Garden Detective

Today's gift: last-minute e-gift cards (emailed instantly)

Merry Christmas, everyone. I hope you've already bought, wrapped and given your gifts by now. If, however, you're an extreme procrastinator, there's always the online printable or email-able gift card. Here are some choices:

Burpee

Wayside Gardens

Garden.com

Lowe's

Home Depot

Amazon...

Day 11: Birdseed chalet

Made of wood and covered in birdseed, and measuring 10 1/2 inches wide by 5 3/4 inches deep by 8 1/2 inches high, this beautiful feeder is available for $39.95 at redenvelope.com....

Today's gift: Art Deco crackle-glass bird feeders

Art Deco crackle-glass bird feeders, available in purple and spring green, hold three cups of seed or can be stocked with fresh fruit to attract orioles and tanagers. Also available is "Moon," a doughnut-shaped feeder that holds 2 cups of seed and provides a spot for birds to perch. $24.95 apiece at gardeners.com....

Keep it untangled

If you're anything like me, you have lots of tangled twine. I love this simple twine dispenser because allows for easy unrolling and looks much nicer on the kitchen counter than a ball of twine. $14.95 at gardeners.com....

Kill bugs naturally

Mosquitoes and biting flies can interfere with backyard relaxation. This new power swatter electric bug zapper lets you kill bugs while you practice your back swing. The racket's triple-layer can prevent accidental shocks to the user or pets. Also great for indoor use. $17.99 at Brookstone.com....

Today's gift: A 365-day gift of flowers

Remind your gift recipient that he or she is in your thoughts all year. This kit includes everything for a small windowsill garden that can extend the gardening season to 12 months. Included are 12 seed packets (petunias, marigolds, pansies, lobelia, alyssum, zinnias, impatiens, baby's breath, dianthus, cosmos, poppies and sweet peas), 12 small candy-colored...

Today's gift: Aromatic lavender lap blanket

Whether or not one grows lavender, I've never met anyone who doesn't appreciate its aromatherapeutic, calming fragrance. Warm this lap blanket in the microwave for three to four minutes and then wrap it around your shoulders. The rice, flax and lavender-filled blanket has a soft chenille cover that removes for washing. $49.95 at gardeners.com....

Today's gift: Jolly Kneeler

I've tried many kneeling pads in my day, from plain rubber mats to rectangular garden kneelers, and most suffice. But the Jolly Kneeler, with its supportive polyurethane knee rest is so comfortable, it has me looking for excuses to kneel. Plus, the built-in carry handle doubles nicely as a hanging hook for storage. $29.95 at gardeners.com....

Today's gift: Funky bottle sculpture

Back in the day, our ancestors used to place colorful bottles around the garden in the hopes of warding off evil spirits. Doing so today is just plan celebratory! This bottle tree lets you create a glass sculpture of your own using 16 of your own one-liter or smaller bottles. Just slide bottle openings over wires and voila -- an instant garden sculpture!...

Today's gift: Soil blocker

Soil blockers have been used for a long time, with some sources dating them to 2,000 years ago. They're used in modern-day agriculture and are available in smaller sizes for home use.

Here's how they work: Moisten potting mix until it's the consistency of oatmeal, press the soil blocker into the soil and give it a twist to fill its chambers. Squeeze the spring-loaded...