What is an accent lamp? An accent lamp you probably grew up with a lava lamp. Then they fell out of interest. Now, they are coming back. A lava lamp has water with mineral oil and the blobs are a wax mixture. When the lamp is turned on the heated wax expand causing it to rise then cools causing it to settle down. They now have sparkles in the wax and have a Bluetooth speaker in the base.
Lava Lamp
Accent lamps do not provide much light, however, provide interest and a special touch in your home.
Accent lamps in a hallway
Besides lava lamps, another kind of specialty lamp is a Himalayan salt lamp made of colorful Himalayan salt. They claim to clean the air and health benefits.
Himalayan salt lamp
Illusionary lamps are sculptures made with light. Good for dark corners in any room.
Illusionary lamps
Hologram or 3D lightning are shapes drawn in clear acrylic and lit below with LED lights. They have impressive shapes that make you think they are 3D.
Hologram or 3D lightning
The moon lamp is an artwork that provides subtle light of the moon. This lamp provides a topographic outlay of the moon with changing light colors.
Looking for a Christmas gift for a gardener? Newer products coming out in 2021 for gardeners can be found in many garden catalogs his year.
Smart Pot®
Starting with the Smart Pot® which is a container 20-, 10-, or 5-gallon size. Made from a geotextile fab it air prunes the roots providing a denser root system. Really good containers for raising any vegetable.
Lighthouse Grow Tent
The lighthouse grow tent, a 4 by 4 by 6-foot tall tent with a silver lining inside. After placing a rack and lights, it makes a perfect grow house for starting seedlings. There are openings for venting if needed.
Swan Neck Hoe
One of my favorites while not new are not common in this country is the swan neck hoe. The blade is curved skimming below the soil level without having to pull too hard. With a 6-foot-long handle, you can reach across your garden easily. They also come with a copper head meaning it is the last hoe you will use. Copper tools enrich the soil with trace copper nutrients.
Brass Siphon Mixer
The brass siphon mixer goes on your hose to your flowers or garden that siphons a solution of fertilizer, fungicide, or insecticide. Works great for fertilizing drip systems in gardens. It siphons at a rate of 5 cups concentrate to 5 gallons of water.
Neom Oil
An insecticide that is a thousand years old but is becoming more popular in the United State is Neom oil. It is a pressed-out oil from the seeds of the neem trees (a broadleaf evergreen) from India. An organic insecticide that makes it harder for insects to grow and lay eggs. Good for aphids, mites, moth larvae, and grasshoppers and does not harm beneficial insects like ladybugs or bees.
Long Handled Spading Fork
Another tool not used much is a long-handled spading fork. The tool works great for digging underground vegetables like carrots and potatoes without much effort.
Solar Power Robot Mower
Tired of mowing? How about a robot mower powered by the sun? This mower comes from Husqvarna great for smaller areas.
Easy Bloom Gadget
The Easy Bloom Gadget will check your plants and soil and let you know about their situation, quality, and what they need.
Of course, there are many other selections that make great gifts for gardeners like stirrup hoes. Dibbles, and bulb planters.
Every year the All-American Selection of vegetables and flowers comes out with winners of excellence in hardiness and breeding for the upcoming year.
Celosia Candela Pink
This year’s flowers begin with a celosia called Candela Pink. It has bright pink blooms with keep coming thru the growing season. Works good in containers or mass plantings and can be dried.
Zinnia Profusion Red Yellow
Another annual flower is the zinnia Profusion Red Yellow. A bicolor zinnia starting with a bright red center area with yellow outer petals. Like with most zinnias, they will bloom over the season until frost.
Leucanthemum Sweet Daisy Birdy
A perennial made it into the AAS which is more unusual is the Leucanthemum Sweet Daisy Birdy. Its hardiness is down to zone 3 with both heat and cold tolerance. The blooms are 5” across white good for a moonlit garden. Being a type of Shasta Daisy, it is a low maintenance plant.
Echalion Crème Brulee
As for vegetables, let us start with an onion called Echalion Crème Brulee. It is a shallot grown from seed with a single center bulb. The bulbs are sweeter than most shallots with a slight citrus flavor.
Pepper Pot-a-peno
Next is a pepper Pot-a-peno, a compact pepper you can grow in a hanging pot. It is a jalapeno type, early maturing plant.
Goldilocks winter squash
Lastly is an acorn winter squash called Goldilocks. It is a vigorous plant with high yields. The color is bright orange making it has a dual eating and decorating fruit.
