When I’m out and about in the town’s stores, I’m always looking for gardening ideas and gift ideas for my gardener friends and family.

Here are some suggestions that might spark some ideas for you.

The only gifts that must be new are seeds, bulbs, plants and some organic fertilizers. Take that information and start up the creative side of your brain.

I’m going to start with the simplest and least expensive gift idea (a gift for your child’s least favorite teacher) and build it to something that’s not only creative, but not a lot more expensive (for your favorite gardener).

Stage 1 – Buy some seed packets that you know will be planted (only buy the best quality), add a pair of gardening gloves and tie the whole visible package with a good looking ribbon and bow.

Stage 2 – Place them in a decorative pot (This doesn’t have to be new. You can sometimes find good-looking containers at the secondhand stores or garage sales).

Stage 3 – Find a neat stand to place the container on (again … you can shop the secondhand stores. If the plant stand needs adjustments in aesthetics, get out the spray paint or paint remover).

Stage 4 – If you really like this gardener, find an antique garden tool to place in the pot with the seeds and the gloves.

Stage 5 – For the gardener that you like and love, add an informative gardening book to this open package. Place it between the container and the plant stand.

May I suggest Alabama Wildflowers by Shelby Countian Jan Midgely? She might even be willing to autograph it for you.

For the houseplant collector, shop your independent retail nurseries that have a good selection of unusual plants. There’s more to gifting than just poinsettias, though I do enjoy them.

Two years ago, a friend gave me a collection of old farmers newsletters from the 1960s that she found at an online auction. They were in a simple box with a simple bow. But this gift has been a great conversation piece as well as interesting reading for me.

Remember, a good presentation of the gift is most important and least expensive. It can make the person receiving the gift knowing you put a lot of thought into their gift