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Nightlights For Your Garden

Every once in a while something comes along that just knocks our socks off with beauty and functionality. Right now it’s these gorgeous outdoor torches. Talk about the perfect mix of art and functionality.

These artisan-made pieces can be used a number of ways: As a staked pole light that can be displayed at 22″, 44″, or 66″ heights, or table-top mounts are also available. Each design is hand painted.

You can use any good lamp oil or citronella fuel in the torches with their long-lasting fiberglass wicks. The price points are fantastic and we’re happy to ship them.

Click on any image to see it in better detail or to order.

Gifts For Gardeners

All most gardeners want is a little more time with their plants. Second to that, they want to maximize the work they do with some good, reliable help, aka tools. Here are some of our favorites – available online where links are provided, all are also in the shop.

Every gardener appreciates good gloves. They can never have enough. West County gloves have sturdy palms and velcro wrist closure. West County also makes a glove with long gauntlet sleeves that protect arms from thorny roses, trees and bushes. These mitt protectors wash well, too. If your gardener likes something more lightweight, the Atlas Gloves with nitrile fingertips are everyday favorites.

In the desert, raised beds offer a great alternative to trying to get enough depth and amendment material into our native soil for successful vegetable gardening. The challenge is the time and tools required to build a sturdy structure. Stacking Joints or the M Brace are thoughtful gifts for anyone ready to build a raised garden. Stacking Joints are friendly corners that can be adjusted for any shape garden bed and allow you to build a garden to your desired height. Just buy the timber, screw it into each joint and fill the resulting space with soil.

The Gardener’s Hollow Leg is a nifty water-resistant fabric sack that you wear on your waist while you prune, dead-head and weed. Just toss your mess into the bag. No hauling a trash can or bending over to pick up waste. There’s even a pocket for a cell phone or iPod.

The must-have toll for everyone, Circle Hoe is perfect for weeding in rough, hard-t0-reach spots. It’s lightweight and sharp and has a sturdy but comfortable solid wood handle.

Indoor plant enthusiasts will appreciate a Moisture Meter. This easy to use device helps determine the watering needs of potted plants.

Our Master Gardener friend Pam Perry says labeling your plants and seeds is one the most important thing a gardener can do. And she’s right. How many times do you go out to enjoy some plant in your landscape and you can’t remember its name? We’ve got basic plant labels in copper or XXX. You write on these with a pen, pencil or sharpie. Of if you have a pretty herb or veggie garden consider Ronnie Costas hand-made glass plant labels – they provide every garden bed with information and bling.

An herb drying rack – This is the perfect item for your favorite cook/herb gardener to dry and preserve tasty herbs. The rack includes six hooks for hanging bundles or herbs or flowers.

In-Stock And Ready To Ship

The last thing you need is stress about shipping gifts to out-of-town family and friends. We thought it might help to show you a few of our more popular treasures that are in stock and ready to ship now.

Glass Flower Stakes – Blown-glass garden stakes that shimmer in any garden setting. They’re like adding an art gallery to your landscape. Link to them by color: Blue, Red, Multi, Orange

Gardener’s Hollow Leg – The perfect gift for people who prune or deadhead – think rose gardener, flower and herb growers and generally anyone who keeps a tidy space. The sturdy bag  belts around your waist and you’re set to dead head and prune. With the Gardener’s Hollow Leg there’s no bending over to pick up the mess.

Chakra and Kanji Bells - These five-foot bell strands are available to hold either the seven Chakras or the Kanji blessings. The bells sound softly to remind you of the peaceful nature of gardening.

Garden Heart – A free-standing steel Garden Heart that has been aged to perfection. We love the way the artists at Prairie Dance added a red magnetic heart to refine this lovely piece.

Tippy Stakes – Oh how our customers love these stakes. You can get a Dragonfly Tippy or an Owl Tippy. Each balances on top of the stake – they sway and they rock but never fall over. These are repeat sellers here at Southwest Gardener.

Kinetic Wind Spinner – Things that turn with the wind are very popular with people who enjoy the outdoors and this tall Kinetic Wind Spinner is no exception. Its blades whirl like a pinwheel and then spin on the post. A dizzying sight!

Circle Hoe – This handy tool makes light work of weeding. Circle Hoe is lightweight and easy to use with a sharp cutting blade on the inside tip of the circle.

Just Plain Wonderful

This year has brought some amazing artists and new products into our shop. Here are a few of our absolute favorite things.

