Garden Gift Baskets

Garden Gift Baskets
By Jennifer Maughan

Creating custom garden gift baskets is the perfect way to let that special someone know how much you care about them. For the gardener, a gift basket can contain any number of useful and fun items that caters to their passion for flowers and vegetables.

There's no limit to the number of gift basket ideas for the gardener, from the container to the contents. The key to making a lovely and appealing basket is to choose the right container, and jam-pack it with fillers. Adorn it with lovely details to add the finishing touches, and the gardener in your life will be delighted with the gift.

Container. A number of garden-related items can work as a gift basket container. Consider a large terra-cotta planter or ceramic flowerpot as the perfect container. Other options are a cute metal or plastic watering can or a plastic bucket. It doesn't need to be an expensive item, but it should be one that has a wide enough opening to hold the fillers.

Fill the bottom of the container with some kind of packing material, such as packing peanuts or shredded newspaper. Over the top of that, spread some tissue paper or shiny paper. The container is now ready for gifts.

Fillers. Finding fillers is the best part of creating a gardener's gift basket. First, start with some of the tools that a gardener would use, such as a trowel, a hand rake and garden clippers. A new pair of gardening gloves will always be appreciated. Packets of vegetable and flower seeds, a kneeling pad, a gardening book and even a garden decoration can round out a gardener's gift basket.

Start with the largest items, and place them in the container spaced apart from each other. Place the biggest and tallest items in the middle and toward the back. Make it look balanced and visually appealing. Fill in the gaps with smaller filler items, adding the lightest and smallest items last.

Details. Add a few finishing touches to complete the gardener's gift basket and pull it all together. Consider adding a few silk flowers among the fillers and tying a matching ribbon around the container. Another option is to encase it in a clear cellophane bag (available at most craft stores), and gather it at the top with a ribbon.

For more information on gift ideas, visit the holidays section of Life123.com.