores it all. Learn to recognize some of the fungal friends that may be living near you!” I mean, who can resist that?

5. Some Spiffy New Garden Tools

Catnip for green thumbs, amirite?

If all else fails, run down to your local garden center and pick out a set of good hand tools. Felco pruners, in particular, are well-regarded among the gardenista set.

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Come to think of it, you’ve been uncharacteristically good this year. Lord knows you’ve been working too hard and playing too little. I sorta think you deserve a little self-gift or two. C’mon. Nobody’s gonna know. How would they know?