Kennedy Hummingbird Feeders – Glass artist Steve Kennedy’s mom lives in Lake Havasu, Arizona, and asked him to create the perfect hummingbird feeder for a southwest desert climate. It needed to be dripless, hold enough nectar for the birds but not so much that it sits full for days and spoils, and there needed to be a no-fuss way to clean it.  His creation is this one-piece hummingbird feeder formed from four layers of sturdy borosilicate glass (Pyrex) adorned with either silver or 24 karat gold as color. The dripless design means you can hang it without attracting insects and there’s no sugary mess. Clean up is as easy as a warm tap-water rinse. The feeders are all the same design but vary in color hue. They are gorgeous.

Spirit Tiles – Luminous blocks of art from Houston Llew that capture enlightened moments of everyday life.  Houston creates images using glass enamel on copper and then adds small stories or warm quotes on love, family and nature to complete a block that can adorn a shelf, desk or table or find a special niche in a garden. Sunshine won’t fade them and rain won’t hurt, either.

Laser-Cut Garden Signs – The grandparents will be thrilled with these hand-crafted signs announcing “Grandma” or “Grandpa’s Garden”. Our favorite: “Garden Tours, 25 cents”

Glass Flower Stakes – These beauties have been in our “Phoenix Home & Garden” ad this fall and people can’t get enough of them. The color is blown into the glass so it never fades and the stakes have a study forked bottom so they stand firm in the garden. There are several colors from which to choose.

Hand-Crafted Tin Angels –  Tall, sleek beautiful angels shine in any setting. They provide a non-traditional look for a traditional garden icon. Angel collectors will love them.

Terrific Terrariums – The perfect small, chic gift for the person with everything. Elegant glass dew drops hang with delicate tillandsia (air plants) tucked inside. Or choose the ones hand-planted with pretty succulents. These take minimal care but offer maximum “wow” factor.

Animal Lover Sleep Shirts – The titles say it all. Choose from “She who sleeps with dogs” or “She who sleeps with cats.” Add a pair of cat or dog socks and you’ve got a theme gift.

Mason Jars With A Twist – For those of you who like to preserve your holiday treats and give them away,  mason jars with a stem offer the perfect packaging. Picture a real mason jar that sits on a pedestal, like a wine glass. Then fill it with your home-made jam, pickles, soup mix or coco concoction and tie it with a ribbon. Or pair it with a nice bottle of wine for your favorite sipping buddy.

Love Your Garden – The iron hearts from the artists at Prairie Dance are always a favorite holiday gift. Each stands on a pedestal. A red heart magnet adds the perfect pop.

Fun, Funky Helmut Critters – They’re back because they are loved so much. The ladybugs and turtle made from surplus military helmets are a hoot. The ladybug stands tall and bright red and the turtle’s head bobs from his long, springy neck.

Glass and Wire Mobiles – Helen Jean Hammernick designs  lightweight and colorful glass hanging spirals that sway in the wind. Some are adorned with leaves, others have an added dragonfly. Lots of our customers are using them as a pretty deterrent for birds by hanging them just outside their windows.

Playful Pig Faces – For the snarky gardener, these hand-made faces are the perfect pal to adorn a pot. Each clay stake offers a different facial expression. Choose from pig or people – they all have personality.

Front Yard Fun

Recently we headed to Tucson to meet with a couple of artists, eat some spectacular food and shop at our  favorite local store – Bohemia. We were early at Bohemia so to kill time we rambled through some nearby neighborhoods and look what we found, this cool front yardscape. We love how the iron prickly pear cactus sculpture frames the front window. Aren’t the critters great, too?

If you have a cool yard-scape photo, e-mail it to us at info@southwestgardener.com and we’ll share.

Great Glass Posey Stakes

Click on flowers for larger photo.

Oh my gosh, we are in love with these new glass garden stakes.  We’ve been searching for affordable, sturdy hand-crafted and hand-blown glass art pieces and now they are here.

The glass flowers reflect sun and light wherever they stand. Double-plated flowers are 10 inches across and single plates are 8 inches across and every one has a giant marble glass center.  They all stand tall on a sturdy metal stake. Best of all, they won’t fade because the color is in the glass, not painted on.

Glass is great in a garden: It sparkles, shines and never fades.

The Benefits of Rain Barrels

This rain barrel holds 65 gallons of water and comes with a brass spigot and an overflow valve. I stands 43 inches tall.

Installing a rain barrel is good for the environment because it helps reduce unnecessary usage of fresh water for home and garden and it enables water harvesting which lowers storm-water run off.

