Ideas For Homemade Holiday Garden Gifts

Do you have a friend or family member who’s a gardener? If so, consider making at least some holiday gifts with a garden theme this season.

Making gifts yourself is a good way to slow down during the hectic holiday, to have some quality time with others (especially with children), and a way to save some money. These ideas are in addition to the usual holiday trimmings like evergreen roping, swags, and arrangements with berries and other natural materials.

Make A Grapevine Wreath

Although many decorate evergreen wreaths for the holidays, consider decorating a grapevine wreath with natural materials for winter decoration. You can either collect grapevines and make the base wreath, or buy one at a florist or craft store. Then collect pine cones and spray them with glue and roll in glitter, or spray paint seed pods like those from a milkweed plant.  When collecting pine cones (rather than buying them), make sure they are dried and open first.  Hop Vines and Virginia Creeper vines also make good wreaths either by themselves or to serve as bases.

If you’re using dried flower clusters, like those from wildflowers, first spray them with a shellac to help keep them intact. Then use spray paint for color or use them as-is. Some dried berries may be added, but make sure that they aren’t poisonous in case children or pets are present. Hydrangeas are common shrubs in many landscapes, and their dried flowers can be used in many creative ways.

Decorate Flower Pots

Some of the easiest gifts to make are to decorate clay flower pots.  This is something I did with my daughter when she was still quite young, but can be done even more elaborately by adults. Gardeners invariably need more flower pots! It can be as simple as painting designs, such as flowers on the pot with waterproof paints from a craft store. I like to paint the pot with a light background color first.

For an aged look, paint clay pots a solid color such as dark green or black. Then brush or wipe with an acrylic gold or copper paint, diluted half with water. When dry, the undiluted gold or copper can be used for small designs, highlights, or trim.

Another pot decorating option, still quite simple, is decoupage. If using a clay pot, first seal the pot with a polyurethane or similar paint, so moisture won’t wick through the clay and ruin your work. Next, cut out paper designs, shapes, or photos from seed catalogs or seed packets, to affix to the sides. Using either decoupage material, or a white glue thinned with equal parts water, lightly coat the pot sides.  Put the cutouts on the pot, then finish with a final clear coating over all. Other decorations for clay pots, easily attached with a glue gun, are small silk flowers, buttons, reflective shapes, and ribbon. All can be found at your local crafts store.

If you use clay pots in gardening, you likely have some broken pieces. These make great plant markers – choose the flatter pieces, 2 to 4 inches wide, and paint with the names of flowers, then glue onto painted wooden dowels. If using outdoors, protect with a clear sealant.

If using green plastic pots, decorate with simple flower designs with acrylic paint markers. Small dots or simple lines, in contrasting colors, is easy and very effective. Put this project in the hands of one of your children, and see what surprises they come up with.

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Make Luminaries From Metal Cans

Metal cans can be turned into holders for dried flowers indoors, or candle holders outdoors for the patio.  For luminaries along walks, use large cans (I got mine from a local pizza parlor).  To make a candle holder, remove the labels, rinse well, fill with water, and freeze. Freezing the can stiffens the metal so you can then punch a design in the side with many holes made by hammer and nail (it helps to draw the design on the side first).  Then paint the cans.

Make Stepping Stones

Stepping stones are a popular and easy gift to make. Start with a purchased mold (they come in various shapes, even flowers), or old cake pans.  Spray the mold with cooking spray so the finished product can be removed.  Cut a piece of plastic or wire window screen the shape of the mold, to help prevent the cement from cracking. Mix the cement, pour half in the mold, add the screen, then fill. Don’t move the mold until the cement hardens, or it may crack. The finished stone can be painted, or use leaves to press designs into the cement before it is completely dry.

Gifts For The Birds

For the birds, an easy gift is to drill one-inch or wider holes part way through a piece of log, such as from a birch tree. Then pack with suet or a homemade mix of peanut butter and nuts. You can build birdhouses using plans in books and online, or simply buy an unfinished one and paint it.

Make Flowers From Wood

A project I saw at a country gift shop, then came home and made, consists of simple wooden tulips. Using a jig-saw and one-inch thick board, cut a simple tulip design—basically a U-shape with W-shape on top, or flaring V-shape.  Drill a small hole in the base, and insert a sturdy dowel for the stake. You can vary the dowel length from one to two feet for various heights.  Sand all surfaces, then paint the dowel green, and flowers in bright “tulip” colors. I love adding these around outdoors in early spring, before the real bulbs emerge, and even intersperse them with daffodils in large pots.

Make A Flower Press

Another “saw” project is a flower press. Using wood one-quarter to one-half inch thick, cut two squares or rectangles, anywhere from 6 to 12 inches on a side.  Corners can be angled for a better appearance.  Sand cut edges, then shellac, stencil, or paint as desired. The boards are held together with a bolt and wing nut on each corner.  Inside, place cardboard and white paper layers cut to the same shape and size.

Make Plant Markers

Out of thin wood, saw small rectangles and attach them to wooden dowels or craft sticks with a glue gun. Paint or stencil the plant name, add designs from stencils or rub-on transfers, then seal all for outdoor use with a clear sealant or varnish.  You can use names instead, such as “mom’s garden”, or larger wood pieces for short garden sayings.

Simple And Quick Holiday Gifts

Short on time for homemade gifts?  Then buy wooden tool totes or fruit baskets, and paint these. Seed packets and a piece of ribbon can be used to adorn a straw hat. If you collect seeds from your garden plants, make and decorate your own seed packets for gifts.  Add some fresh herbs to sugar, such as lavender, mint, rosemary, sage, or thyme, to use in cooking and beverages. Gently crush the herbs, add a few leaves or sprigs to a cup or two of sugar, and let stand in an airtight jar (stir every couple days) for a couple weeks before using.

Another easy project is to press various leaves and flat plant parts into wide candles. Simply dip the candle, using tongs, into boiling water for a couple of minutes then lay on wax paper. Press the leaves or plant parts into the softened sides, then dip again in the hot water for another minute to seal.  Don’t worry if the candle ends up a bit uneven.

Hopefully, these homemade holiday garden gifts will inspire you to come up with many more of your own. Make a note now to plan ahead for next season to collect your own seeds, supplies, containers to decorate, and flowers to dry for future projects.

This article originally appeared on Perrys Perennials.