OK, I've got a major tip for you folks with gardeners on your holiday shopping lists. This comes from years of horticultural experience, so listen up:

Do not buy orchids, cyclamen, amaryllis, African violets, clivias or cacti as gifts - especially not orchids - unless your friend has explicitly expressed a strong interest.

By "strong interest" I don't mean, "Gee, that orchid is really neat." Admiring orchids and growing them are worlds apart. "Strong interest" would be, "Gee, I've done so well with cattleyas in the greenhouse, I'm just itching to branch out into miltonias."

The reason for caution is that gardeners hate to see a plant die a prolonged and gruesome death. And generally that's what orchids and cyclamen and other exotics will do unless the recipient has a greenhouse or, indoors, wide windowsills with a southern or eastern exposure to accommodate them.

The person must also have the time and inclination to fuss over the plants and adjust their home environment accordingly, in this case, making it cool and humid for the cyclamen and warm and humid for the orchid.

And do your friends another favor: Don't buy any cute gardening plaques or ornaments unless you're absolutely certain they desperately want them. Such things have no horticultural use, and their selection is a personal matter. No gardener (with any taste, anyway) has more than one or two garden ornaments and may not get the same flashbacks to the '60s as you do from that blue-glowing, solar-powered gazing ball.

). There are several multi-tools on the market for gardeners, but most are flimsy. This one, from the well-regarded Leatherman brand, features pruning shears, pruning saw, weeder, knife and Phillips screwdriver, among other tools. It folds and stores in a nylon clip pouch.

, $79.95, also from Gempler's. The rubber Wellington is a gardening classic, but this model has several improvements, including a wide flat heel for stability, tough soles that stay flexible in any temperature and a rubber foam upper that is light and conforms to various leg sizes. The best thing is that it's available in sizes up to a men's 16.

) is a good gift for the gardener who is also a gadget geek. It's basically a countertop hydroponic device, except it's called "aeroponic" because the roots are bathed in an aerosol mist that provides moisture and nutrients. You pop in a cartridge, like the one for gourmet herbs (seven cartridges sold separately for $19.95) and push a button. The device has an attached grow-light and is programmed to provide the correct amount of light, water and nutrients. A salad greens cartridge comes with the package. The veggies and greens produced by this device probably rival sterling silver in cost per ounce, but it's an entertaining, high-tech way to have a sunny spot of green in the kitchen.

). The two tools each have a radically curving design that incorporates a plastic-coated handle with a secondary grip that allows for two-handed use. They're recommended for people with arthritis or limited hand strength, but they seem sturdy enough to stand up to vigorous use.

, $30.49 from A.M. Leonard. This small magnifier swings out from a protective nickel-plated case that you can wear on a lanyard or key chain. Anyone who loves flowers will like seeing all of their finest details.

). This is a compact system to root cuttings from both herbaceous and woody
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