Since there are no GardenLine appearances or "official book signings" scheduled for the month of December, I thought it would be a good idea to list those places that absolutely have "signed" copies of my book as the ultimate GardenLine Gift this season. I can ASSURE YOU that each of these places listed below have signed copies as of today and this weekend. If you wait past this weekend, and they are out of signed copies, please have them contact me immediately and I will do everything in my power to get more to the places listed below.

My book, Gulf Coast Gardening with Randy Lemmon, makes one of the more cost-effective Christmas gifts you can give, since it normally sells for $19.95. If you shop from the house/computer, you can order my book on-line; it simply won’t be a signed copy. The book is available on the web at http://www.lulu.com/content/433076. Plus, if you do everything on computer, there is a downloadable version of the book, at a much cheaper cost that the direct shipping itself. This book, by the way, is also the best gift you can give a new neighbor or a recently transplanted neighbor or family member, that you know is going to need help with their new Houston-area landscape – especially if they just moved here from up north (or the west coast, or the east coast etc. etc.)

RETAIL PLACES WITH SIGNED COPIES

Arbor Gate (FM 2920 1.5 mi. west of 249 in Tomball)
Buchanan’s Native Plants (611 East 11th St. in the Heights)
Bering’s Hardware (2 Locations: Bissonnet at Weslayan, Westheimer & Potomac)
Kingwood Garden Center (Stonehallow just off Kingwood Dr.)
Alspaugh’s Ace Hardware (W. Lake Houston Pkwy south of Kingood Dr.)
Cypress Ace Hardware (Jones Rd. just N. of 1960)
Buds & Blossoms Nursery (Cypress N. Houston at Huffmeister)
Plants for All Seasons (249 & Louetta)
RCW Nurseries (249 at Beltway 8)
Enchanted Gardens (FM 359 at Hwy 36 in Richmond)
Southwest Fertilizer (Bissonnet & Renwick)

2008 Gift Ideas
Before I get to a few new ideas for the GardenLine Christmas Gift Guide in 2008, I do want to remind you about all the other ideas from years past that are still great ideas today. Read these links to get a preview of all the great ideas we have provided since 2002.

2007 Gift Guide
2005 Gift Guide
2002 Gift Guide

Finally, here are some new and innovative gift ideas for the gardener in your family this season. If you are the gardener, then by all means print out this week’s email tip and leave a circle around the gift or gifts that you would like.

Wine Bottle Plant Nanny -
I’ve seen innumerable watering doohickeys in all my years of GardenLine, but this is the first one that I said "I would use that!" Mainly because (and you don’t have to be a wine drinker to appreciate it) the wine bottles that these are specifically designed for, look very decorative and tasteful in the process. You can get them on-line by simply google-searching Wine Bottle Plant Nannies. Or, you could head to a few of the truly independent nurseries and garden centers throughout the area. I personally saw them at Enchanted Forest and Enchanted Gardens during our final GardenLine Appearance of the season, and I was fascinated by them.

Copper Chimenias –
First, while I am a huge fan of outdoor fire places and heat providing elements of that nature, I’ve never been a big fan of the terracotta or stone-looking Chimenias. However, I am a big fan of copper-looking outdoor garden art. Put the two together and you final have an outdoor fire pit/chimenia I can get into. The best ones are 3-in-1 designs that include a grilling element. Plus, the third element is a planter if you just use the bottom saucer in many cases. Again, nurseries and garden centers that are truly independent have been selling these lately. The picture I have provided is not my favorite looking one, but it does show the multiple ability of a copper-chimenia-outdoor-grill-fireplace-planter combo that it can be. Again, many of these can be found on-line by google-searching 3-in-1 Copper Chimenia. My favorite kind that I saw at The Arbor Gate is tall like a standard chimenia but is more open and provides that nice outdoor grill instantly by removing the top third.

Pruning & Propagation DVDs
I still love to write, both for radio and for my publications, but I still have this television producer blood running through my veins, so when I come across DVDs in the gardening world (which doesn’t happen very often) I feel it’s important to share it with my audience – because it sort of helps bring full-circle the things that I talk and write about, only it does so visually. Taunton Press is the parent company of many great gardening and cooking magazines/publications, and now they have instructional DVDS, which could arguably make one of the more unique Christmas presents this year. There are more than the two I have profiled, but for helpful (and visual) information on PRUNING and PROPAGATION techniques, this/these are the must-haves, if you ask me. Just log on to www.taunton.com click on the Gardening link at the bottom and you’ll see exactly how to order these DVDs.

Tree Replacement (Courtesy of Ike) –
I can’t think of a time where we haven’t recommended trees a nice Christmas gift. Whether it marks the birth of a child, or to commemorate the purchase of a new home/first home, getting a newly planted tree can be a big deal. Plus, many parents have been known to purchase a tree or two for their kids who are new home owners or newlyweds. This year, the twist comes courtesy of Hurricane Ike. There are many people who lost trees due to the devastating storm. And with all the re-building and insurance nightmares most people are dealing with, replacing a lost tree is probably not high on the priority list. That’s where you can step in. There are many awesome tree farms in Texas, and if you know of one near you, go strike a deal. In Houston-proper, if you will, the two best sources for tree-farm-quality trees are RCW Nursery and Shades of Texas. And yes, they both provide professional planting services for those trees. You can still offer to buy and plant trees for the aforementioned reasons, but if you are looking to make a difference this Christmas, and you know someone that needs a tree replacement because of Ike, I don’t think I need to prattle on any further about what you need to do this year.

GardenLine Listeners and E-mail Tip Subscribers can purchase a copy of my new book at discounted price!
Gulf Coast Gardening with Randy Lemmon
Check it out!
Garden retailers interested in stocking the book, should call the Nitro Phos Warehouse at 713-228-1868 for wholesale ordering information.

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