Aloe Vera
One thing that I can say for certain is that I’ve always liked the plants. They are so easy to care for that even I can’t kill one and will grow anywhere that’s relatively frost free. Aloe Vera plants are available cactusstore.com in a variety of sizes
When I was in high school I had a friend who worked late nights in a donut shop (which explains why my doctor was always after me to lose 10 or 100 pounds or so). They kept Aloe Vera gel in the cooler to use on burns from the fryer and swore by it. Now, the science is inconclusive and I’m not going to say whether or not it works but people in its native North Africa have been using it for medicinal purposes forever. Of course, people have been saying that Chihuahua dogs will cure asthma for a long time too….
Sunday ~ December 12, 2007 by Steve W Posted in Houseplants | Add Your Comments
Venus Flytrap
Venus Flytraps are found in nitrogen poor environments (such as bogs) of if you prefer to not slog around in bogs looking for carnivorous plants they are available from California Carnivores for $7.95. And you thought all those folks out on the west coast were vegetarians.
What better way to get your kid interested in plants; a plant that eats stuff. I had one of these when I was a kid and it was great fun. Venus Flytraps are a native plant of the Carolinas; and actually trap and eat insects unlucky enough to land on them. The trap portion actually secretes mucilage and when something touches the hairs along the edge they snap shut, shutting tighter the more the unfortunate victim struggles; eventually creating a hermetically sealed “stomach” that digests the prey over 10 days.
Friday ~ December 12, 2007 by Steve W Posted in Houseplants, Kids, Natural Pesticides and Fertilizers | Add Your Comments
Nasturtium Garden in a Pail
In any case should you have a green thumbed friend who is inclined to eat flowers you would probably make their day with this. They get a galvanized pail filled with everything they need to grow their own salad, stir fry veggies, or just something nice to look at. Just add water and give it some sunlight. The Garden in a Pail is available from Gardeners Supply Company for $37.95
Perhaps your better educated than I am (something I willing to concede as probable), but the very first thing I thought when I saw this product was: “What the heck is a Nasturtium”. If you knew already, don’t hold it against me. A quick trip to organicgardentips.com tells me that nasturtium is a flower, it’s a salad ingredient, and it’s used in stir fry. I was always taught as a child you don’t eat the flowers. Maybe that was just daisies.
Wednesday ~ October 10, 2007 by Steve W Posted in Container Gardening, Gardening Gifts for Women, Houseplants, Vegetables | Add Your Comments
Personalized Clay Garden Planters
A personalized garden gift is always a great choice for a friend, loved one, or even yourself! These beautiful personalized clay garden planters are available with three different designs: - Adirondak Chairs You also get two lines of 10 characters to personalize with a name, address, or personal greeting. There are three colors you can pick from as well: green, navy, black or burgundy. The planters measure 10” in diameter, 9¼” high. They hold up to two gallons of soil. Use these planters both indoors or outdoors for a unique look! You can also use them for storing garden tools, flower arrangements, and more. Just be creative and you’re sure to find a unique use for this great gift.
- Horse and Colt
- Moose in Forest
Monday ~ July 07, 2007 by kswanson56 Posted in Container Gardening, Garden Sculpture, Gardening Lifestyle, Houseplants | Add Your Comments
Stack and Grow Planter
Spring is almost here! I can feel it. I’ve been checking out garden planters on the internet so I can get my container garden started soon, and I recently found this cool Stack and Grow Planter
Thursday ~ March 03, 2007 by kswanson56 Posted in Container Gardening, Greenhouse Gardening, Hard to Find Seeds, Houseplants | 1 Comment
The Luck of the Irish
Give the luck of the Irish in a cool, personalized flower pot. This lucky clover gift set comes with a terra-cotta planter, growing medium, premium seed and growing instructions. It is adorned with a green ribbon and a gift tag that you can assign to a friend and neighbor. This kit also is available with sunflowers, forget-me-nots, and Sweet William. 
Friday ~ February 02, 2007 by kswanson56 Posted in Gardening Gifts for Women, Gardening Lifestyle, Hard to Find Seeds, Houseplants, Kids | Add Your Comments
Home Window Garden Kit
Here’s another awesome gift suitable for starting indoors this winter. The Home Window Garden Kit offers a set of four different plants. You can choose from Organic Tomato, Organic Basil, Catnip or Lavender. Mix and match to create the perfect gift for yourself or a loved one. 
Thursday ~ December 12, 2006 by kswanson56 Posted in Gardening Gifts for Women, Gardening Lifestyle, Hard to Find Seeds, Houseplants, Kids | Add Your Comments
Garden-in-a-Bag!
This is a cool idea for a gift. A seed bag that you can reuse to grow the seeds! Garden-in-a-Bag is a unique gardening gift that includes a leak proof bag and all you need to grow a little fresh herbs in your own home. The different herbs and plants available include: Alpine Strawberry, Basil, Chives, Cilantro, Lavender, Mini Petunia, Mini Tomato, Oregano, Parsley, and Thank You Viola.
Wednesday ~ December 12, 2006 by kswanson56 Posted in Houseplants | Add Your Comments
Amazing Message Plant grows a message in the leaves!
This thing is totally cool! The Amazing Message Plant comes in a little self contained can that you open up and water. A couple of weeks later, out grows a plant that actually has the message “I love you” in the leaves of the plant. And it’s only $12. Makes a great gift for someone you love. If you don’t love them, then it’s probably not so great of a gift.
Wednesday ~ November 11, 2006 by larsdh Posted in Houseplants | Add Your Comments
Indoor Herb Garden
An indoor herb garden makes a great gift for the cold winter months. This French Herb Garden Kit has everything you need to grow parsley, marjoram, and lemon basil, right on your windowsill. The attractive glazed ceramic holders are reusable year after year!
