This year, as always, I have selected a few items that are useful and affordable, and a few others that are decorative and a little bit pricier. If they don’t catch your fancy, I’d also suggest checking out my gift guides from previous years. I don’t repeat items so there are plenty of ideas there including organic seed sets, great gift certificates, tools, the best hose ever (p.s. see their ad at the side for 20% off), and more.

All photos are copyright to their respective shops.

Bogs Ultra High Boots $135: Davin has worn a pair of these over the last few seasons and he loves them (his are olive green). We originally thought they’d make a good spring garden boot, suitable for slogging through the early season muck, but since they are rated down to -40 degrees F, they have turned out to be a warm and durable winter boot as well. He wears them on long winter walks with the dog or days when it’s exceptionally cold and snowy. The handles make it easier to pull them on. Also available in women’s sizes. I hope to upgrade eventually myself as I am still wearing cheaper gardening rain boots that do not do double duty as winter wear.

Fingerprint Pods, Cast Ear Studs $120: These gorgeous, oxidized silver earrings are inspired by seedpods from the Australian banksia tree. Designer, Safria Blom offers a range of plant-inspired pieces, all based on this simple shape.

Stainless Steel Hori Hori Knife $24.95: My friend Margaret has been coveting this rugged, all-purpose gardening knife from Gardener’s Supply, and when I saw it, I fell in love, too. These knives are invaluable for digging out difficult roots and cutting into hard soil, and the fact that this is stainless steel means I don’t have to obsess over preventing rust. Oh, and it has depth measurements, too, making it useful for planting bulbs. It’s become tradition for me to post a bulb planting tool every year (aka dibber or dibbler). Consider this it!

Nature Wall Hanging $46.00: I’m a bit obsessed with plant castings and found this hanging/mobile that is cast from wonderfully weird seedpods.

The Boreal Herbal: Wild Food and Medicine Plants of the North $44.95: A friend of mine has this book and I happened to see it on her kitchen table last week. She raved about it and I ended up spending about an hour leafing through the pages transfixed. I picked up all kinds of tips and learning about wild edibles of the north and am planning to order a copy for myself. The book is full of interesting food, medicine, and wildcrafted body care recipes and I would absolutely recommend it to anyone who has more than a beginner knowledge of medicinal herbalism.

Stainless Steel Compost Pail $19.95
I’ve had one of these stainless steel pails for more years than I can remember. We keep it under the sink and dump kitchen scraps into it until it is full before carrying it out to the bin. I’ve tried plastic pails and I can say with certainty that the stainless version is worth a few extra dollars. It’s tough, easy to clean, and the metal doesn’t absorb smells.

Coreopsis Cylinder Vase $180: I’ve been following Diana Fayt’s nature-inspired clay work via Instagram for some months now. I was originally drawn in by images of her handmade spoons and scoops, but am now especially intrigued by pottery pieces that feature etchings of plants, feathers, and animals. This coreopsis piece is beautiful on its own but I like the idea of filling it in the summer months with coreopsis stems from the garden.