By Pamela Price

One of the great joys that the Hill Country offers is the opportunity to garden year 'round. And that means that garden-themed gifts are not only suitable but down-right desirable for the holidays!

Among the many options to give (or get!) this year are some wonderful publications. Right now, I'm especially enamored with The Southern Kitchen Garden: Vegetables, Fruits, Herbs, and Flowers Essential for the Southern Cook (Taylor Trade Publishing). Authors William D. Adams and Thomas R. LeRoy do a fantastic job of demonstrating how homeowners with either limited or ample space can grow luscious fruits and vegetables throughout the year with proper planning.

Composting is incredibly popular right now and in the coming weeks and months you'll be reading about DIY options here on the CLM blog. If you're friendly with a composter (and you'll know it because, bless 'em, they do love to promote the concept!), consider nifty items like kitchen compost crocks or pails.  Know someone who always says that they plan to start a compost pile but never get around to it? Try giving them a colorful composter--the bright-hued beehive ones at Gardener's Supply Company are adorable!

Finally, if you're feeling creative, nothing beats a trip to your local nursery or hardware store to fill a new galvanized bucket with goodies ranging from gloves to wind chimes. If you're lucky, you might find some pretty pots to fill with succulents. For die-hard traditionalists, nurseries are reliable sources for amaryllis and other seasonal bulbs. Being a li'l bit country myself, I have a soft spot for hardware stores this time of year. You can find great gifts and maybe one or two items you need at home. Some of my favorite Texas-based stores include Breed & Company (Austin), Swaim Hardware (Paris), and Sunset Ridge Home & Hardware (Alamo Heights/San Antonio).

Readers: Do you have favorite garden-themed gear? We'd also love to hear about beloved hardware stores!

Explore More Online: 

• Care to give only handmade items? YouGrowGirl.com has compiled a nifty list of garden-themed goodies. 

Image source: author's collection

Editorial coordinator Pamela Price blogs regularly at Red, White & Grew. You can follow her weekdays on Twitter (@CLifeMag).