Festive Gifts for Gardeners

If your friends and family have a love of gardens, gardening or nature then buying them something special for Christmas is a doddle.

Christmas shopping comes down to planning and budget. If you are on a tight budget, as many of us are these days, then the garden and greenhouse can provide a brilliant way to make your money go further and you can extend this to friends and family too.

A few packets of seed can cost just a few pounds and with the offer of your own expertise to coach new gardeners in the skills of gardening, your gift could make a huge difference to someone trying to make ends meet. It’s the perfect gift for a student or a young mum trying to eat or feed the family more healthily and you don’t need a garden to achieve great results if you choose your seed carefully. Most gardeners have heaps of old flower pots that could be cleaned and recycled and then all your recipient needs is a bag of good multi-purpose compost or some seed compost and some guidance.

For the more experienced gardener you can choose seed varieties that they might not have grown before or a favourite vegetable. One pack of runner bean seed will last most families a year or two, or if they grow all the seeds they’ll have a bumper crop to fill the freezer or share with friends. Marry some bean seeds with some bean poles (maybe harvested from your own hazel coppice) and some garden twine. Few would disagree that freshly picked summer beans are divine and your gift will last for months or even years.

Salad mixes are another great way to spread the word. One packet of mixed salad will generate several pots of cut and come again leaves and if sown in succession your recipient could have salad for several months even without a greenhouse or garden.

Plants make wonderful seasonal gifts, whether you choose the festive poinsettia or a productive fruit tree. If you are not sure what to buy then consider a garden gift voucher. Most garden centres accept HTA vouchers and your gift can then be used in the most appropriate way by your recipient.

Don’t forget the children. If they show even a glimmer of gardening interest then this needs nurturing quickly. You can buy kiddies garden gift sets, but why not treat them a bit more grown-up and buy them proper gardening gloves or special pint sized tools just like mum or dad. Again seeds make great gifts and will encourage them to grow, choose from the many children’s seeds available or make your own selection based on.

Don’t forget if you really want to splash out then a greenhouse is a fantastic festive gift. If the pounds don’t quite stretch that far then consider a patio greenhouse or a cold frame this year and the greenhouse is bound to follow.

To know more about greenhouses and growing plants in your greenhouse visit http://www.growhouse-greenhouses.co.uk/greenhouses.php