In my 20 years as a garden writer, many people have asked me for my favorite plants and garden accessories that I recommend. And I understand, because there’s nothing better than buying something an expert already uses in their own yard. So I’m excited to share my top picks with you. In fact, as I am writing this, I’m even humming “These are a few of my favorite things!”

I am definitely a tree-lover and many of my favorite trees stand taller than my house now decades after planting. So they have their limitations as recommendations. But there’s one little tree you can head out and buy that will bring you joy inside the house or out, as well as plenty of other garden tools and accessories I couldn’t live without.

This list of my favorite plants and essential gardening tools have transformed my garden for the better over the years and I believe they can do the same for you – whether you are spiffing up your own backyard or buying a gift for a garden-loving friend. Here's what I recommend to everyone who wants to know my must-have picks.

1. Meyer Lemon Tree

When you buy a potted Meyer lemon tree (Citrus × meyeri 'Improved'), there’s a really tough question you have to answer. Should you keep it indoors in a sunny window or outdoors on the patio?

For a time, I used to move my one container-planted Meyer lemon tree from inside in my bedroom to outside in the sun and back again. But this became a pain, so the obvious solution is buy two trees!

I adore my little Meyer lemon and it brings me joy in so many forms. The leaves are a happy green and the blossoms have an incredibly lovely fragrance that fills the house or the patio.

Then there is the delicious fruit – a bold yellow lemon with a thin skin and sweet, citrusy juice. A Meyer lemon is a mix between a tart lemon and sweet orange, so it’s the best of both worlds.

You can grow a Meyer lemon tree indoors or outdoors. Mine is almost a pet rather than a tree and it’s definitely one of the things I would save in a fire. You can get a Meyer lemon tree shipped to your door from Trees.com (formerly Fast Growing Trees).

2. Bird Feeder

I love birds! One of the things I like best about my little home in the mountains in Sare is the morning bird song. I’ve planted 200 trees on my land because I love trees, too, and know that they welcome birds and squirrels. The birds reward me with a surround-sound of song for about half an hour just before the sun rises each morning.

I encourage the birds by putting in bird houses. Oh the joy of hearing those twitters, then watching mom bird show her babies how to fly! All those hungry birds get food from me as well, so good bird feeders are a must.

Yes, I know there are smart bird feeders, but I personally avoid them on the theory that feeding birds is one of those old-fashioned activities one can do without connecting to technology.

I like the simplicity of the Youvip Metal Roof Bird Feeder from Amazon and have two in France and one in my backyard in San Francisco. It’s made of elegant bronze metal with a perch large enough to accommodate an entire family.

3. Solar Lights

Solar lights may not be a gardening tool per se, but they are a useful and lovely addition to any landscape. They decorate my garden just the same way that a beautiful plant does and bring me immense joy as I step outside on a dark night.

I had lots of solar-powered lights around my mountain home in France where the dark nights make them stand out like stars. But even in urban San Francisco, it’s appealing to walk to the back patio and see the “fireworks” lights I installed.

I got these solar lights from Walmart that look like mini fireworks and I recommend them to one and all. They are weather-proof and the batteries last for up to 10 hours and then can be recharged. You can program them to be steady or to flash. Plus, you can also bend the copper wire of the lights to get the look you want.

4. Limelight Hydrangea

Do you have a group of friends who you invite to every party, confident that they will show up and have a good time no matter who else is there? I do too, and I also have an inside clique for my garden. At the top of that list is hydrangeas, my reliable garden chums. They are easy to grow, tolerant and versatile, and utterly gorgeous during their long bloom seasons.

If you are just tiptoeing into the wonderful world of hydrangeas, consider starting with a 'Limelight' hydrangea. This is an easy-care shrub with an incredibly long blooming time and spectacular cone-shaped blooms.

Why are they spectacular? First, they are huge – bigger than any of the other hydrangea flowers I grow. Second, they are a gorgeous lime green from the moment they bloom in summer all the way into the fall growing season. Toward the end of fall, the flowers change into a deep pink that provides a stunning contrast with the lush dark green leaves.

Buy yours from a quality grower, not a big box chain for the best results (though you can get Limelight hydrangeas from Proven Winners at the Home Depot). I suggest Perfect Plants Nursery when buying hydrangeas because plants come from the grower with a 30-day guarantee.

5. Long Garden Gloves

When someone asks me to “give them a hand” in the garden, I never take a risk. I carry my own extra-long garden gloves with me – these gloves from Ace Hardware called Game of Thorns. Yes, I admit it, I was taken in by the cute name of these Watson Gloves. But if they’ve saved my hands/wrists/arms one time, they’ve done it a thousand times.

I happen to have a defensive hedge of pyracantha in France that loves to scratch me with its long thorns, as well as roses, hawthorn, and holly (with their ferocious leaves!). In San Francisco, the bougainvillea is armed and dangerous as well. And the skin on my arms prefers to stay in one piece.

If you need to protect your arms in the garden from sharp or stinging plants, it’s wonderful to slip on these tough gloves that come up to your elbow. They even have a knuckle bar and thumb saddle for added protection.