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For the green fingered, nothing is more satisfying than beautiful beds and gorgeous green lawns. Whether you like it neat and manicured or wild and positively bursting with colour, creating the perfect garden can be an addictive project. Luckily, there’s a whole world of gardening gifts and accessories for those who revel in the great outdoors.
No matter what time of year it is, garden care never stops. Even in the heart of winter, there’s mulching, weeding and raking to do. So, if you’re looking for a gift to delight the gardening obsessive in your life, planters, ornaments, bird boxes, hand tools and more are a good way to make gardeners grin. This guide to the best garden gadgets on the market will help you find the perfect gift for a friend, family member or…yourself (promise we won’t tell anybody). 1. Garden Hammock
For those beachfront vibes in the comfort of your own backyard, you need a high quality garden hammock. Hammocks come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, so you’re guaranteed to find one which fits your specific type of outdoor space.
For instance, if you don’t have trees to use for hanging a traditional hammock, just pick up a freestanding hammock which doesn’t require ropes or ties. Plus, if you choose a portable hammock which can be erected and taken down in minutes, it’ll be suitable for camping trips and other excursions 
Garden hammock2. Composting Tumbler
Composting tumblers are for gardeners who are serious about their scraps. These large rotating devices can be a bit on the pricey side. However, they are loved by homeowners who’ve made composting a big part of their garden’s care.
Composting tumblers are very similar to regular composting barrels but, instead of being static, they continually rotate to aerate their contents and create compost much quicker. Without automated rotation, gardeners have to turn compost piles manually with a rake or hoe. For most, this is a very tedious job. Why not take the hard work out of it with a composting tumbler? 
composting tumbler3. Electric Hand Shears
Electric hand shears are among the best gardening gadgets and gifts for older people. Advancing age can make it harder to reach certain areas or to maintain the steady grip and dexterity needed to manually trim hedges.
With electric shears, however, all you’ve got to do is point them in the right direction. We recommend investing in shears with detachable, swappable parts so you can make full use of the fact your shears are electrically powered. After all, if you’re going to go electric, it’s worth making your trim a little fancier than usual. 
Electric Hand Shears4. Gardeners Skin Care Gift Hamper
To really show a loved one you care, gift them a gorgeous gardener’s hamper. We think gardeners skin care gift hampers make wonderful presents because proper skincare is something many avid planters and weeders forget about.
Yet, all that digging is rough work and a premium hand balm can be a lifesaver. Some hampers focus on hand and nail exfoliators. Others include things like organic lip balm, soaps and aromatherapy candles. Choose a skincare hamper that includes a stylish pair of gardening gloves to ensure your recipient gets plenty of use of their gift. 
Gardeners Skin Care Gift Hamper5. Insect Hotel
Insect hotels are an easy, inexpensive way to nurture the bees, wasps, ladybird and other bugs which call a garden home. They are much like traditional bee sanctuaries – with a wooden frame and lots of small holes for insects to nest inside – but these hotels include a number of different insect habitats instead of just one.
Depending on the hotel you buy, you could get a combined bee, butterfly, wasp and ladybird sanctuary. Each section of the container is shaped a little differently to provide a specialised habitat for a specific type of insect. The best part is, these larger and more complex insect hotels are just as easy to hang and maintain as smaller versions. 
insect hotel6. Garden Badminton Set
If you prefer to keep your garden gifts free spirited, try a backyard badminton set. These kits are really easy to set up because they come with a freestanding net. Just tie the net to the frame, extend it across the garden and start playing.
Portable badminton sets come in a wide variety of sizes so you can even play in a very small yard. If you are tight on space, buy a smaller net or look for a kit with an adjustable net. The easier it is to set up, the better suited it is to camping trips, beach excursions and other outings 
Garden Badminton Set7. Hanging Moroccan Lanterns
Moroccan lanterns are popular with gardeners because they add a sense of mystique and intricacy to outdoor spaces. Hanging lamps are particularly beautiful because, when they catch the light, their gentle swaying sends cascades of colour across a deck or patio.
There’s no single type of Moroccan lamp so you may want to spend some time picking out a pattern that appeals to you. We’re fond of the teardrop shaped lanterns with rounded patterns but there are all kinds of hexagonal, triangular and pentangular versions as well. Most products need nothing but a sturdy metal hook for hanging. 
Hanging Moroccan Lanterns8. Wall Mountable Bird Bath
You don’t have to splash out on an expensive freestanding bird bath to care for the feathery visitors in your backyard. There are plenty of smaller baths which can be affixed to garden walls.
They need only a couple of strong nails or screws and should, if the wall is stable, remain steady for many years. We advise looking for a cast iron bath which won’t rust or corrode over time. Depending on the size of the bath’s basin, you may be able to use it interchangeably as a bird bath and feeder. 
Wall Mountable Bird Bath9. Nibble My Bits’ Gnome Bird Feeder
If you want to give a garden gift that’ll have your recipient roaring, consider the wonderfully witty ‘Nibble My Nuts’ gnome bird feeder. Yes, it’s silly but everybody should have fun in the backyard.
This mischievous gnome makes a great Christmas or birthday gift for somebody who doesn’t mind keeping a naughty ornament in the garden. Spoiler alert – the nuts are yours. Fill this gnome’s pouch to the brim to keep the local birds happy. He’s made of tough terracotta so he should find it easy to withstand the elements. 
Nibble My Bits’ Gnome Bird Feeder10. Fire Pit Grill
Fire pit grills and racks are inexpensive to buy, and they add a whole new dimension and function to an existing garden fire pit. For this reason, they’re one of our favourite garden gadgets. They’re easy to use too.
Much like a barbecue grill or oven rack, they are placed directly over the pit’s flames. The long – sometimes extendable – handle ensures you can move the rack without getting too close to the fire. It’s the cheapest, easiest way to turn your garden fire pit into a fully functional barbeque. No screws, no nails, just a useful gadget 
Fire Pit Grill11. Digital Weather Station
It’s hard to overestimate the value of digital outdoor weather stations. They can perform so many different functions. For instance, one of our favourite products is able to measure temperature, humidity, moon phase, air pressure and much more.
It’s not like turning on the TV and watching the weather forecast. These devices are measuring minute changes in the atmosphere outside your home. When they give you a weather forecast, it’s a forecast that’s personal to your specific neighbourhood and, in some cases, your garden. Many of these digital stations come with integrated alarm clocks, LCD displays, wireless sensors and even USB ports for charging devices. It’s almost like having a miniature laptop in your garden. 
Digital Weather Station
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AuthorPaul Nicolaides is a Landscape architect and garden builder with over 30 years experience in designing, building and maintaining gardens. Contemplating just how important garden space is for nature and recreation he created 'Cool Garden Gadgets' to explore the best gadgets for enhancing outside spaces. From outdoor dining ideas to the latest garden technology we break it down for you here. Archives
July 2021
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