The holidays are here, so as a follow-up to my previous Favorite New Plants post, today I’m sharing my Top Garden Gifts for 2025: What Gardeners REALLY Want!
If you’ve ever struggled to find the perfect gardening gift, you know how tricky it can be, especially for gardeners who seem to already “have it all.”
Over the years, I’ve tried countless garden tools, books, and accessories, but every so often, I discover products that are not only incredibly helpful but also beautifully designed.
Here are my favorite garden gifts of 2025 that are sure to thrill any gardener on your list!
The Root Slayer is a garden must-have tool first introduced to me by Freeland & Sabrina Tanner.
Earlier this year, we hosted a weekend-long Garden Experience in the Tanner’s gorgeous Napa garden, and during one of our breaks, we had a ‘Favorite Tool Show & Tell.’
Well, after hearing how they both use this tool on their various projects, I quickly bought one for myself (as did half the class!) I’ve used it extensively over the summer and can see why this made their ‘favorites’ list!
The Root Slayer is a true multi-purpose powerhouse – replacing the need for hatchets, pry bars, and even small saws.
It’s essentially a shovel, root hatchet, and root saw all wrapped into one.
The Root Slayer’s circular ergonomic handle design gives you more leverage while reducing hand and wrist strain.
And, the oversized handle and raised texture prevent slipping, while the extra-wide step adds stability.
Plus, the long shaft means far less bending, which your back will appreciate.
AND, it even has a lifetime warranty!
Oh, and here’s an interesting article about how the Root Slayer ended up on the TV show The Curse of Oak Island.
The Root Slayer’s “little sister” is the Root Slayer Trowel, and she’s every bit as tough as the full-size version, just in a more compact form.
This handheld powerhouse features a powder-coated, carbon-steel blade that slices through clay-like soil with ease, plus a clever built-in twine-cutting notch that comes in handy far more often than you’d expect.
The flared ergonomic handle is extremely comfortable, giving you a secure, natural grip (even when your hands are tired or the soil is uncooperative).
And because it’s fairly lightweight, I find myself tucking it into my back pocket or carrying it from bed to bed, ready to jump in whenever I need a little extra oomph for planting or loosening my hard soil.
It’s the kind of tool you don’t realize you needed, until you use it once – and suddenly can’t imagine gardening without it.
Overall, the Root Slayer family is big win for the garden tool shed!
If you’re like me and can’t get enough of British garden TV shows & magazines, you might be familiar with Agriframes, as its garden products are often featured in show gardens (ie, Chelsea Flower Show).
I’ve lusted after these treasures for years, so you can imagine how thrilled I was to learn they’re now available in the US!
Christmas came early for me this year in the form of this incredible Regency Zinc Planter.
Crafted from heavy-duty steel, and coated with zinc, it will slowly weather into a beautiful soft gray patina with each passing year.
I’ve been looking for a statement piece for this area of my front drive, whose height and width would be in proportion to the surrounding area. Voila! This is perfect!
Planted with a tough, evergreen rosemary ‘Tuscan Blue’, and succulents that drape over the edge will ensure it looks great throughout the year.
Not only are their products absolutely gorgeous in any garden style , but I also appreciate that its a family-run business (in this case, for over 50 years!)
And let me just say that having dealt with scores of delivery companies over the years (yes, I order a ton of plants and products online), they’ve been very easy to work with, delivering my goodies within 10 days.
Oh, and did I mention that if you register online, shipping is free?
FINALLY! There’s a source for sturdy, TALL obelisks that will stand the test of time.
And unlike other, less-expensive obelisks (that are never quite tall enough or made from flimsy materials), this one is amazing.
I have the Classic Rose Obelisk, medium size, which is an impressive 6’7” tall even after the legs are sunk 11-inches into the ground! There are even larger sizes available which are almost 9’ tall – a next-to-impossible size to find.
I plan to use this obelisk to support either next year’s crop of sweet peas or the towering hot-pink 7-foot celiosa I talked about in my last post.
But, of course, it would also work equally well for any climbing vine or rose.
Oh, and if you’d like to know the difference between an obelisk and a tuteur, click here.
(I know, I’ve used lots of exclamation points here, but I can’t contain my excitement for their products – ha!)
5. Plants for the Winter Garden, by Warren Leach
Winner of the American Horticultural Society 2025 Book Award
With winter upon us, Plants for the Winter Garden is the perfect gift for any gardener on your list, proving the winter garden can be just as engaging as a summer one.
It’s a thorough, inspiring guide to creating a landscape that doesn’t simply survive the colder months but truly shines, with color, texture, form, and surprising vibrancy. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just beginning to explore the possibilities of winter interest, you’ll find practical advice and creative ideas on nearly every page.
Beyond the detailed plant descriptions, the author weaves in lots of interesting historical context: where a species was first discovered, how it made its way into cultivation, and even the origins of its name, often accompanied by a humorous, charming story.
