35 Genius Gifts for Gardeners They’ll Really Dig—Handpicked by a Gardener (Updated 2025) – Garden Betty

The No-Waste Vegetable Cookbook: Recipes and Techniques for Whole Plant Cooking

I’m starting off with a recommendation for a book that every vegetable gardener should have. It’s the perfect gift for anyone who grows their own food! The No-Waste Vegetable Cookbook is filled with easy and approachable recipes, delicious tips, and inventive uses for all the odds and ends of plants you never knew you could eat.

You can essentially double your harvest every season without adding more work, more plants, or a bigger garden.

Galvanized Steel Harvest Basket

This metal garden hod is so classy! It’s based on a vintage 1950s English design and I love the shallow basket and movable handle. You can use it for harvesting or weeding, of course, but I think it also makes a cool catch-all for tools, crafting supplies, and other bits and bobs.

Hachiman Waterfall Flow Watering Can

This is the neatest design I’ve seen for an outdoor watering can. It truly combines style with utility: a completely open top to make filling it easy, a hole in the handle to thread a hose through so you can fill it hands-free, and a wide spout with grooves that allows for a waterfall-like flow, giving you better control over your watering.

Compact Tidy Tray

This simple potting station is small enough to fit on a counter, yet large enough to repot a houseplant and hold small supplies in the upper tray without making a mess. I like how you can move it from place to place, use it indoors or out, and clean it off easily with a hose. It’s very affordable too!

Bootstrap Farmer Ultimate Backyard Gardener Bundle

Do you know someone who’s just getting started with gardening? Or maybe you want to upgrade your current seed starting gear? This is an amazing bundle from a company that makes the best trays and pots (and I don’t say that lightly). They’re incredibly strong and durable (none of that cheap, flimsy plastic you’re used to seeing) and the fun colors are just a bonus.

I own and love these products as well as several other products from the same company, and am buying this exact set for my daughter’s school garden.

Mod Hod Stackable Harvest Basket

This is my absolute favorite harvest basket (made in France) but it’s becoming increasingly harder to find it in stock in the States! I love the fold-out legs that allow them to stack on top of each other, the sturdy build, and the colander-like sides that let you rinse off vegetables right in the basket.

Burgon & Ball Pruner Set

These beautiful pruners come with a holster and gift canister printed with an illustration dating back to 1810, specially selected from the Royal Horticultural Society Lindley Collections of historic botanical art. This would make a lovely gift for a flower gardener or any gardener who likes pretty things.

Modern Sprout Gardening Shears and Pruners Set

If you prefer something simpler—but no less stylish—this set of shears and pruners with ergonomic nonslip handles and easy-lock safety latches is a great gift choice. I love the lavender option, but click through and you can also choose from mint, teal, chartreuse, or sage. I’ll be buying a set for myself because the price point is just right!

Barebones Canvas Harvesting and Gathering Bag

For someone who likes to spend time in the garden, forage in the wild, or simply visit farmers’ markets, a versatile gathering bag like this one helps keep all their treasures together.

The bag is made from weather-resistant waxed canvas and can be carried multiple ways with its convertible straps: on the shoulder, on the back, or across the chest. A drop-down bottom makes emptying the harvest quick and easy. (They also make a smaller version for shorter adventures.)

Barebones Leather Work Gloves

There’s nothing flashy about these gloves, and that’s one of the things I love about them. They’re classic leather gloves and feel sooo soft and buttery on your hands! Besides gardening, these gloves work well for a range of tasks around the yard, from grilling to woodworking. The palms are reinforced to protect against cuts and punctures, and I especially dig the green color. (I can’t help it, I have both!)

Barebones Walnut Handle Scissors

Scissors are my #1 gardening tool above pruners and clippers. Why? Because they’re small, easy to clean, and easy to tote around. I have several that I use for harvesting, pruning, cutting twine, opening bags, and other everyday tasks. Some of them are pretty plain (office-type scissors) but this walnut-handled pair makes an ordinary tool look and feel special.

I’ve had mine for over three years and it still looks and functions like new; I just get it sharpened every year.

Barebones Hori Hori Knife

I love my hori hori knives (yes, I have multiple!) as I find them super useful in the yard for lots of different tasks: cutting twine, cutting open bags or boxes, digging holes, transplanting seedlings, pulling up weeds, and so on. This particular knife is high on my list because I’m lusting after the walnut handle—it’s so elegant!

Plus, I own other tools by this company (as you’ve noticed from my picks above) and have found them to be very high-quality and totally worth gifting (or buying for yourself).

Merry People Waterproof Rubber Boots

As a gardener, I’ve tried all kinds of muck boots and rain boots. These Merry People Bobbi boots, by far, are my favorite. (I have the Alpine Green pair, but am really hankering for another color.) The unisex boots are made of natural rubber and are so comfortable to wear not only around the yard, but out on the town, too. I’ve found them to be surprisingly warm down to 35°F.

They also make these tall boots, which I’m loving for tidepooling on our PNW beaches.

Water Hyacinth Egg Basket

My kids bring in the eggs each day, and I wouldn’t say they’re the gentlest as they run back to the house with wire basket in hand. So I love the idea of this egg collecting basket, made with natural water hyacinth and seagrass, that cushions the eggs a bit more (and can hold more eggs too). There’s also a round version.

North Spore Lion’s Mane Mushroom Growing Kit

You’ve probably seen similar mushroom growing kits-in-a-box, but this is the first time I’ve seen a kit for shaggy lion’s mane. If you have a friend who’s always wanted to try growing mushrooms (or maybe you do as well), this indoor kit makes for an easy, mess-free experiment. I also love the fun holiday edition with the polar bear box!

