Gardening
Must-Have Gifts for Your Favorite Gardener
Weed knives, like this Hori Hori knife, are multi-purpose as they can be used for cutting through sod and roots, planting bulbs, digging weeds, and more.
Photo courtesy of Corona Tools
Every gardener, new or experienced, appreciates tools to help them better enjoy their hobby. Some may be looking for ergonomically designed tools to help them garden longer while newbies may need some basic tools as they are getting started. A peek in their shed may help you decide which must-have tool to give them this holiday season.
Every gardener needs a bypass pruner for deadheading, trimming and pruning stems between 1/4" and 1". Bypass pruners have two sharp blades like scissors, making a clean cut that closes quickly.
Bypass loppers allow your gift recipient to cut larger diameter branches and long handles for greater leverage and long reach. The extra reach makes it easier to prune all parts of small trees, shrubs and roses. Consider gifting one with a compound cutting action that boosts cutting power with less effort.
If your favorite gardener doesn't have one, your gift of a weed knife also known as a Hori Hori knife will soon become a favorite tool. It is useful for cutting through sod and roots, planting small bulbs, digging weeds and so much more. Select one like Corona's Hori Hori Garden Knife with a ComfortGel grip (www.coronatoolsusa.com) to help reduce muscle fatigue. The metal runs all the way through, providing added durability and leverage. Include a sheath so they can keep this universal tool handy whenever working in the garden.
Digging small holes for planting in containers and garden beds is a seasonal reality and a hand trowel is the perfect tool for the job. Gift a new durable trowel or upgrade the existing one. Look for one that is sturdy, lightweight and has an ergonomic grip.
A long-handled pointed shovel is a versatile tool. You can plant, transplant, dig holes and more. Look for one with a foot pad to help reduce foot fatigue and shoe damage. Avid flower gardeners may prefer a short-handled spade that makes working in tight spaces easier. Perhaps your gift recipient needs both.
With an expandable leaf rake, you can adjust the width of the teeth, allowing you to reach into tight spaces or cover larger areas. An iron rake is great for moving soil and one with a bow head makes it easier to adjust the depth.
For something different consider an auger bit available in a variety of lengths and bit diameters. Attach this to a cordless drill and you have the perfect tool for planting bulbs and small transplants, aerating soil, and vertically mulching planting beds.
Perhaps you're just looking for a few stocking stuffers. Safety glasses are a must but are often overlooked. Help them protect their eyes from stray branches and debris when in the garden. Tinted ones will also protect eyes from UV light, providing an added layer of safety when gardening in the bright sunlight.
Make it easy for them to keep their tools sharp with the gift of a tool sharpener. Sharp tools make cleaner cuts and require less effort, allowing them to garden longer. A small sharpener with a cap allows them to keep it handy in their tool caddy or scabbard. If they have easy access, they are more likely to use it to keep their tools in the best cutting order.
Drop a pair of snips in their stocking and they are sure to thank you any time they deadhead a flower, snip off a wayward or dead stem, or harvest herbs and flowers. This is another tool gardeners appreciate duplicates of--one for the kitchen and one for the garden.
Keep them gardening longer throughout the day and for years to come. Gift a kneeling pad or knee pads that protect young and old joints while kneeling in the garden to plant, weed, and more.
Tools make a wonderful gift that will provide years of enjoyment and benefit. Whatever gift you select, your favorite gardener is sure to thank you each time they head to the garden.
Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including The Midwest Gardener's Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses "How to Grow Anything" DVD series and the nationally-syndicated Melinda's Garden Moment TV & radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and was commissioned by Corona Tools for her expertise to write this article. Her web site is www.MelindaMyers.com.
Antiques
Latest Antique and Collectibles Auction News
Photo courtesy of Wayne Tuiskula
This week's article will focus on major auction news coming out of Europe, specifically. Some Titanic artifacts and a piece of Star Wars memorabilia sold in England and one of the most expensive diamonds on Earth, which was auctioned in Geneva, Switzerland.
A menu from the Titanic and a passenger's pocket watch recently sold at an auction in the United Kingdom. The menu was from the first-class passengers' dinner on April 11, 1912, three days before the ship hit an iceberg and sank. The menu shows some water staining that occurred the night the ship sank. Some of the items on the menu included Squab a la Godard, Spring Lamb and Mint Sauce, Apricots Bourdaloue (a type of tart), and Victoria Pudding. The menu was found in the estate of Canadian historian Len Stephenson, according to CBS News. It's not known how Stephenson acquired it, but he lived in Nova Scotia, where many of the victims' bodies were brought after it sank. The Guardian reported that the menu sold for £83,000 ($101,450 U.S.) on November 11. Also offered in the same sale was the pocket watch of passenger Sinai Kantor. He was 34 years old when he and his wife decided to emigrate from Russia. He died when the ship sank but Kantor's wife, Miriam, survived the tragedy. She received his personal effects including a silver watch with Hebrew characters on the watch face. The watch was heavily corroded from the salt water but still had an auction estimate of £50,000 (over $61,000 U.S.).
Sticking in the UK, the actor who played Star Wars character C-3PO sold the head from the popular character this month. I had discussed the head was going to auction in a previous column. Anthony Daniels is 77 and decided "to sell the costumes, props and scripts he kept from the iconic films," according to the BBC. Daniels told the BBC that they were in his "sitting room" and he wanted them to go to someone who will cherish and display them. The auction featured over 200 items from his collection, including some parts from the Millenium Falcon spaceship. He said he rescued them from being burned in a bonfire at the movie studio after the "Return of the Jedi" was filmed. There were some items that he decided to keep, though. He's not selling a Lego figure of his character given to him for his work in a Star Wars Lego movie or a C-3PO statuette made to look like an Oscar award, which he received from the production company Lucasfilm. Daniels told the BBC "I'll take those to the grave." The auction house reported that it sold for £687,500 ($840330 U.S.).
A fancy flawless vivid blue diamond just became one of the most expensive diamonds in the world when it sold at auction in Switzerland. The 17.61-carat diamond was so desirable because of its deep, rich blue color and unmodified pear shape design, according to Reuters. The diamond easily outshined its estimate of $35 million, selling for $44 million.
For those of you looking to spend a lot less than $44 million, we have a large quantity of gold, platinum, and silver jewelry with diamonds and other gemstones in our next auction. We also have the best collection of art we've ever offered, along with many sets of sterling silver, mid-century modern furniture and accessories from multiple estates and a wide variety of other items. We plan to begin the online event later this month or early in December. We also have an online estate auction of a Concord, MA home beginning soon and ending in December. Please visit our website www.centralmassauctions.com for links to upcoming events.
Contact us at: Wayne Tuiskula Auctioneer/Appraiser Central Mass Auctions for Antique, Collectibles Auctions and Appraisal Services www.centralmassauctions.com (508-612- 6111).