Give a $50 gift membership to this San Jose-based tree advocacy group, and you'll get a lovely poster that shows the varieties of California native oak trees. The 2-by-3-foot poster is printed on recycled paper and also is available in a laminated version. The non-profit organization also offers a tree gift dedication for $25, and the giver can provide the wording for the certificate. Details:

A membership to the Friends organization, which supports San Jose's urban park, comes with all sorts of perks. They include discounts at local nurseries and florists, price breaks on workshops and bus tours and invitations to special events and openings. Memberships are available at various levels. There's also an opportunity to ``adopt'' a rose in the park's Heritage Rose Garden for $50; your adoption comes with a card to give and a plaque placed in front of the rose in the garden for all to see. Details:

Memberships -- available at various price levels -- include the monthly newsletter, discounts at the Audubon Society Nature Shop, guided bird walks, field trips and discounts on adult education classes. And shopping at the Nature Shop is a great way to find special items for the birders on your gift list, such as bird feeders, bird seed, bird houses, field guides and stuff for the kids like coloring books and animal puppets. The store, at 22221 McClellan Road, Cupertino, is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. Details:

Give a membership to this national treasure -- available at several levels -- and the person on your gift list will get free admission and parking to enjoy all the strolling he or she might want to do, discounts at the gardens' eclectic gift shop, and a newsletter. The pricier membership levels also include an invitation to a private tea ceremony at the Japanese garden. Hakone Gardens is at 21000 Big Basin Way, Saratoga. Details:

Benefits of membership in this non-profit education and garden center start at the $25 level, where the recipient will get lending-library privileges. Boost that to $50 and a 10 percent discount kicks in. Even higher, and discounts at various merchants become available. Common Ground is at 559 College Ave., Palo Alto. Details:

An individual ($50) or family membership ($85) includes unlimited visits to this historic mansion in Woodside and member-only pricing on special events, educational programs and monthly teas. Other benefits: a quarterly horticultural publication, discounts at local nurseries and garden shops and use of the extensive libraries at
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