The same company also makes boxed mushroom-growing kits for pink oyster, blue oyster, and golden oyster.

Arber Organics Waterproof Repotting Mat

If you have houseplants, this repotting mat is a must. It has a large waterproof surface that easily wipes (or washes) clean, and it can hold the messiest of potting chores. Once you’re done, simply roll it up and store until next time.

We the Wild Sun Lamp and Houseplant Liquid Concentrate

Most indoor plants need more light than you think they do, so for those dark corners or dimly lit bedrooms, an indoor grow lamp can really help them along. The set includes a bottle of liquid plant food to help nurse the plant back to life.

Fiskars Indoor Plant Cutting Set

Know someone who’s wild about houseplants? This set of three matching pruners with docking holders is both stylish and practical. (And it’s made by Fiskars, so the quality is definitely up there.) It helps corral all those important trimming tools and keep them organized on a shelf, in the closet, or next to the watering can for easy retrieval.

Mini Ollas for Indoor Plants

You’ve probably seen or heard of ollas for the garden. Well, these are mini ollas—sized just right for a houseplant! Stick one of these terra cotta ollas in the pot, fill with water, and moisture will slowly seep out. It’s a good way to keep houseplants watered while you’re on vacation too.

Mushroom Watering Globes

I usually can’t resist anything mushroom-related, and these are no exception! The decorative glass globes help keep houseplants watered for weeks. Simply fill them with water before you leave and your plants will stay perfectly hydrated, wicking up as much water as they need.

Modern Sprout Candle and Herb-Growing Kits

This set of 3 growing kits is multipurpose: You get three soy-blend candles in refreshing natural scents (lavender, thyme, and rosemary) and when the candles are burned down, the vessels turn into little pots for your own lavender, thyme, and rosemary plants. The kit includes seeds, soilless growing medium, plant food, activated carbon, and instructions to help you get started.

Rose Glass Watering Can

I currently use a cheap plastic watering can to water my houseplants, but I’m eyeing this gorgeous glass vessel. It holds enough water to supply a few plants and is elegant enough to leave out, like a vase. (In fact, you could even use it as a vase to hold a winter cutting or a couple of stems.)

Brass Flower Frog

Remember these things that maybe your mom or grandma used to have? Flower frogs have come a long way since those days, and this rust-resistant brass frog is pretty enough to keep out while displaying your favorite stems. Pair it with a ceramic dish from a local potter for a thoughtful gift.

Amallow Whipped Tallow Balm

I discovered beef tallow as a moisturizer last year and I really like how this whipped tallow balm is made in the USA and comes from pastured, grass-fed cows (which has a huge effect on the quality of the tallow). It comes in various light scents and is super moisturizing for hands, heels, and other dry skin, including your face. I personally love the orange creamsicle scent—it’s heavenly! (Check out the tallow lip balm on my stocking stuffers gift guide.)

Masontops Mason Jar Fermentation Kit

I’ve tried a few airlock systems for my fermenting projects over the years, but this fermentation kit from Masontops is far and away the best for how easy they make it, even for beginners. The kit comes with a wooden tamper, glass weights, and airlock tops to turn any mason jar into a fermentation crock for kimchi, sauerkraut, and other ferments. It’s my favorite fermentation system ever!

Staub Cast-Iron Dutch Oven

Hands down, this is the most-used pot in my kitchen, especially when it’s soup-making weather! I love my 7-quart Staub dutch oven and use it for not only soups, but also roasting, braising, and making big one-pot meals. What sets Staub apart from similar pots (like Le Creuset) is the design of the lid: the underside features little spikes that drip the juices back down onto the food, retaining moisture and flavor.

Ball Electric Water Bath Canner

If you love to can but are still using an enormous pot on the stove to do so, this electric water bath canner is a must-have. I own an older version of this and can’t imagine going back to stovetop canning! An electric canner makes it possible for you to take your canning to the kitchen island, dining table, garage, or even outside, and it heats up water more quickly than a conventional burner.

For someone new to canning, you can also add in this set of canning tools to get them up and running.

Barebones Pivot Arc Lighter

Have you ever used a rechargeable arc lighter? It’s a really sleek gadget that uses electric plasma technology to provide a reliable flame (unlike traditional lighters that always blow out in the wind). Use it to ignite a candle indoors or light tinder outdoors. The pivoting arm design makes this easy to stow away, and the vintage brass makes this elegant enough to keep on display.

Solo Stove Bonfire Portable Fire Pit

A fire pit is one of the best ways to enjoy a garden, and this Solo Stove wood fire pit has been the centerpiece of many of our barbecues and backyard gatherings. We have the Bonfire version (which is perfect for up to eight adults to sit around) and it gives off a lot of heat with little smoke. (I also recommend getting the heat deflector for it.) There’s even a smaller version for patios and a tabletop version that can burn wood or pellets.

The Backyard Fire Cookbook: Get Outside and Master Ember Roasting, Charcoal Grilling, Cast-Iron Cooking, and Live-Fire Feasting

What better gift to pair with the Solo Stove than a book that’s all about cooking outside over an open flame?! The Backyard Fire Cookbook covers several techniques that anyone can master, from ember roasting and charcoal grilling to cast-iron cooking and planking. I also show you how to build the perfect cooking fire, compare different types of wood to use for your fuel, and include lots of photos of delicious recipes to try at home!