A lot of people think winter, especially winter in Alaska, is not a time when there is much interest in gardening. Au, contraire! There are many of us who dream and plan for our gardens all year long. Yes, I love the summer growing season, but I, along with many other hobby gardeners, thoroughly enjoy the winter season of gardening also. There is next year’s garden to plan for, seeds to buy, books to read, indoor plants to take care of and enjoy, seedlings to prepare for, garden club gatherings to attend and classes to take. The cold nights are long and days short, but before we know it, the shortest day of the year passes by, the nights get shorter and spring breakup is right around the corner.
One activity I enjoy during the early winter is making gifts from my garden for family and friends. We can give many gifts from our gardens. One year I grew strawflowers and combined them with other dried items from my yard to make wreaths for several people on my list. I found grapevine wreath bases in various shapes and sizes and hot glued the flowers to them. Pressed flowers can be turned into many crafts. I enjoy incorporating pressed flowers with my stained glass hobby and I plan to make homemade paper integrating dried flowers and seeds. We can start fresh herbs in window sill pots, create soaps and candles with our dried flowers and herbs, and make jams, butters and jellies with our frozen berries and apples. Who wouldn’t love a loaf of homemade bread with a jar of jelly tucked into a gift basket?
The gardener on your Christmas list is probably the easiest person to buy a gift for. Their gift can be personal and you can be assured they will love and appreciate almost any item you choose. Here are a few ideas off the top of my head for the gardener in your life: amaryllis or other bulbs for forcing inside during the winter, windowsill herbs, an aero garden, shovels, clippers, rakes, garden gloves, knee pads, planters, books, magazine subscriptions, and if you really are not sure, a gift certificate to a local greenhouse is always appreciated. The great thing about giving a gardener tools is it does not matter if they get more than one shovel, rake or hoe. We love new tools and can always make use of multiples. We also appreciate gift certificates for help in our yards. We gardeners really are easy to please. One year my husband gave me a “worm factory” for Christmas. I was thrilled to have a way to make compost inside throughout the winter! My husband knows me well. He knew that, as an avid gardener, I’d love a new way of composting.
A lot of people think winter, especially winter in Alaska, is not a time when there is much interest in gardening. Au, contraire! There are many of us who dream and plan for our gardens all year long. Yes, I love the summer growing season, but I, along with many other hobby gardeners, thoroughly enjoy the winter season of gardening also. There is next year’s garden to plan for, seeds to buy, books to read, indoor plants to take care of and enjoy, seedlings to prepare for, garden club gatherings to attend and classes to take. The cold nights are long and days short, but before we know it, the shortest day of the year passes by, the nights get shorter and spring breakup is right around the corner.
One activity I enjoy during the early winter is making gifts from my garden for family and friends. We can give many gifts from our gardens. One year I grew strawflowers and combined them with other dried items from my yard to make wreaths for several people on my list. I found grapevine wreath bases in various shapes and sizes and hot glued the flowers to them. Pressed flowers can be turned into many crafts. I enjoy incorporating pressed flowers with my stained glass hobby and I plan to make homemade paper integrating dried flowers and seeds. We can start fresh herbs in window sill pots, create soaps and candles with our dried flowers and herbs, and make jams, butters and jellies with our frozen berries and apples. Who wouldn’t love a loaf of homemade bread with a jar of jelly tucked into a gift basket?
The gardener on your Christmas list is probably the easiest person to buy a gift for. Their gift can be personal and you can be assured they will love and appreciate almost any item you choose. Here are a few ideas off the top of my head for the gardener in your life: amaryllis or other bulbs for forcing inside during the winter, windowsill herbs, an aero garden, shovels, clippers, rakes, garden gloves, knee pads, planters, books, magazine subscriptions, and if you really are not sure, a gift certificate to a local greenhouse is always appreciated. The great thing about giving a gardener tools is it does not matter if they get more than one shovel, rake or hoe. We love new tools and can always make use of multiples. We also appreciate gift certificates for help in our yards. We gardeners really are easy to please. One year my husband gave me a “worm factory” for Christmas. I was thrilled to have a way to make compost inside throughout the winter! My husband knows me well. He knew that, as an avid gardener, I’d love a new way of composting.
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Writing, history, gardening, and traveling are a few of Wendy Wesser’s interests. She grew up in Alaska, living as far south as Metlakatla and as far north as Fairbanks. Her family’s history of six generations in Alaska reaches back to the Gold Rush years. She loves reading, hearing, and sharing Alaskan stories of newcomers and oldtimers alike—Last Frontier Magazine has provided her the opportunity to work in this very venue.Alternate bio for articles: Wendy currently resides in Wasilla, Alaska, but has also lived in Metlakatla, Ketchikan, Juneau, Anchorage, and Fairbanks. She enjoys sharing her life experiences of hiking, skiing, gardening, winter camping, etc…, as well as helping other Alaskans (old, new, current, or past) to share their own tales. Since she always says, “Yes!” to the next adventure, her backlog of stories is varied and almost endless.
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