It’s the gift giving season...and maybe there’s a gardener on your gift list. Prairie Yard and Garden recommends giving a gift that any gardener could use and appreciate all year long.

One such gift would be the book, “Gardening in the Upper Midwest,” written by the late author Leon Snyder, former director of the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. This book would be most helpful for the experienced gardener as well as for those who wish to improve their skills. It is an excellent source of information for gardeners concerned with the problems and pleasures of gardening in our northern climate.

Tending a garden is a never-ending learning experience. Your local bookstore might have a selection of gardening books [1] covering specific topics such as growing perennials, growing and drying flowers, arranging flowers, landscaping for wildlife, and even fertilizers to improve soils that would make welcomed gifts to gardeners with specific interests.

For the vegetable gardener, “The Victory Garden” book [2], by Bob Thomson takes the reader on a month-by-month tour of the garden beginning with where to place the garden and ending with the harvest. While not specifically written for our climate, it contains valuable information on the technique of gardening.

Most gardeners count the days until they can get into the garden. You can get this lovely calendar from your local Minnesota Extension office. It’s filled with handy garden tips, reminders during the month about plant care plus enough space to record planting notes.

Magazines [3] bring gardening facts and information every month to the person on your gift list. Some quality gardening magazines are Fine Gardening, Horticulture, and Minnesota Horticulturist, which you receive after purchasing a membership in the Minnesota State Horticulture Society. This magazine is written especially for the northern garden. All of these magazines bring fresh ideas and helpful information to any gardener on your gift list.

These are just a few of the many helpful publications that would bring year-round enjoyment to your favorite gardener,even if that favorite gardener happens to be yourself.