Paxton Gate

I have a friend who had her kids help landscape her backyard with vegetables and discovered a bonafide flatworm species in the process. She’s the kind of gardener who acknowledges that the hobby involves a lot of work, fun and gross stuff. Paxton Gate was made for this kind of gardener. The shop includes plenty of beautiful outdoor decor and handy gardening tools, but also once-dead stuffed animals and skulls (some in costume), wooden trebuchet and catapult kits, and volcano-making sets. The result is a charming, twisted take on gardening and gifts that combines “snails and puppy dog tails” with “everything nice.” Charity Thompson, 1/4/2011