By Betty Hargrave
With the kids back in school, this is a great time to choose a gift for yourself; and it’s never too early to start your holiday gift shopping.

 We know autumn is near when the spring-blooming bulbs arrive. Bulbs make a lovely seasonal gift. A collection of bulbs, bulb planting trowel, gloves, and fertilizer, all placed in a nice basket makes a wonderful gift for the avid gardener. Also consider a selection of bulbs planted in an attractive ceramic container that can be used again and again throughout the years as a reminder to the recipient of your friendship.

A large collection of rich colored containers will be the perfect choice as we change our décor from the bright, light colors of summer to the deeper shades for fall. Do you need something small to tuck into a niche? Maybe something larger with silk flowers to brighten a dark corner? Our new fall ceramics are diverse in size, shape, and color!

Ceramic containers are always a delight to give or to keep for one’s own. Any selection from the new Country French designs (white with blue trim and raised yellow lemons and stunning green leaves) added to a room will enhance its country appeal. Our pure white collection of planters includes many interesting and unusual styles and shapes. Several are embossed with a jungle theme. There are also enchanting basket weaves, floral, and scroll designs. The blue and white ceramic containers are always among the favorites selected. Many more designs have been added, and we now have blue and yellow designs to accent your favorite blue collection.

Any one of the new and unusual orchid pots — planted with either a real orchid or one of our “you-can’t-tell-its silk” orchids — will delight an orchid lover! New tropical designs are adorned with raised tropical vines, flowers, and tropical insects.

A gift of a beautiful large copper tube-style bird feeder would add a touch of class to the garden. Our bird friends always enjoy a new feeding station filled with delectable seed. Bird lovers can always find room for one more feeder to tempt their favorite visitors to the garden or patio. Gift certificates are always a welcome gift, too! See you soon!

Gardening should be enjoyable. For those finding it difficult to get down on the ground these days, there is Landscape esign for Elderly & Disabled People — an informative book that suggests site designs and covers access, seating, planting, raised beds, and container gardening. The Enabling Garden was written by Gene Rothert after preparing a television program for “The Victory Garden.” It contains excellent coverage of every aspect of gardening to put joy back in the garden lover’s life by making the garden accessible and suggesting manageable tools and methods. Southern Herb Growing is superb with its pictures and herb information. Recipes using herbs from your garden are included. The Herb Garden Cookbook has delicious recipes as well as garden tips for your herb garden. We have lots more herb books to whet your appetite for herbal recipes and information for maintaining your herb gardens. Come browse the book rack to see what we have!