How many hand tools does your favorite gardener have? After awhile, most gardeners acquire a few trowels, hand forks, hand digging hoes, bulb planters and other hand tools and need something to put them in so they are easy to find. How about making them a tool caddy to carry all those tools in?
Here’s one that I made last year after seeing a picture of one that was similar.
My woodworking skills are limited as are my woodworking tools, so this is a pretty simple design. The tools I used to make this caddy included a jig saw, drill, hammer, and screw driver. I used 1 x 6 pine boards for the sides, bottoms and ends and a dowel rod for the handle. The whole thing is held together with wood glue, nails and some wood screws.
I already had that “Garden Tools” sign hanging around the garage, and it fit perfectly on the side and matched the paint I used, so I thought “why not” and nailed that on. If you make one, you could paint something on the sides.
See below how I made the ends look like bird houses. I used some thin wood strips to make the roof line and a small dowel rod for the bird perch. Don’t look too close because you’ll see some flaws, but that’s part of the charm of it, right?
I’ll confess that I don’t really use this to carry tools around the garden, but I do keep it on a shelf in the garage and put all my hand tools in it. It’s handy to have for that purpose and I think any gardener would like to keep their tools in it.
If you think you might like to make one of these and would like more details on the size of this one, send me an email and I’ll round up those details.
So there you have it, my five suggestions for handmade gifts for gardeners. A garden journal, seed packets, a compost sieve, fairy doors, and a garden tool caddy.
What are YOUR ideas of gifts to make for gardeners?
Wonderful job, Carol! I am personally going to try the seed packets and the compost sieve. Did you tell us the size weave to buy for the sieve? Chris
Carol your gift ideas are great. I sometimes paint favorite flowers for friends as gifts.
I have also made small (2″x2″) garden meditation books as gifts. They have a garden quote in them with dried flowers on each page for your meditation.
Your gift ideas are just outstanding, Carol.
Unusual indoor plants, or bulbs to force are things I like to give. My daughter, the indoor garden guru with the hundred plants, gave me a great Ponytail Palm that is just so easy to maintain.
Last Christmas I received a Pink Pointsetta that just refused to stop blooming until May. Just incredible.
What fun to read all your posts about handmade garden gifts for gardeners.
The faery door is a winner I think, very clever to make one inside too. But I also like your idea about the handmade seed packets.
Carol, are you sure that you aren’t the alpha crafter in your family? You have some really great gift ideas for gardeners.
Last year for my mom’s birthday and Mother’s Day gift I gave her the gift of redoing her front flower bed. I brought in lots of fresh dirt, new plants and then mulched it for her. It was a labor of love and a gift that will keep on giving. For those who have older parents or parents who are in poor health, consider giving giving the gift of your labor.
What a great idea, it looks great. Are you sure you were not a carpenter in another life?
Great gift ideas … you can drop off my garden sieve anytime. 🙂
Gardenmomma(Chris)… For the compost seive, I used half-inch hardware cloth. I’d love to see some pictures of your seed packets when you make some, I’ll watch for them on your blog.
Lisa at Greenbow… I could never paint flowers, but that book sounds like a great idea!
Carolyn Gail… I agree, what gardener doesn’t like to get an unusual house plant or some bulbs to force as a gift.
Yolanda Elizabet… Thanks for the kind words, perhaps a fairy door will show up at Bliss, or do the cats scare the garden faeries away?
Robin’s Nesting Place… I’m positive I’m not the alpha crafter in my family. My older sister quilts, spins yarn, weaves, knits, crochets, etc., etc. My mom quilts and paints. I am not the alpha crafter, trust me!
Rusty in Miami… I do like to make things and wish I had time to learn some real woodworking. “Someday”!
Crafty Gardener… Sure! But the compost sieve is so easy to make, wouldn’t you want to make one for yourself?
Thanks all for the comments and additional gift ideas. Keep ’em coming as maybe someone in my family will read about a handmade gift that I haven’t made, and make it for me?
Carol at May Dreams Gardens
Well, that’s very clever, Carol. But it reminded me of trying to make birdhouses with the Cub Scouts when I was a den mother. It should have been simple! I like your toolbox better.
LostRoses… Thanks. It was sort of like building a bird house. It was simple, trust me.