One of my favorite chapters, “Emphasizing Structure,” highlights a variety of gardens to show the many ways designers create beauty in winter. It breaks down the design principles at play and explains how thoughtful plant choices contribute to each effect.
This book is both educational and inspiring, offering tons of ideas for any winter garden.
You can read my full review here, in The American Gardener Magazine
One of my favorite rainy-day rituals is curling up on my covered patio, wrapped in a thick blanket, with a steaming cup of tea in hand.
There’s something so cozy about the rhythm of the rain… until one (or both!) of the nearby downspouts starts hammering like a drum with every drop.
It’s the kind of noise that instantly breaks the serenity.
Enter the perfect solution: a rain chain!
For several years, I’ve had this one (called The Lotus) from Nutshell, which I discovered at the Northwest Flower & Garden Show.
It’s handmade from stainless steel, plated with pure copper, and has developed a stunning patina over time.
It’s been a game-changer for a tricky, noisy downspout in my back garden, turning what was once an annoying nuisance into a gentle, soothing cascade.
I’m planning to add two more to my front porch area, but for that spot, I’ll go with the simple chain-link style. With the vast number of oak leaves that drop near my porch, the cup-style rain chains would clog too easily, but the chain links handle leaf litter like a champ.
And finally, as I’ve mentioned before, I’m always a fan of small companies, and Nutshell is no exception.
Founded in 2011 by a small group of friends in St. Clair, Michigan, the company has since expanded and moved to Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
The CobraHead Weeder is, hands down, one of the most useful garden tools I’ve ever owned, and it goes everywhere with me in the garden.
Dubbed a “steel fingernail,” it effortlessly uproots stubborn weeds in seconds. Those aggressive dandelions and oxalis that sneak into tight cracks? Gone in a flash.
One of my favorite ways to use the CobraHead is as an extension of my own hand.
In tight spaces between larger plants, it reaches where my hands can’t, scraping away debris, weeds, and leaves from the base of plants with a simple motion.
For my birthday this year, my mother bought me their newest introduction – their Long Handle Weeder & Cultivator.
This was the perfect gift for me, as I had recently hurt my back and couldn’t bend over to remove the millions of oak seedlings that were sprouting up throughout my garden.
And, similar to other companies mentioned above, this, too, is a small, family-run business in Wisconsin. Their story is as inspiring as the tool itself and is worth a read here.
It’s incredible how a really well-made tool can make such a big difference in cleaning up tight spots in the garden.
For those of you who have fallen head over heels for grevilleas (like I have), this one’s for you.
As far as I know, Gondwanaland is the ONLY fertilizer formulated in the US specifically for the unique needs of the entire Protea family, which includes grevilleas.
If you’ve grown grevilleas before, you may have seen the dreaded yellowing that happens when the soil isn’t quite right.
And once a grevillea turns yellow, bringing it back to a healthy green can be nearly impossible without risking the plant’s life.
That’s because they’re extremely sensitive to phosphorus, which, unfortunately, is found in most fertilizers on the market.
Enter Gondwanaland Protea Fertilizer, created by Troy McGregor.
I’ve met Troy a few times over the years, and he’s not only an exceptional grower but also the former Nursery Manager at the Ruth Bancroft Garden.
His site, Waltzing Matilija (I love a good garden pun, don’t you?) not only offers an incredible selection of hard-to-find plants, and super helpful articles, but he’s now added something even more rare here in the US: a fertilizer that meets the needs of grevilleas and their protea relatives.
From Troy: ‘This blend delivers just the right proportions to keep your plants healthy, strong, and beautifully vigorous—without the “sugar high” that comes from those high-nitrogen formulas on the market. It’s a controlled-release blend that lasts 3–4 months and can be applied in either fall or spring.
One of the things I love most is how easy it is to use. Unlike meals that require scratching into the soil (which risks damaging the delicate feeder roots that live in the top few inches), Gondwanaland Protea Fertilizer™ can simply be sprinkled on the surface. No fuss, no disturbance—just targeted nutrition exactly where Proteas thrive.’
For more information about grevilleas, click here to read a recent article I wrote for The American Gardener (and I’m proud to say my ‘Peaches & Cream’ even made the cover!)
And one last update – next Thursday, December 11th at 3:00 PST I’ll be presenting a webinar with Garden Design on the topic of Gardening Trends for 2026.
A few topics covered will include why & how to incorporate more keystone plants, being mindful of light pollution, and experimenting with design trends like maximalism, green-drenching, and jewel-toned gardens.
It’s always a lively, inspiring conversation, and I hope to see some of you there! Click here to register.
Well, that’s it for now!
I hope you all have a merry, bright, and joyful holiday season filled with plenty of peaceful moments sprinkled throughout.
See you in the new year, my friends! xoxo
Disclosure Notice: Over the years, I’ve tried tons of garden-related products and only recommend those I truly believe in. Harmony in the Garden participates in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.com and its affiliates.
