10 Clever Gardening Gifts For Your Favorite Horticulturist

I was introduced to sustainable gardening practices pretty young. My great uncle Pete had an enormous yard — in the middle of a city, no less — that I spent practically half my childhood exploring. He grew almost all his own produce, naturally and with no pesticides. And in the corner of the yard was his composting bin, where all of our food scraps and organic trash would go.

Best Gardening Tools: Sneeboer X Piet Oudolf Trowel + Hoe Gift Set ($124)

Best Gardening Gloves: Leepa Garden Glove ($16)

Best Gardening Footwear: Kapitana Boots ($88)

Best Seed Packets: Microgreens Mild Flavor Seed Bundle, 4-Pack ($8)

Best Garden Decor: TONULAX Solar Garden Lights ($17, was $19)

Best Planter: Eco Pot - XL ($31)

Best Watering Can: Haws Long Reach Watering Can, Lilac ($188)

Best for Composters: Compost Bin, 2.5-gallon ($20)

Best for Nature Lovers: Butterfly Feeder ($32)

Best for Indoor Gardeners: Mufga Herb Garden Hydroponics Growing System ($36, was $50)

While researching the best gardening gifts for growers with a passion like Uncle Pete's, I thought about what kinds of gifts he'd like to receive if he was still with us. He'd probably get a kick out of how common eco-friendly gardening practices have become nowadays. Things like boots and gloves made of recycled materials and solar-powered garden lights would have been right up his alley.

Below are ten gardening gifts that are cute and useful — with some of them even being sustainable.

Dutch manufacturer Sneeboer joined forces with Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf to create this artisan trowel and hoe gift set in a cotton gift bag. Each stainless steel tool has the designer's name carved into a handle made of ash wood.

Fun fact: Ash trees can grow up to two feet a year.

Feel good about gifting these Leepa Garden Gloves, because they're as strong and durable as leather, but are made of vegan suede with cotton details with reinforcement panels. The cuffs are elasticized to keep the dirt out, and when they're done, they can hang this pair on a hook thanks to built-in grommets. "Fit perfectly, nice and flexible and such a joy to not have to scrub my fingernails every time I work in the garden!" a reviewer wrote.

Fun fact: These gloves are ethically made in Pakistan.

Come rain or shine, gardeners can get their feet in the dirt with these Kapitana Boots made of 100 percent recyclable polymer — a mix of recycled plastics and hemp fiber — in Beaupréau-en-Mauges, a commune in France.

Fun fact: These boots get their greenish brown color from the sugars in the hemp plant.

Gardeners can get planting immediately with this set of four seed packets that grow four different microgreens including alfalfa sprouts and beet greens. All Ferry-Morse seeds are non-GMO, safe for bees, and guaranteed fresh and fairlypriced. "Each pkg. had more seeds than expected. The whole family enjoyed bounty from these seeds," a reviewer wrote.

Fun fact: You can grow microgreens on a windowsill if you don't have a garden.

Shed light on a beautiful garden at night. These solar light bulbs are propped up by flexible iron rods that sway with the wind and one bigger rod that digs into the dirt. "Unassuming during the day and stunning at night," a reviewer wrote.

Fun fact: These solar lights, when swaying in the breeze, are designed to look like fireflies.

The extra-large size of this Eco Pot is perfect as an outdoor planter, and it's made by mixing recycled plastic with natural stone. The result is a long-lasting material that protects against UV rays. "Prefect pot to send along with a beautiful plant as a gift," a reviewer wrote.

Fun fact: If you're gifting this planter last minute, Lively Root can send the recipient a gift preview to let them know it's on its way.

This isn't just a watering can; it's a work of art. The lilac-colored garden heirloom is made of galvanized steel with a brass "rose" at the end of its elegant, long spout. The can holds a whopping two gallons of water.

Fun fact: Each watering can is handcrafted in the United Kingdom.

A small compost bin is perfect to keep in the kitchen for quick collection of food scraps and other biodegradable waste. This one by TerraCycle is made of 50 percent recycled materials, and the brand even has its own recycling programs. "You wouldn't think it keeps the smells in, but it does! I've had onions....yes onions in the bin sitting on my counter for 5 days and the only time I smelled it was when I opened the lid," a reviewer wrote.

Fun fact: You can pop this compost bin in the dishwasher!

Attracting butterflies to the garden is nothing short of delightful. Gardeners can do so with butterfly-friendly flowers, or they can hang this colorful butterfly feeder from a tree branch. You can buy it alone or paired with a packet of nectar.

Fun fact: You can easily make your own butterfly nectar by preparing a mixture of 10 parts water to one part refined white sugar.

For someone who's conscious about conserving water, a hydroponic garden makes a great gift. It uses about 10 times less water than maintaining plants in the ground. They can grow herbs, veggies, fruits, or flowers in this Mufga garden on Amazon five times faster than plants in soil.