Wednesday ~ November 11, 2006 by kswanson56 Posted in Gardening Gifts for Women, Gardening Lifestyle, Houseplants, Kids | Add Your Comments
‘Ziva’ Bulbs in Striped Silk Box
These beautiful narcissus ‘Ziva’ bulbs are ready to plant and force. They’ll grow several white blooms about a month after planting in this stylish silk box. The kit includes everything you need to grow including soil, moss, and complete growing instructions.
Tuesday ~ November 11, 2006 by kswanson56 Posted in Gardening Gifts for Women, Gardening Lifestyle, Houseplants | Add Your Comments
Windowsill Plant Stand
As we move our gardening activities and plants indoors, it’s a good idea to invest in an attractive plant stand to host our green friends. Check out this welded steel plant stand with a watertight copper tray. This plant stand makes a great gift for those who enjoy growing houseplants!
Friday ~ November 11, 2006 by kswanson56 Posted in Garden Furniture, Gardening Gifts for Women, Gardening Lifestyle, Greenhouse Gardening, Houseplants | Add Your Comments
Freaky Nyokki Planters for Halloween
These cool Halloween egg planters would make a perfect gift for a young friend, son, or daughter. And they’re available just in time for Halloween, too! Remember those weird and wild Nyokki Pets we featured a while ago? If you don’t, let’s go over it again, shall we? Nyokki Pets are glazed ceramic egg-shaped planters that contain a type of rye grass seed planted in soil medium. Just add water and your pet will grow a full head of hair in a couple weeks! The hair grows after you cut it, so you can style it, chop it, etc! These Halloween themed Nyokki Pets are available from Wrapables.com.
Monday ~ October 10, 2006 by kswanson56 Posted in Houseplants, Kids | Add Your Comments
Unusual Flower Vases
Looking for an unusual gardening gift for someone with unusual taste? Try out these cool decorative vases like this gardening glove from UnCommonGoods.com. This company has some of the coolest and most colorful vases out there, so definitely browse their selection!
Friday ~ September 09, 2006 by kswanson56 Posted in Garden Sculpture, Gardening Gifts for Women, Gardening Lifestyle, Houseplants | Add Your Comments
Wrought Iron Plant Hanger
Perfect for your heaviest houseplants, this wrought iron plant hanger has an 18” reach from the wall. The wrought iron itself is 3/8” thick, so it can handle a pretty heavy load. It is hand crafted in New York from the folks at Modern Artisans. Add an elegant touch to your greenhouse, wall, or outdoor garden with this great plant hanger.
Wednesday ~ September 09, 2006 by kswanson56 Posted in Garden Sculpture, Garden Tools, Greenhouse Gardening, Houseplants | Add Your Comments
Cat Plant Holder
The Sundog Company is always coming up with unusual and whimsical gardening gifts. Check out this cool Cat Plant Holder. This is a fun piece of garden sculpture for both indoor and outdoor use. It’s made from solid steel, with recycled bent nails for the whiskers. The shimmering eyes (with a hint of mischief) are made from blue glass. This pot holder is suitable for a 4 1/2” pot. A terracotta pot is included with your purchase. This is a perfect place to grow catnip, I’d say!
Thursday ~ September 09, 2006 by kswanson56 Posted in Garden Sculpture, Gardening Gifts for Women, Gardening Lifestyle, Greenhouse Gardening, Houseplants | Add Your Comments
Harry and David’s Herb Garden Kit
Harry and David carry this excellent Herb Garden kit for cooks and gardeners. This simple kit includes woven baskets suitable for the 4” pots of sage and oregano that come with the kit. This kit is shipped express so that the herbs arrive healthy and thriving directly to your home. The baskets are also lined and protected against any water damage. 
Wednesday ~ September 09, 2006 by kswanson56 Posted in Gardening Gifts for Women, Gardening Lifestyle, Houseplants | Add Your Comments
Gardening in Containers: Creative Ideas from America’s Best Gardeners
Container gardening is a great way to garden creatively in your home. It is especially handy when you have limited space to garden. With containers, you can garden on your balcony or on your porch! Gardening in Containers: Creative Ideas from America’s Best Gardeners is a wonderful book full of tips that will get you on your way to gardening with containers. This book is actually part of the “Fine Gardening Design Guides” series. This series of excellent books contain articles on various gardening topics that originally appeared in Fine Gardening magazine.
Monday ~ September 09, 2006 by kswanson56 Posted in Books, Gardening Gifts for Women, Gardening Lifestyle, Houseplants | Add Your Comments
Gothic Graveyard Garden
This Gothic Graveyard Garden is just too cool for words, but it’s definitely not for everyone. If you’re a fan of Tim Burton movies like the Corpse Bride, then you’ll probably “dig” this unique terrarium style garden. The Gothic Graveyard Garden comes with plants that are just plain weird. It also comes with garden stakes that are designed like tombstones. These garden stakes are affectionately called the Blood Rock™ and Tombstone Stakes™. This unique indoor gardening product is available from the freaky folks at LiveScience.com.
Friday ~ September 09, 2006 by kswanson56 Posted in Greenhouse Gardening, Houseplants, Kids | Add Your Comments
Eva Solo Self-Watering Planter
This stainless steal pot for your house plants is not only attractive, it makes for care free watering! The Eva Solo Self-Watering Planter is made with a frosted glass base that stores water. Your plant will draw up water from the base through a wick, reducing your watering time to about once every week or less. Eva Solo is a Danish design company known for attractive and innovative designs. Price is $62.95.
Monday ~ August 08, 2006 by kswanson56 Posted in Garden Tools, Gardening Gifts for Women, Gardening Lifestyle, Houseplants | Add Your Comments