It’s no secret that water is the most essential resource in the world. We all – plants, animals, humans – need it to survive. And only 2.5% of our water supply is considered freshwater. The rest is found in the form of salt water in oceans. Of the freshwater that exists, most is locked up in glaciers and ice caps. Unfortunately, much of our drinkable freshwater is in danger of drying up through desertification or becoming too contaminated for human consumption.

Rainwater is naturally low in salt and chlorine and plants love it.  The installation of a rain barrel not only helps by storing  water for use later, but it also helps to save you money on your municipal water bill.  And, no,they don’t have have to be hugely expensive. The idea is to capture a natural resource that is wasted every time it rains. Plus, you know how robust your plants look after a good rain. They love it.

So, if you’re interested in taking advantage of our early May discount on rain barrels, here’s the deal: Order yours by May 16 and we can offer a 15% discount on the rain barrel(s) you intend to purchase. We’ll ask for a $25 deposit at the time of your order and it will take about 10 days before you can pick it up.

The 65 gallon rain barrel pictured above will be $165 with the discount. The 50 gallon model to the right is $120 with the discount. Call 602.279.9510 to order. The promotion lasts until May 16.

Our customer, Art S., sent pictures of his rain barrels. He says it's amazing how fast they fill when it rains.

Embrace the M Brace

Raised beds are great, especially if you garden in the Sonoran desert or if you want to contain your gardening. (Amy once turned her small back yard into a flower/veggie jungle, which might have been nice if she could find anything. Now she has a raised bed and the plants and her family are much happier.)

Having built raised beds, we can tell you it wasn’t easy. We only wish the M Brace had been available.

All you do is slide boards into the corners of these attractive frames and you’ll have a raised garden bed in minutes. It’s true. No hammer, nails or screws needed. Best of all: no aching back at the end of the day.

The M Brace is made in the U.S. A. from recycled steel that is powder coated not to rust.  Each brace is 13″ high and 11″ wide to make a raised bed approximately 16″ tall, which is deep enough for just about any use. In fact, it’s deep enough that you can build your bed right on top of a hard surface.

There are a number of cut out designs available – a sun, swirls and (our personal favorite) this  carrot. The M Brace is packaged as a set of two. You’ll need four to do a garden. We currently don’t have them on our website because they would be a bit pricey to ship, but if you need them shipped or locally delivered, call us and we’re happy to get you a cost on that.

We’ve got a selection of M Brace at the shop that you’re welcome to play with, or call if you have questions: 602.279.9510. Just add soil and water and your garden is ready to go.

It’s Gift-Giving Season!

It’s the season for giving,  and we’re here to help you give gifts that will be enjoyed for years to come. To make your season as stress-free as possible we’ve compiled a list of favorite items for your family and friends. It’s sorted according to price range, to keep your budget stress free, too.

Thank you for shopping with us. We appreciate knowing and growing with you, and we wish you all a happy, healthy holiday season.

Gifts for $10 to $25

Soda can tab jewelry – These very popular earrings, pendants and bracelets are made from soda can tabs. Each tab is polished to ensure high luster then wrapped with colorful beads and wire. It’s all handmade here in the U.S., it’s one-of-a kind and very affordable. This jewelry takes recycling to a new level.

Soaps – Our new soaps are triple milled and made from all natural ingredients that moisturize every time you wash. And we love the fresh scents. Best of all they come in three sizes.

Herb Kits – The perfect gift for the kitchen gardener. Grow Basil, Oregano or Parsley in an attractive biodegradable pot. Everything is included – seeds, peat pellets and good instructions. All you need is a sunny windowsill.

Order the Herb Scissors on our website.

Candles – Oh we love candles and no more so than in winter, when we can enjoy their light ushers in long, cool nights. Check out the dazzlingly fresh scents from our Bluewick candles fashioned from natural ingredients, all captured in pure soy wax.

Herb Scissors – These have become the must-have gift of the year. Multi-blade kitchen scissors make cutting chives, basil and other herbs a snap. A bonus: there’s a pack of seeds tucked in with each pair.

Mini Stakes – Great for indoor plants or hanging baskets, you’ll find birds, cats, dogs, “woof” and “meow.” They’re all cheerful.

Gifts $25 to $50

New Firepots – These updated firepots set the perfect mood for any occasion. The clean burning gel fuel means they can be used safely indoors our outside. We love the new ceramic material, size and the fire rocks; they’ll tuck into lots of spaces.

