DIY Holiday Gift: The Urban Gardener Kit

<small><a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-74607919/stock-photo-close-up-of-a-terracotta-plant-pot-containing-seed-packet-and-potting-tools.html?src=ed2ae08b75bb77ed8498cb24fc582120-1-69">Terracotta plant pot containing seed packet and potting tools</a> image via <a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/">Shutterstock</a></small>When the world is grey and cold outdoors,<a href="http://inhabitat.com/plantini-a-miniature-growing-kit-in-the-form-of-an-ornate-victorian-hothouse/"> a bit of greenery</a> can brighten up one’s space exponentially—especially if one is an avid gardener. For the green-thumbed folks in your life, consider putting together an “Urban Gardener” kit for a holiday gift. It’s a super-simple <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/diy">DIY</a> project that can be assembled at low cost from materials you can find at the hardware store, and brings happy, verdant life into someone’s heart in the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/7-winter-home-improvement-tips-to-save-you-money-and-energy-in-the-cold-season/">depth of winter</a>.

<small><a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-98011046/stock-photo-watering-can-and-gardening-tools-on-wooden-crates-with-wooden-crates-for-background.html?src=ed2ae08b75bb77ed8498cb24fc582120-1-50">Watering can and garden tools</a> image via <a href="http://www.shutterstock.com">Shutterstock</a></small> <p> <h3>What you’ll need:</h3> <ul> <li>Bucket or <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/search/?query=planter" target="_blank">planter</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.gardeningoncloud9.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/garden-trowel-02.jpg" target="_blank">Trowel</a> and garden fork</li> <li>Assorted seeds</li> <li>Small <a href="http://inhabitat.com/raindrop-mini-watering-can-collects-rain-from-urban-balconies-and-rooftops/" target="_blank">watering can</a></li> <li>Optional: cute trimming <a href="http://remodelista.com/products/tajika-flower-shears">shears</a> and coir starter pots</li> </ul>

<small>Image © <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bookgrl/">Bookgrl</a></em></small><p> As this is a kit for an urban garden space, you’ll want to choose plants that will grow well in a container or in a very small outdoor garden space. <p> <em><strong>Note:</strong> if you’re not afraid of being terribly twee, you could get a giggle out of the fact that your friend’s garden space is super-tiny, and gift them with a large spoon and dinner fork in lieu of the trowel/<a href="http://www.garden-tools-manufacturer.com/index.php/product/Garden%20Fork.html" target="_blank">steel fork</a> combination.</em>

<small>Image © <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lizard10979/">Lizard10979</a></em></small> If the recipient loves to cook, consider a selection of culinary <a href="http://inhabitat.com/sprout-is-a-pencil-that-you-can-plant-to-grow-herbs-and-vegetables/" target="_blank">herb/small vegetable seeds</a> and balcony ledge or windowsill planter to grow them in; the former can be used outside as soon as the weather warms, and the latter could be used immediately if enough sun will hit an indoor window ledge to encourage seed growth. Herbs like basil, parsley, sage, thyme, and rosemary are easy to grow and thrive in just about any space. Other plant options include miniature tomato plants, hot peppers, and greens like lettuces, arugula, sorrel, and spinach.

For <a href="http://inhabitat.com/revolutionary-soil-wrap-is-a-flower-container-you-can-plant/soilwrap-mirel/" target="_blank">flower</a>-lovers, you have an amazing wealth of species and varieties to choose from. You can go with a theme like “night-blooming garden” (with nicotiana, evening primrose, and moon-flowers), or perhaps an assortment of shades in the recipient’s favourite color. When in doubt, default to local wildflowers, as they’ll attract beneficial insects native to the area, and if they’re left to go to seed, will self-propagate in the environment that created them.

<small><a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/cat.mhtml?lang=en&amp;search_source=search_form&amp;version=llv1&amp;anyorall=all&amp;safesearch=1&amp;searchterm=sprouts&amp;search_group=&amp;orient=&amp;search_cat=&amp;searchtermx=&amp;photographer_name=&amp;people_gender=&amp;people_age=&amp;people_ethnicity=&amp;people_number=&amp;commercial_ok=&amp;color=&amp;show_color_wheel=1#id=67768078&amp;src=4cbdd2e7479d382f1d6ec796e593a41a-1-13">Young sprout</a> image via <a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/">Shutterstock</a></small> If the gardener you have in mind has a<a href="http://inhabitat.com/watch-as-30-volunteers-help-transform-their-neighbors-lawn-into-an-edible-garden-in-one-day/" target="_blank"> larger space with which to play,</a> you could consider increasing the size of the gift to include a spade, some gardening gloves, and some organic/heirloom vegetable seeds that require a bit more room to flourish.

<small><a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-75253456/stock-photo-small-herb-and-flower-garden-built-on-terrace-or-roof.html?src=022f3b2caa6994529a07ae92239a964f-1-21"></small> Small herb and flower garden image</a> via <a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/">Shutterstock</a>This is a gift that really does keep on giving; gardening is good for the soul, and receiving such a gift may inspire people to create similar presents for others—a domino effect that can make the world a little bit greener, one prettily-wrapped parcel at a time.