If someone in your life loves gardening and nature, look no further than your locally owned garden center for useful and unique gifts to give this holiday season. Here at Native Nurseries, we’ve gathered a few sure-to-be-treasured items to get your inspiration flowing for that special nature lover on your shopping list.

Gardener’s Delight

A fruit tree, “the gift that keeps on giving,” is a special delight for any gardener. A blueberry bush, fig tree, satsuma or Meyer lemon tree are just a few examples that are sure to not disappoint. Likewise, a gift basket of Johnny Jump-ups or woodland wildflowers would be a pleasure to anyone's yard. Maybe a container garden of winter herbs, lettuces and salad greens for the friend that enjoys cooking with fresh ingredients out their back kitchen door.

Other gardening gifts include seed starting kits, garden statuary, houseplants, heirloom seed packages, gardening gloves, outdoor solar lanterns, wind chimes, colorful pots, books, and festive amaryllis bulbs.

Birds and the Bees

Give the gift of native plants that keep the songbirds singing, garden bees pollinating and other wildlife thriving in yards and gardens. I know my native plant friends would be very happy with a budding native azalea, providing spring color and nectar for pollinators. Or consider a yaupon holly tree, loaded with bright red berries for cedar waxwings, catbirds, robins and other birds.

Bird feeding supplies, a bird field guide, bird baths and houses are excellent gift ideas for those backyard bird watchers on your list. You can put together a fun gift basket by choosing an assortment of seed, a basic feeder and our unique to Tallahassee bird checklist. These gifts will delight the bird lover in your life every day of the year.

For the person who already has a basic feeder, try a special feeder that will draw different types of birds. For instance, a thistle sock for goldfinch or a suet feeder along with our homemade suet for warblers and other non-seed eating birds. Other bird friendly gifts include adorable bird seed ornaments, wreath shaped nesting material, hummingbird feeders, purple martin gourds or nest boxes for bluebirds, flycatchers and wood ducks.

Bee houses for native pollinators, such as mason and leaf cutter bees, have become quite popular and make very unique gifts. Children and adults can gain knowledge and enjoyment watching the interactions of these native bees. Bat houses and butterfly rearing houses are also fun, engaging ways to inspire a love of the natural world at home.

Children and Nature

Nature inspired gifts are a great way to encourage kids who haven’t quite fallen for nature to get outside and explore more. Bug viewers can be lots of fun for those into creepy-crawlies, or perhaps fairy gardening accessories for a magical introduction to gardening. DIY kits make wonderful gifts because they often give kids a hands-on opportunity that they may not have otherwise. From bluebird nest box kits to our ‘Happy Home’ butterfly rearing houses, these are the kinds of gifts that continue giving long after the boxes are opened. Other gifts available in the children’s nature nook include garden tools and gloves, wildlife puppets, critter counting books, bird-themed puzzles, and games.