The 2021 Holiday Gift Guide for Seniors Who Love to Garden

Gardening is such wonderful medicine for the soul—and gardening for seniors does wonders for well-being. Of course, as our bodies age, bending and lifting aren’t quite as easy, and arthritic hands aren’t as good at gripping tools. Heat and humidity can also be tougher on older adults. The good news is there are great gadgets to help, and this holiday season is the perfect time to wrap a few up for your favorite senior gardener. Below is a list of holiday gift ideas they’re sure to appreciate.

Check Out These Garden Helpers

What physical challenges does your favorite senior gardener have? We’ve got some clever solutions that will make great holiday gift ideas for an older loved one with a green thumb.

Challenge: Can’t bend down easily
Solution: Bring the garden up to the gardener!

• Tiered garden box – Measuring a roomy 47.25 inches depth x 31.5 inches width x 24 inches height, there’s plenty of room to plant flowers or vegetables without having to bend down to ground level. It’s perfect for a balcony or small patio.
   
• Raised bed boxes – Another way to elevate your gardens is with raised bed boxes on legs. This one is made of natural cedar and the box is 32 inches high, so it’s perfect for seniors who don’t want to stoop to tend their plants.

Challenge: Difficulty kneeling
Solution: Take a seat!

• Gardener’s tool stool – This compact, lightweight, foldable stool is designed to spare the knees of senior gardeners. The bag detaches easily from the frame via hook-and-loop fasteners and has two carrying handles, 21 pockets for different sized tools, and a large catch-all interior. 
• Rolling scooter seat – This clever rolling seat features four sturdy wheels that roll equally as well in grass, dirt, or concrete. It also includes a handy tool tray below the seat for your garden tools and the seat/caddy combined can carry up to 250 pounds

Challenge: Difficulty gripping and pulling?
Solution: Let a gadget do it for you!

• Gardening gloves for arthritic hands – These gardening gloves were designed by an orthopedic hand surgeon with arthritis and sensitive hands in mind. They offer great support and can be tossed in the washing machine to clean. You can choose from four sizes to fit almost any hand. 
• Gardener’s Friend ratchet pruning shears – Standard pruners use a squeeze-and-release action that can be hard on the hands—this one uses a more comfortable ratchet mechanism and features a more ergonomic design. Even seniors with rather severe hand mobility problems can still prune comfortably for hours with this tool. 
• Easy-Grip tool set – This trio of garden hand tools features newly updated, more comfortable ergonomically angled handles that keep the hand and wrist in a natural position. These “fist grip” hand tools absolutely make gardening for seniors with arthritis less painful. 

Challenge: Dealing with heat, humidity, scratches
Solution: Think cool cover-ups!

• Wide-brimmed sun hat (unisex) – One of the post popular holiday gift ideas for senior gardeners is a wide-brimmed hat. This one has UPF 50+ sun protection, and features mesh panels and air vents on each side, letting your head stay ventilated and cool, even on the hottest and most humid days
  
  
• Sun-shirt – Columbia is a great brand for both men’s and women’s breathable lightweight UPF 40+ rated sun-shirts with long sleeves. Available in lots of great colors and sizes to please every senior gardener who also likes to be stylish while they work.
  
  
• Cut-esistant knit sleeves – These ingenious pull-on sleeves protect arms from thorns, prickers, and anything else that can scratch or cut you in the garden — even your own pruning shears. The special fiber will maintain material strength even after dozens of washes.
  
  
• Cooling vest – This clever vest activates easily in 2-3 minutes simply by soaking it in water. It cools for 5-10 hours so it’s perfect for working in the sun; plus the fabric absorbs and slowly releases water through evaporation. The water-resistant inner liner keeps the wearer dry while being cooled.

A Gardener’s Dream: Live in a Community Set in an Arboretum

It’s true! Meadow Lakes is surrounded by an accredited arboretum, lovingly tended by an arborist with support of resident master gardeners. It’s the perfect senior living community for those who love nature, enjoy walks on peaceful trails, and love the idea of living where they can truly thrive each and every day.

You won’t find another Life Plan Community in the area with the beauty of Meadow Lakes. If you’re ready to learn more, contact us today to schedule a tour.