Give yourself a little break from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Venture out into the garden for a quiet activity such as pulling weeds. Chickweed, henbit and bedstraw are growing rapidly but fortunately they are easy to pull up. Many gardeners claim to get their best thinking done while pulling weeds not to mention the garden benefits too.

Deadheading spent pansy, dianthus and petunia flowers can provide equal calmness.

Thinning out areas where larkspur, poppies or other seed has germinated is another garden activity that does not require much brain power. At times when life is a little hectic, simple garden activities can be very rejuvenating for the mind and soul.

Feeling the soil between the fingers of a plain dirt gardener can be invigorating for one that’s been too busy to get out into the yard. Potting up some combination containers for the holiday doorstep or entrance to your home is another way to relax and be creative. Mixed containers and baskets also make excellent Christmas gifts.

Combine plants according to individual tastes or interests of the person you are giving the gift to. Flower pots or baskets filled to the brim with herbs, edible flowers or blooms centered around a certain color scheme are just a few possibilities. Small containers are great gifts for the desk of your favorite teacher or office manager.

Need to feel a little more earth against the skin? Think ahead to the new year by continuing to plant pansies, dianthus, delphinium and other cool season flowers. These will make a huge splash in the landscape for the next few months, especially during the peak of spring and Easter. Finish cool season planting by the end of the month for best results.

Spring flowering bulbs such as narcissus can still be planted through the end of the December. Bulbs also make wonderful Christmas presents. Combine a few bulbs with a bulb planter and a bag of super phosphate for a rewarding and long lasting gift.

Books are another perfect gift for the gardener and winter is the best time to have a couple of new selections. During cool months, gardeners enjoy reading and looking at pictures that provoke fresh ideas for the new year.

Come to think of it, you might as well pick up a garden book or two for yourself. There is no better time than post holiday season to curl up with new book and day dream about the upcoming months in the landscape. You deserve it.

Having a hard time figuring out what to get the gardener in your life? How about a gift certificate to a garden related place such as a nursery, hardware store, bookstore or any place that has a selection of garden tools or accessories.

Most importantly, make time to relax in your garden this busy holiday season. After all, that is what it’s for.

Gardening Miss- Lou Style is written by Tracy Maier of Natchez. She can be reached by e-mail at

ratmaier@iamerica.net

.