Best Christmas Gifts For Gardeners:
Best Christmas gifts for gardeners? is a question I am often asked. It’s that time of the year where we are all thinking about Christmas gifts and what to buy for the people in our lives. But, what are the best Christmas gifts for gardeners?
The possibilities for gardening gifts are endless, varied with options for all budgets. To choose the perfect gift it is good to look at where the person is in their gardening journey. For example buying tools for somebody who has been gardening for years may not be useful. The tools are likely to end up like another one of last years wooly jumpers sitting on the shelf, but for a new gardener it could be a gift that they will get years of use out of.
I will outline some Christmas gift idea’s for gardeners. I’m not going to give you specific links to products just idea’s to help you buy the perfect gift for the gardener in your life.
Below is 10 (Best Christmas gifts for gardeners)
Practical and useful, Tools as a gift:
Tool’s as I mentioned above any tool can be a great gift. It is important to know the stage the gardener is at, i.e new gardener, seasoned gardener etc. Once you know that choose tools to suit their stage and you are sure to get a good reaction. The one tool that all gardeners use universally use is a secateurs. If I was to recommend one it would be a Felco. They are the best secateurs, Swiss made superb quality and will last a lifetime. I personally use a Felco no.2 and have one for 20 years. Although it is currently in need of a bit of TLC, it still works perfectly and can be rejuvenated with just a new blade and spring.
Beautiful and useful gardening or nature books:
Gardening/Nature books I have stacks of gardening books some which are years old and still useful to me. Again choose a book aimed at the type of gardening that the person you are buying for is doing. The ones I recommend are all Irish. For ornamental gardens “A Beautiful Obsession” by Jimi Blake is top class practical and inspirational. For fruit & veg growing I recommend Kluas Laitenberger’s books. Either ” Vegetables for the Irish garden” or “Fruit & vegetables for the greenhouse”. Klaus is an organic gardening expert and the books are practical and tailor made for growing in Ireland. Finally a nature book “An Irish Nature Year” by Jane Powers. Its 366 daily entries all about nature in Ireland, beautiful and interesting.
Help them learn with a gardening course voucher:
A gardening course voucher. Many of the best open gardens and garden schools run both online and in person garden courses. These courses would be the perfect gardening gift for gardeners of all levels. Some good ones to look up for ornamental gardening would be TJ Maher’s Pathanna garden course (in person). Jimi Blake’s Huntingbrook garden courses (both online & in person). For edible gardeners Dunmore garden school or Klaus Laitenberger’s courses (both online & in person) would be a superb gardening gift.
Best Christmas gifts for gardeners a beautiful plant or tree:
A beautiful plant or tree this is a really nice gift. It can come with meaning and love and always serves as a reminder as it grows. Just be sure here to think about the garden where the gift will be planted. Then make sure it is suitable in terms of size, soil etc. A beautiful rose or tree is a really nice gift to receive that most gardeners will adore.
Get them ahead with a seed collection gift:
If you know what they grow on a regular basis why not buy them the those seeds. So whether it’s veg or flowers or both that they grow consider this draw up a list and buy them all their seed for the following spring. With this you could also get them some packs that they have never grown for a bit of variety or something very unusual that they can play around with. You can add seed growing kits to these also to bump it up a bit so adding things like propagators, seed trays, labels, thermometers etc. Floral meadow seeds would also be a nice gift that most gardeners can succeed with and and can be purchased for all budgets. As always with seed only buy from reputable sources.
Help them enjoy outdoor living with a suitable gift:
Outdoor living equipment or furnishing’s. Now more than every entertaining at home and in the garden is becoming more common and garden rooms and outdoor living spaces are becoming more popular and more elaborate in the past number of years. With this in mind there are lots of gift options you could go for a big purchase such as a BBQ, Chimenea, Patio heater or a set of Furniture. Or for a lower level spend some outdoor lanterns, solar lights, festoon lights, outdoor dining sets etc. When choosing these gifts just consider the style the person has and choose something that ads to that and you won’t go wrong.
Garden clothing the perfect gift:
Gardening clothing, well one thing is sure if you garden in Ireland or the UK you will encounter all weather while enjoying your garden. Rain and cold will be more dominant that beautiful sunshine. But wherever you garden it is important you be dressed but functionally and fashionably. So good option here are a quality outwear that keeps the elements at bay but that is not to heavy to work in, such as a good wax jacket. Other options are quality wellies such as from the Muckboot company or Hunter. Gloves and kneelers are used by most gardeners also and would be a lower entry gift.
Best Christmas gifts for gardeners (Why not mix it up):
Create a garden hamper yourself, make your own hamper by filling a basket with garden essentials such as seeds, small tools, gardening gloves, propagators, kneelers, books etc. This is good for all gardeners and can be created to any budget.
Maybe a voucher?
Not sure what they would need or like? or not sure what garden stage they are at? Then how about a voucher for their local garden centre or nursery? Simple for you, great for them as they can buy exactly what they want or need. It seems lazy but would be a great gift for any gardener. for them to buy the plant they are looking to get, or to put towards a new garden feature.
So I hope that gives you some ideas to the endless options of best Christmas gifts for gardeners and helps you choose the best gardening gift for the gardener in your life.
Until the next time,
John
Prefer to listen hit the link for the podcast episode:
