Most of us dream of having a luscious garden. One bearing flowers, shrubs, fruits and vegetables. Tightly manicured or rampant and wild, in a sprawling yard or on a bijou windowsill.
Starting, and maintaining, a garden can be challenging, even if we’re seasoned gardeners.
We’ve put together this gift guide listing some of the best gifts for gardeners. There’s a load of suggestions for what to buy a gardener – whether beginner or experienced.
Eco Gardening Gear
One of the most important items to gift to a new gardener is a proper set of tools and gardening gear.
There are many options on the market, but standard tools can feel a bit impersonal. So a set of personalised tools makes a useful and thoughtful gift.
Gardening Tools
This garden trowel and fork made of coated carbon steel with a wooden handle is a lovely set.
There’s also a pair in copper coated carbon steel. The trowel in this set has centimetres and inches marked on it to make digging easier.
If you’d rather leave your gift unpersonalised, then try this trowel, fork and dibber set. It’s also made from copper coated carbon steel with an ash wood handle.
This 12-in-1 pruner is pocket sized and includes many other useful tools.
Think blades, screwdrivers, can openers, rulers, files, wrenches and bottle openers. Perfect for spending all day in the garden!
For a pruner without the frills, these handsome pruning secateurs are ideal. They have copper coated carbon steel blades and ash wood handles.
Gardening Gloves
As well as tools, a pair of gloves is a welcome gift for new and experienced gardeners alike.
These printed cotton gloves can be personalised and make a lovely present.
If you’re looking for a studier pair, these durable leather and suede gauntlet gloves are fantastic.
They cover the wrist and lower arm, providing protection when reaching into or under bushes.
Aprons
An apron also makes a great present to a gardener. They keep most of the dirt off clothing, have handy pockets, and can be removed and washed at the end of the day.
This denim half apron is sturdy, has four pockets and can be personalised. This pure linen half apron, which is handmade in Cornwall, is another great choice.
Should you have something a bit more heavy duty in mind then this garden tool belt will fit the bill.
If you’re looking to gift a full apron then this beautiful Golden Ochre Denim Apron will be a well received gift.
It’s handmade in the UK and features a cross back – so there’s no need to deal with loose ties dangling or it coming undone.
This Canvas Garden Apron is another good option. The straps and pockets are made from durable faux suede while the body is made from waterproof canvas.
Grow Your Own Gifts
Is your gardener is a beginner or a casual gardener? Or perhaps they already have all the gear? Then giving them something to plant and grow is a wonderful gift.
Seed bars
Growbars make excellent gifts that provide an easy start and something to nurture. Each bar is made in the UK from peat free coconut fibre with the seeds already in place.
All your giftee needs to do is unwrap the bar, place it in a suitable container and add water. In about a month the seedlings will be large enough to be replanted.
Growbars come in many variations. There’s a chilli garden, and an assortment of gin accompaniments.
Or choose bee friendly plants, edible flowers, a tea garden or butterfly friendly plants.
Seed Bombs
Seedboms from Kabloom are another fun and easy start to gardening. Designed to make “Guerilla Gardening” easier, Seedboms are made in Scotland from starch and natural fibres.
They contain organic peat free compost and non-GMO seeds.
The bombs are packaged in 100% recycled and recyclable cardboard and will biodegrade, leaving only plants in their place.
They’re super simple to use. Shake the Seedbom a few times then pull the pin to remove the seal. Submerge it in water until completely soaked, and then throw or drop onto the ground.
You need to do this with some force to crack the Seedbom.
They come in gift sets of four: Birds, Bees, Butterflies, Wildflower Wonders and Peace & Love. And as singles: Poppy Peacebom, Catnipbom, Wilderbom and Starflower.
Trees
The Present Tree is another great growing gift for gardeners (and anyone who loves trees!). They are lovingly and organically nurtured in Ireland, and carefully packaged for delivery.
Present Tree pots are biodegradable and compostable and the compost is organic and peat free. The packaging is FSC sourced, printed with vegetable inks and recyclable.
Each tree comes with a full care guide as well as the story of it’s symbolism.
There are a large selection of trees to choose from. These include bay, cherry, coffee, elderflower and evergreen oak. Or you might prefer fig, flowering camellia, hazel, holly, olive, wild apple or wild rose.
Good luck choosing one! They also have a care kit to help ensure each tree flourishes
Helpful Books Perfect for Gardeners
No matter the interest, books are always a fantastic gift idea. Even better, they’re great resources for beginners and professionals alike.
Not just for adults, books can also be a great way to teach children about gardening.
The Kew Gardens Guide to Growing Herbs has a lovely, easy to navigate table of contents.
Each herb has its own page with sections on how to grow, harvest and use the plant. There’s an illustration and photo of each herb for easy identification too.
It also contains ideas for using the herbs, such as making pesto or constructing a wreath.
They have a Guide to Growing Fruit, Growing Vegetables, Bulbs, and House Plants too.
The RHS’s How To Garden When You’re New To Gardening: The Basics For Absolute Beginners is great for starting out. (Or for experts who need a refresher on the basics).
This book contains topics such as how to choose a healthy plant or how to grow root crops. Each step is clear and accompanied by a helpful photo to guide the reader.
