One-Stop Shopping for the Gardener in Your Life

An old Chinese proverb says, "He who plants a garden finds happiness." Anyone who has toiled in their garden and experienced satisfaction after spending time planting, arranging, or improving their garden understands this essential truth. There is little in life that is more rewarding than the labor of love known as gardening.

As the holiday season approaches and we begin contemplating and searching for that perfect gift for the gardeners in our lives, consider the ease Internet shopping offers, especially sites that offer a wide variety of products. There are many types of gardeners, and when looking for a gift, find a site that offers products that give you a range to choose from that will meet the many needs of those gardeners, as well as your pocketbook. GardenArtisans.com is one such site, filled with handcrafted and distinctive accessories for gardeners of all types.

For the Practical Gardener

Practical gardeners want garden pieces that will last. Quality and sturdiness are key, but they want things that are both beautiful and useful. If their climbing plants need support they might consider a lattice -- but it's high in upkeep. Copper, on the other hand, is extremely durable and just as beautiful as it is practical. Steel is also strong but can be prone to rust, unless it is treated to protect it from the elements.

Garden Artisans offers handcrafted copper arbors and trellises, as well as steel arches and pergolas handcrafted in England with a baked-on nylon coating in many sizes and styles. All of these pieces are not only extremely durable garden structures, but are also distinctive structures that are not likely to be found in the large retail garden centers. GardenArtisans.com offers a variety of sizes and styles to suit anyone's budget ($110 - $600).

Practical nature lovers know that part of our garden bounty is virtually free. Birds and butterflies are like flying flowers. Bird and butterfly houses and feeders made of weather-resistant materials such as cedar, cypress and copper will attract them while at the same time enhancing our gardens.

Garden Artisans offers a wide variety of birdhouses, butterfly houses and bird feeders, all handcrafted with quality materials. You can choose from birdhouses inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright to more traditional English dovecote birdhouses created by Lazy Hill, or from copper-topped feeders in classic designs to a feeder emulating the covered bridges like those written about in "Bridges of Madison County" ($40 - $700).

Copper lighting is also a wonderful choice for outdoors. The copper lights by Doner Designs, Inc. are both practical and whimsical, made in the shape of mushrooms -- a perfect way to blend technology with nature, and a look that improves with age and exposure to the elements ($91 - $132).

For the Sophisticated Gardener

If your style is sophisticated, then frills are an unnecessary distraction. Urns and statues from the Frank Lloyd Wright Collection are the perfect expression because they are stunning in their simplicity. Without an extraneous line or ornament anywhere, these pieces are undeniably beautiful -- the epitome of elegance. For those uncertain about adding art to the garden these are foolproof pieces that will not detract from nature ($700 - $1,700).

When in doubt remember that simplicity is always in good taste. Sophisticates believe garden ornaments should not so much call attention to themselves as they should complement the garden itself, so elegant lighting is essential. Doner Designs' traditional copper landscape lights suit this style. Yet so does the romantic look of candle lanterns lighting a path or illuminating a prized plant in the evening garden.

Hayrack planters and wall trellises also attract the sophisticate. Handcrafted in England by Tom Chambers, these pieces are both sturdy and attractive but they throw the spotlight where it belongs: on the plants contained within ($30 - $140).

If the sophisticated gardener wants something purely ornamental, it is likely to be something that reflects nature. For instance, sculptor Ron Bertocchi creates sculptures of birds -- near life-sized herons and egrets sculpted in copper and brass and patinated in the colors of nature. The birds are beautiful but subtle, a focal point that blends with its natural surroundings.

The Whimsical Gardener

Whimsical gardeners probably have the most difficult time avoiding clichés. There is so much "art" out there that is ubiquitous that any humor it had, has gone stale. And yet gardens are a wonderful place to indulge in our sense of fun.

Why not let your pond surface bob with "soap bubbles" -- actually handblown glass floats in jewel tones -- a lovely variation on the gazing ball. These also make a lovely centerpiece for a garden party or for indoor feasts ($16). Created by the same artist, a handblown glass hummingbird feeder ($40) or a handblown glass birdhouse ($220) could be just what your gardener is looking for.

Or why not a set of stepping-stones shaped like puzzle pieces or a large billowy cloud? A small cat watching the birds through binoculars is a fun sculpture to put beneath a feeder ($59). Populate your flowerbeds with Judy Bomberger's whimsical and brightly colored garden stakes featuring lily angels, snail-treading ballerinas and birds hitchhiking on a cat's back. They create color when not much is in flower ($50 - $100). Or butterfly sensations created from colorful screen and copper by In Flying Colors ($35).

Craft projects are a natural extension of the garden. From birdhouse kits ($13 - $16) to color-your-own "From the Garden" aprons ($10) to the wonderful and extremely popular Pot Man Kit ($24), Garden Artisans offers a wide variety of crafts for the child in all of us.

Of course there is no law that says you must be all practical or all whimsical -- let all the different aspects of your personality shine in the garden. It's easy when you use handcrafted pieces like these -- no two are exactly alike except that they all carry an assurance of quality.

You can find these products and more at Garden Artisans. Located in Townsend, Ga., the company sells through mail order only. For more information visit www.GardenArtisans.com or call (912) 437-2270 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Time.

Courtesy of ARA Content, www.ARAcontent.com, e-mail: info@ARAcontent.com