fiskars stik pruner

OK, Santa. Maybe I let the weeds go a little - no, A LOT - more than they were supposed to this year. And I still haven't gotten around to putting those Tropicanna canna rhizomes (still sitting in the basement) into peat-moss filled plastic bags for the winter. And yes, I could've - and should've - planted a lot more veggies this year.

But I've been nice, too … I shared my hostas and new plants from the Garden Writers Association symposium with budget-strapped gardening friends. I harvested all that bittersweet and grapevine for my godmother, who teaches floral design. And I spent all that time with my daughter, letting her pick out her own seeds and grow her own kids' garden this year.

So cut me a break, will ya - I could really use some of these gardening goodies under the tree!

Air plant ornament

Maybe it’s because I grew up in the 70s, but I really loved this hanging terrarium ornament featured in the November Garden Cuttings newsletter’s home-and-holiday-gift suggestions: “The Glass Globe Tillandsia Terrarium is an attractive living arrangement for a kitchen, covered porch, or anywhere there is indirect light,” it reads, adding that of course, it’s also great as an ornament on any plant-lover’s Christmas tree. Inside the glass globe are are three tillandsia plants: a red Capitata Select, a feathery green Tillandsia Ionantha and a silver-gray Harrisii. The 6-inch glass globe has a 2-inch front opening to remove the plants for watering. Just soak the easy-to-care-for plants in water once a week. Includes a monofilament cord for hanging. $39.95 from Logee’s, (888) 330-8038 or www.logees.com.

Hens & chicks growing kit

Dying to make your owned framed wall art of succulents? I know I am. Now you can grow them – and enjoy them – inside during the colder months, with this Hens & chicks growing kit from Red Envelope. This succulent, more formally known as sempervivum, comes in “understated, but slightly cheeky” white, ceramic planters. “They’re both versatile decorating elements and a perfect way to pay tribute to the family’s “Mother Hen,” reads the catalog. The “chick” size ($29.95) is 5 3/8 x 4 1/8 inches. The “hen” ($39.95) is 7 7/8 x 3 ½ inches. (877) 850-7467 or RedEnvelope.com/Catalog

Fiskars Pruning Stik

“Lightweight pruning stick for getting small branches and vines,” California garden designer and blogger recently wrote on North Coast Gardening. “I use it to prune out of control Cecile Brunner roses and at apple-pruning time.” Well, that’s just what I need for my Japanese wisteria out front (which has been trained – not very well, mind you – into a tree). Every year, my husband battles what he has now named the “Japanese Bumble Tree,” pruning off its long, new growth every week, it seems, just to have it seemingly grow back overnight. See the Fiskars Pruning Stik in action in Gen’s video review (dog included! No, no, not with the product – just for the entertainment of crazy dog people like me). $39.97 at Amazon.com.

Grow your own marinara kit

OK, so I first stopped and looked at this because I thought it said “Grow your own marijuana kit,” which I thought was definitely pushing the envelope, even for the Uncommon Goods catalog (home of the Gro-Bot and Attitude Vase.) But then I realized it was a marinara growing kit – and was still very interested! See I live and grew up in Rochester, NY, which has a huge Italian-American population. So making your own sauce out of fresh ingredients from the garden is a way of life here. And I always set out to do just this with my now-4-year-old daughter. Except in my busyness, I always forget to get the seeds for one of the key ingredients (oregano, basil and tomatoes). And of course, you can go as cheap as you want with this idea – I’m just a sucker for pretty, coordinated products, especially when I give them as gifts.  And this one, especially with its patio-perfect, kid-friendly cherry tomatoes, is just as cute as a button!  The Grow your own marinara kit is $29 through Uncommon Goods. (888) 365-0056 or www.uncommongoods.com

Norpro 1 Gallon Stainless Steel Composter

I keep saying I’m going to start composting, but you know how that goes … Plus, a lot of the composting bins I’ve seen look a lot like the big, green garbage tote I push out to the curb every Tuesday. I’d like something that I can drop table scraps into, but it looks like a piece of the décor. With its charcoal filter and super-tight lid, I also won’t have to worry about bad odors filling up my kitchen, and I won’t have to bring it into the back yard and empty it every single time I drop something in there. And sure, I’d love to get one of those super-dee-duper, commercial-grade kitchen composters I’ve seen for $350. But for now, this bin’s price of $37.59 is a lot more realistic. Find it at Amazon.com.