The Royal Horticultural Society have another two great reference books. The What Plant Where Encyclopedia is great for more experienced gardeners. As is Gardening Through the Year: Month-by-month Planning Instructions and Inspiration.
The What Plant Where Encyclopedia is a great reference and guide. The book divides its contents into plant locations and plants for special effects.
The plant locations section is then divided into sunny and shady gardens. Further subsections cover everything from clay soil to roof gardens.
The special effects sections includes details on adding colour, shape, texture and more. The book helpfully includes a key to the symbols used throughout.
Gardening Through the Year can be gifted to new gardeners. But it may be of greater benefit for more practised gardeners.
Accompanied by beautiful photos this book lays out what can be done, and how, each month. Each month’s chapter details things to do, last chance, and get ahead jobs. Then it delves into how to care for plants and the garden as a whole.
The book also contains a useful A-Z directory of all the plants featured.
Veg in One Bed: How to Grow an Abundance of Food in One Raised Bed, Month by Month by Huw Richards does what it says in the title.
This book is very clearly laid out and can be gifted to any gardener regardless of experience.
It’s divided into four main sections: Getting Started, Your Bed Month by Month, Next Steps and Veg in Containers. Each has its own subsections.
Within each month’s chapter, there’s an illustration of what your raised bed ‘should’ look like.
There’s also handy diagrams with colour coded sections. Each colour denotes what should be left empty and what needs to be started off, left to grow and harvested etc.
Huw Richards also has a Youtube channel, Huws Nursery which is really handy.
Eco Gardening Accessories
Gardening isn’t all about the plants, you also need to make sure you have all the necessary tools to look after them.
From plant markers to thermometers and watering cans, there’s something for every avid gardener.
Plant Markers
Plant markers are a thoughtful gift for gardeners. These eco recycled markers made from recycled plant pots are bold and easy to see.
They come in two sets, depending on whether your gardener is growing vegetables or herbs.
These Chemical Element Wooden Herb Markers are a unique twist.
They’re made from natural spruce and mimic the format of the boxes on the Periodic Table of Elements.
These customisable plant markers are also a great choice. With a chic, bold and seamless design, they come in black or white.
They can be ordered in sets of one to eight, simply list the plant names you’d like to include when ordering.
Looking to give your gardener a traditional plant marker they can fill in themselves?
These black wooden plant labels are a great choice. It includes 35 markers in a small tin box.
There are also these copper plant tags and ties. They’re a fantastic alternative to the markers which stick into the ground.
Especially useful if plants are already large. Use a ballpoint pen to write on the tag, then secure it onto one of the outer branches of the plant.
Thermometers
Thermometers are another handy gift for gardeners.
The Min/Max Garden Thermometer comes in green or white and can be secured to the wall, fence or in a greenhouse.
It features a large LCD screen which displays the current temperature as well as the upper and lower temperature readings.
This thermometer requires two AAA batteries and displays in both Celsius and Fahrenheit.
The Customisable Metallic Garden Thermometer is a more stylish option. Available in rose copper and golden bronze, they also measure in both Celsius and Fahrenheit.
They can be personalised with an engraved message too. (But the engraved thermometers can only be used indoors.)
Watering Cans
A watering can is another indispensable gardening accessory. There are many sizes and finishes to choose from.
These 3.5 litre watering cans are made from galvanized steel with powder coating. They come in a beautiful green and copper, blue and copper and black and copper.
For something bigger, this galvanised steel and copper watering can holds 4.5 litres.
This purple and copper watering can hold 9 litres. Finally, the lovely green galvanised watering can with brass detail holds 10 litres.
If your gardener only has small potted plants then these 1 litre watering cans would be perfect for them.
This one is made from galvanised steel and this chalk white one is made from galvanized steel with a powder coating.
Gardening Gift Sets and Starter Packs
If you’re at a complete loss, then a gift set is your best bet.
The Herb Pantry Starter Pack contains all they need to grow their own herbs.
The kit includes a mini propagator, biodegradable pots, wooden plant markers and mini compost discs. Use it to grow basil, chives, parsley and coriander.
The Eco Seed Sowing Kit includes 10 wooden plant labels and expanding coir pellets. The cute wooden pot maker allows you to make your own pots from waste paper.
When the seedlings are big enough they, together with the paper pot, can be replanted. The paper will naturally biodegrade in the soil.
Kenneth & Kenneth also make a great variety of gardening gift sets.
The Grow Your Own Root Vegetable gift set includes tools, gloves and a grow bag. Use the seeds in this kit to grow cabbage, carrots and parsnips.
The Grow Your Own Herb gift set has all you need to grow coriander, basil and parsley.
The Grow Your Own Chillies gift set includes everything to grow your own chilli plant.
They also make Grow Your Own Poppies, Grow Your Own Tea Garden, Grow Your Own Coffee Garden gift sets. Plus a Summer Salad Planting Collection Gift Box.
Eco Gardening Gifts Are More Than Just Gifts!
While it takes dedication and hard work, relaxing in a well tended garden is heavenly. Not only that, gardening itself has mood boosting benefits too. It reduces stress, gets us outdoors and can also lead to better sleep.
So eco gardening gifts help the recipient improve their own health. And what better way is there to let someone know you care about them? Plus you’ll be helping them to eat and live more sustainably.
If you need gift suggestions for other friends and loved ones, head over to our other gift guides:
