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Gardeners were "green" way before the term became a hot advertising tag. But just how "green" is that gardener in the family? Is he or she willing to toss the gas-powered mower and maintain a tiny -- but perfect -- swath of lawn?
Maybe a test of resolve is needed: Give a hand-powered reel mower. Yes, you push it and make the blades spin, snipping the grass off like scissors and ensuring a clean, non-browning cut. The 17-pound Brill Razorcut push mower, one of the best, is $228.95 at Amazon.com.
Not ready to commit to complete people-power? Go with a battery-powered reel mower from Mantis. It works just like a hand-powered mower, but has a 24-volt NiCad battery pack that spins the reels so you don't have to push it hard to rotate the blade. The Mantis mower is 25 pounds and has a folding handle for compact storage; $379 at www.mantis.com.
Fine tools are like jewelry for those who can put them to good use, and the ARS "Extra Reach" bonsai scissors would be a fine gift not only for bonsai hobbyists, but for flower arrangers, as well. They have 2-inch blades and larger handles that men, in particular, might appreciate; $20.49 at A.M. Leonard ( www.amleo.com).
Also like fine jewelry is the German-made, stainless steel watering can offered by the New York Botanical Garden. Its small size and hefty cost make it better suited for indoors, but it's a paragon of modern design; $84 at www.nybgshop.org.
Some gardeners squish pests with a quick jab of the thumb; others cherish every stem-chewing bug. This gift from Kinsman Co. is for the latter: A trigger grip attached to a long plastic rod ending in fiber optic bristles. It's an insect catcher that doesn't harm the bug!
Squeeze the grip and the bristles open up like fingers. Release and the bristles close around that enormous wolf spider, which you can then take outdoors and watch scamper into the woods. Great way to reduce your karma debt. $17.95, www.kinsmangarden.com.
Also from Kinsman is the gardener's color wheel designed by Connecticut's own Sydney Eddison. The 9 1/4 -inch plastic wheel has pastel shades on one side and saturated colors on the other, 252 in all, with an eight-page booklet explaining how to use the wheel in garden design; $10.95.
If you have a friend with a well-heated greenhouse, try giving a 4-inch pot of Tabernaemontana holstii from Logee's Greenhouse in the Danielson section of Killingly. I have no idea how tricky this might be to cultivate, but its pure white flowers are stunning, The fragrant flowers emerge as a tube, then spiral into a graceful, twisted star shape; $39.95 at www.logees.com, 888-330-8038.
Older gardeners might appreciate the Poly Tough Garden Cart from Gardener's Supply Co. Unlike traditional wheelbarrows, this one is light (30 pounds), yet will hold up to 6 cubic feet of material weighing up to 300 pounds. It stands level on two large, semi-pneumatic bicycle wheels and sturdy rear props. The big wheels allow it to move easily over grass and uneven terrain; $169 at www.gardeners.com.
Every plant, it seems, has its champion and for sweet peas it's Glenys Johnson of Sebastopol, Calif. Sweet peas need to be planted in early spring, so get a jump on next season with the "Sweetest Collection" of seeds from Johnson's website, www.enchantingsweetpeas.com.
Sweet peas are often neglected in the United States because of two specific requirements: an early start, two or three weeks before the last frost, and a fine-textured climbing support, usually provided by chicken-wire fencing. They're annuals, but offer an amazing variety of bright colors and fabulous fragrance. They look amazing in a casual arrangement. The "Sweetest Collection" features the most fragrant varieties, $13.95 for a collection of 10 seeds each of five different varieties.
Finally, for the gardener who has everything: A 20-pound bag of CricketPoo. The name says it all: 100 percent organic fertilizer with a nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium rating of 4-2-2; $14.99 at www.cricketpoo.com. Want to make your own? Get a package of 250 live adult crickets for $11.99 at CricketPoo's affiliate, Ghann's Cricket Farm ( www.ghann.com).
To see more of The Hartford Courant, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.courant.com/. Copyright (c) 2008, The Hartford Courant, Conn. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
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