Solar Light Stakes – Swirls of glass stand on top of solar stakes that add panache to your garden day and night. Your friends will think you’ve become pals with Dale Chihuly.

Pinwheel flower spinner

Order the Dragonfly Tippy Stake on our website.

Things That Move In The Wind – Motion is this year’s hot garden trend, so if it spins, tips or whirls it’s guaranteed to please. “Tippy” stakes that balance and sway are adorned with birds, dragonflies, butterflies and frogs.

Great Stakes – Garden art is a “no-fail” gift and stakes are hugely popular. They fit so well into any landscape, pot or indoor plant because they come in so many designs and sizes. Look for glass butterflies, mosaic dragonflies, metal bees and birds, beads, flowers, even glass  snails.

Chimes & Bells – We love a garden chorus so we’ve stocked deep-throated chimes, ceramic bells, glass chimes, you name it. There are lots of choices for many budgets and tastes.

Gifts for the over $50 budget

Giant Tin Can Flowers – Cynthia Patterson has taken “can art” to a new level. She cuts, shreds, paints and forms large cans into eye-popping flowers that are mounted on a wall. Plus she puts them on copper stakes. Every garden needs at least one.

Found-Art Flowers – Tracey Saliba’s big, bold found-object flowers come as a set of three in a tall vase that will make a beautiful statement in your landscape. Singles are available, too.

Birdbaths Galore – NJ Searcy marries ceramics and iron in her hand-crafted birdbaths. There’s sunflower design is extremely striking. Or if you prefer something glass, we’ve got designs with birds and sunflowers.

Order Jim Sudal's platters on our website.

Desert Plant Platters & Tiles – Jim Sudal takes his inspiration from desert plant life and platters and tiles continue to be popular gifts, especially for people with “everything.”  Choose platter with agave, alooe and prickly pear designs. Tiles are available in several patterns including, lupine, lemons, pomegranate, and figs.

Order the Pinwheel Spinner on our website

Critters – You can count on us for an array of critters in iron, concrete and ceramic. Look for cats, bunnies, quail, turtles, frogs, even javelina – in an array of sizes and price points.

Wind Spinners – Our tall Pinwheel Spinners now come in two designs one is a traditional pinwheel, the other looks more like a flower. Check out the flower stakes that spin, too.

Gifts for Garden and Flower Lovers

Order the Gardener's Hollow Leg on our website.

Gardener’s Hollow Leg – Oh this is cool. It’s a fabric sack that you wear on your waist while you prune, dead-head and weed. Just toss your mess in the bag. No hauling a can or bending over to pick up leaves. There’s even a pocket for a cell phone or iPod.

Posey Pot – This sweet handmade clay pot is glazed on the bottom third to hold water but it has holes in the top to hold fresh-cut flowers. It’s perfect for any flowers, but works especially well with delicate stems.

Herb Drying Rack – This is the perfect item for your favorite cook/herb gardener to dry and preserve tasty herbs. The rack includes six hooks for hanging bundles or herbs or flowers.

Garden Tote Goody Bag – Pick up one of our super garden totes or aprons and fill it with seeds, gloves and tool for your favorite gardener. You could even add a bottle of organic fertilizer and a hat. It would be so appreciated.

Tomato Spirals & A Class – If your favorite gardener grows tomatoes, consider a gift certificate for our expert “Crazy About Tomatoes” class and a couple of plant spirals to support the plants.

Creative Custom Garden Panels Work Well In Many Settings

We’re so lucky to have such creative friends and acquaintances who are inspired by nature, and we’re proud to display their work.

So we are thrilled to introduce you to the artistry of Dan Moore, a buddy from our ‘hood, who makes elegant panels cut out of steel. The panels are then rusted. Here’s the best part – they can be used any number of ways, either mounted on a wall or  placed free standing in a garden setting. Or they would work as a striking focal piece inside.

Dan’s desert-image designs include a blooming agave, ocotillo (pictured), bear grass, saguaro, mesquite and organ pipe. The panels can be made in three heights – 23, 35 or 47 inches tall  – and are cut from 1/8 inch steel. Or Dan can customize a piece to fit a particular space.

For example, one of our good customers, Kathy F.,  is having Dan craft a piece to fit over the outdoor electrical box on her home. He’ll custom cut it to fit her panel and change the way it hangs to complete cover that unsightly gray box in a way that still allows access.

Dan’s work is very affordable, and he’s a creative and easy-going person. We love working with him.

These sophisticated pieces are worth a look as you redefine your outdoor space. They are on display exclusively at Southwest Gardener.

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