In my last column, I mentioned Jessica Walliser’s new book “Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden.” Of course, not every bug in the garden is beneficial and mosquitoes can be very annoying when you are gardening.
The new, all-natural insect repellent made by Para’Kito helps keep mosquitoes and ticks away. The active ingredients are natural essential oils that smell good to people, but not to insects. The spray is water- and sweat-resistant, and it provides effective protection for up to eight hours. It contains almond oil and vitamin E to help moisturize and comfort your skin. The spray is safe to use for children, pregnant women and people with sensitive skin. A spray bottle sells for $19.50 at us.parakito.com.
Another thing that can make gardening a trying time is chronic pain. Toni Gattone was a suffering gardener. In “The Lifelong Gardener,” she shares her methods for being able to enjoy gardening with an aging body. Her techniques will help you garden smarter, not harder. The book includes dozens of tips that can help eliminate the physical strain of gardening. Find out more at tonigattone.com
As the name implies, Botanical Interests is more than a vegetable seed company. Their seed packets are works of art. Every one of the packets has a gorgeously detailed painting of the plant. You can buy some of the most popular pictures as botanical art prints on archival paper, or as sets of notecards on sustainable paper. If you haven’t bought a 2022 calendar yet, the Botanical Interests desk calendar is filled with beautiful illustrations.
It may be too early for most of us to plant vegetable and flower seeds, but it is not too early to give seeds as a gift. The Botanical Interests Basic Bounty Vegetable Collection contains nine packets of seeds that are sure to produce a tasty harvest of fresh vegetables. Included are Blue Lake bush bean, Marketmore organic cucumber, Glacier Bush tomato, Black Beauty summer squash, Salad Bowl organic lettuce blend, and more. This bounty of seeds comes in a gift box with a decorative ribbon for $17.50.
For flower lovers, they have the Bee Happy Seed Collection. The six packets of seeds in this gift will grow flowers that are guaranteed to attract all kinds of bees. These wonderful bees will pollinate the flowers in this gift set (including Bee Balm, Hyssop Lavender, Shades of Blue Larkspur, and more). While they’re at it, those bees will pollinate everything in your vegetable garden. This collection comes gift boxed for just $12.00. Find all of these gift ideas at botanicalinterests.com.
Have you ever marveled at the beauty of a large meadow filled with wildflowers? Whether it was a natural park or a man-made area, it can be very inspiring, but how do you translate that huge area of flowers into a small yard?
Growing a garden filled with colorful wildflowers is easier than you think. Mike Lizotte, author of the book “Mini Meadows,” encourages gardeners to rethink and downsize wildflower meadow gardens for suburban lots. His book is filled with photos of wildflower gardens of all sizes. Lizotte explains how to prep the soil for planting wildflower seeds. Then he explains the step-by-step process of growing and maintaining a meadow. The book will make a great gift at only $15.
Email questions to Jeff Rugg at [email protected] To find out more about Jeff Rugg and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
