Buying gifts for others is always a tricky matter. The ideal gift is unique, useful, and luxurious at the same time. Rather than naming the traditional items when someone asks you what you want for a gift, you might consider asking for garden decorations. Garden decorations are simple, practical gifts, but they are also full of life, imagination and beauty. More importantly, garden decor will entice you into spending more time in your garden.

Spending more time outdoors is terrific for mental and physical health. When set up correctly, your garden can be much more than just a spot of color in an otherwise dull lawn. Your garden can be a place to sit, relax, daydream and meditate. Your garden can be a spot to eat dinner with your family, or to entertain guests. When decorated correctly, your garden can be just as much a part of your life as any room in your house.

A garden doesn't have to be big to allow for multiple uses. Even a tiny little garden spot can be a great place to eat lunch, enjoy a cup of coffee, or read a book. You may not be able to fit a family of four into your garden for a full meal, but even the smallest garden can be re-designed with a curved bench, a pedestal and a few inspired touches, turning it into a private oasis.

Garden Decorations and the Interactive Garden

I strongly feel that a garden should be a place to enter and interact, not simply a thing to be looked at. You don't really know the joys of owning a garden if you only admire it from the outside. Staring at your garden through a kitchen window is pleasant; entering the garden to sit and unwind is transcendent.

If using your garden more often is a goal of yours, ask for gifts that will help you achieve this goal. The first thing to ask for is seating. A curved bench or two, placed at the far end of your garden, will draw you all the way into and through it. Next, look for gifts that help you enjoy the multi-sensory nature of a garden.

This might include a burbling water fountain or a set of wind chimes. How about a birdbath and bird feeder? Of course, you'll want to plant fragrant flowers. Combine fragrant flowers, like jasmine, with colorful flowers, like daffodils. You want a garden that smells as beautiful as it looks! Of course, digging in the dirt is also part of the multi-sensory pleasure of a garden. Even if a landscaper tends your garden full time, you can still get down on your knees and do a little weeding from time to time. The feel of the soil and the simplicity of the task can be incredibly grounding.

Garden Decorations That Last

Whether you are giving garden decorations as gifts or receiving them, make them the best. You want decorations that are made of the best materials. For instance, look for fountains, sculptures and planters that have been made of fiberstone. Fiberstone is made of an amalgam of fiberglass, sand and stones. It's less breakable than concrete, yet much lighter. It also looks fantastic.

You can have fiberstone items completed in a number of finishes. The finish will really effect the overall look of the piece, so give the choice some thought. Do you want your garden to look earthy or ethereal? Should items look fresh and new, or aged to look like moss covered marble? If you are buying garden decorations as gifts, try to do a little detective work to determine which finish your friend or family member might prefer.