When I posted the gardening geek’s guide to gift giving I wrapped it up with a promise to post about hand made gifts for gardeners… tomorrow.
Tomorrow is now today (plus a few days), so here’s the first idea for a hand made gift.
Several years ago, a friend gave me this handmade garden journal. She bought a composition book, added a ribbon around the middle with enough of the “ends” hanging off it to tie it off. Then she embellished the journal with with some paper leaves and flowers with button centers, and presto… a garden journal.
I’ll confess that because I have a ten year garden journal, I haven’t used this one all that much. But when I looked through it tonight, it did yield up a few memories.
One of the memories is this list of “garden ideas to pursue” that I wrote in August of 2003.
I’ll spare you trying to read the handwriting and let you know that I’ve actually taken action on two, maybe four of these ideas…
“Grape vines, add wires between posts”. Hey, I did that the spring after I wrote it. That’s pretty good, huh? I had tons of grapes this year, all growing on those wires I strung between those posts.
“Small flowering tree on east side yard”. Got that done, sort of, last week when I planted a ginkgo tree. It won’t flower and some day it will be a pretty big tree, but it’s in the east side yard. Check and done! (Three years later).
“Better soil mix for pots – didn’t do well this year”. I more or less fixed that by default the next spring by getting the basic materials for my potting soil mix from a different source.
“Mulch, mulch, mulch” I’m also doing this one, by default. Isn’t everyone?
I’m still working on the rest of the list. Some of it I’ll do eventually, some of it I’ll never do, like ‘croquet area’. I have no idea what I was thinking on that one. I should cross that off and write in ‘more hiding places for Easter eggs’, since the annual family egg hunt is in my backyard. That would make a lot more sense. Geez? Croquet?
Anyway, what gardener wouldn’t appreciate a hand made garden journal?
Tomorrow… idea no. 2 for hand made gift for gardeners.
I really struggle with garden journals. I want so desperately to remember the ideas and things, but I never can *find* the journal to write them in, and then I never remember to look at it later! Sigh. ~A 🙂
I like the idea of garden journals, bird journals, daily journals…I just can’t make myself write in them for more than a week. An inherent flaw, I know. But a cool gift idea!
I used to do a pretty good job with writing in my garden journal…at least listing new plants and when I did certain jobs (although I never recorded lawn mowing info…) but now I spend that time reading (and occasionally posting) blogs. I think it’s good I only planted a few new things this year since I should be able to remember them.
This is a cute idea—I’d love to get a gift like that! Can’t wait to see the rest of your handmade gift ideas 🙂
Great idea especially since I like to make journals/books. The trouble is that everyone I know doesn’t take time to actually write in a journal.
I like to look back in my journals and read my “Chore” lists. Ha… They can almost be comical.
Our croquet area is my next plan of attack. We have all become bored with it I guess because we don’t play anymore. Besides I have planted up most of the rest of the back garden. I need more space to plant in. 🙂
My handwritten journal is totally neglected these days, Carol. I still tape receipts in it once in awhile. And since blogging/typing/mousing has ruined my handwriting… even if I do use a pen and write something in the journal, will I be able to read it?? But those handmade books are sure pretty.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Angela (cottage magpie)… I know what you mean about finding the journal when you want to write something in it. My current ten year journal is always on the kitchen counter, right where I can find it.
LostRoses… Turn those ideas into reality. Your grandchildren might some day love to read whatever journals you write.
Leslie… Even if I just plant a few new things, I usually can’t remember them by the next year!
Colleen… Thanks, I’m happy you like it. I thought about having a “garden journal contest” to see if other bloggers want to decorate a journal and post it on their blog.
Lisa at Greenbow… It does take some discipline to keep up any kind of journal. Happy to hear you are keeping some journals! They can indeed be funny to read later.
Annie in Austin… Everyone’s handwriting is getting worse these days, it seems. Look at my pathetic handwriting on the page I posted. I need to put more in my journal than what I do and try to write more legibly.
Thanks all for the nice comments,
Carol at May Dreams Gardens