All I want for Christmas

As 25 December looms, I thought you might like some Christmas present ideas for garden lovers and would be garden lovers.  All ideas tested, spotted or touched by me.  None have been “gifted”, so you can be 100% sure these are heart-warming recommendations you can trust, one friend to another.  Promise.

Tools Glorious Tools

Firstly, nothing beats the perfect tool for the job.  A gardener without a fine set of tools is working at a disadvantage, the task taking longer and the enjoyment replaced with frustration.

My go-to brand is the wonderful Sneeboer & Zn, based in the Netherlands, who hand make tools which are built to last.  Their tools are a lifetime investment which will give pleasure if loved and cared for. 

Sneeboer heart shaped trowels

On the subject of loved, Sneeboer offer a couple of heart shaped trowels, a gift inspired for the one you love.  The smaller one is called the Heart Shaped Trowel with a sharp pointed tip, perfect for digging small holes, grubbing out weeds and spreading all round happiness.  The second is the Old Dutch Style Towel, ideal for planting out up to one litre size plants, bulbs or moving soil when a spade seems like overkill.   If these trowels don’t make it to your Christmas tree, there’s always a Valentine’s day opportunity.

Snip Snip

Over the last few years, I have come to appreciate the blades and beauty of Japanese tools:  Niwaki, Okatsune, and others.  Their blades are literally a cut above, clipping, pruning, chopping back are all made easy by these objects of desire, originally developed for the craft of bonsai and ikebana.  

Niwaki GR Pro Barracuda Clippers Japanese Shears

My current favourites are the topiary shears which I use for clipping and trimming box and yew, chopping back grasses in February, and perennials in May for the ‘chelsea chop’. I even recommended them to a client as a speedy way to harvest her lavender field. These shears save time and bring delight to these annual tasks, spreading comfort and joy.

The Carrier Company: Celtic Wool Jacket

Gardening Wear

Where to begin?  There’s lots of choice but only a few true real performers.  The Carrier Company is a stylish combination of North Norfolk beachy and gardening common sense.  Their traditional workwear is both practical and flattering.   I’m utterly thrilled with my Celtic Wool Jacket but must confess it’s too nice for gardening!  At the moment it’s for client visits only.  But I can recommend their boil sweet pretty Shetland lambswool jumpers.  Natural colours which are 10 times nicer in the flesh than on their website.  Much better suited for a day’s gardening than cashmere.  They are delicious and really quite reasonably priced for their warmth.

Another source of great gardening wear is the Great Dixter shop.  It’s all good!  In particular their wet weather solutions, not exactly glamorous but essential in the UK’s changeable weather.

Stine Goya: Rain Cape Jungle Bloom

And on the subject of wet weather gear, I have my eye on the Stine Goya flowery rain cape for RHS Chelsea Flower Show next year.  I love a floral frock for Chelsea but sometimes, in fact often, it rains. This is a gift whose recipient will enjoy envious glances at Gala Night wearing this colourful cape.

Baskets and Trugs

Norfolk Baskets: Perigourdin baskets

Baskets, trugs, plastic or wooden, are objects that gardeners love to collect.  

Baskets are a special gift that lasts a lifetime. You can pick them up in junk shops and Knightsbridge and everywhere in between.  I love Norfolk Baskets whom I spotted over 15 years ago at the annual Burnham Market Craft Fair. They offer so many exquisite shapes, sizes and prices, you will be spoilt for choice.  If you can lay your hands on a Perigourdin, one of their specials, the shape originally from the Dordogne for gathering potatoes, you will make someone very happy.

The Truggery: Sussex Trug

You can also never go wrong with a Sussex trug.  Handmade from chestnut, in various sizes, these are as beautiful empty as they are laden with produce from a potager.  

And if you can’t quite stretch to these handmade objects of desire, there are still, dare I say it, plastic trugs and buckets.  Eminently useful, colourful, essential. B&Q does a Halloween-cheerful orange bucket for £1 that won’t get lost in a shed.  

Max with his ‘mowa’

Start them Young

More than ever, we need to encourage young children to get out in the garden.  Research has proven gardening is good for our health and wellbeing so a few gifts to help children along the garden path so to speak are a good thing.

There are lots of tools available, made specifically for toddler hands.  Start with a wheelbarrow, or a watering can, trowel and spade.  Add a packet of easy sunflowers, such as the exotic and dusky Helianthus ‘Velvet Queen’, which will see their eyes light up next summer.  A plastic mower, if you must (we certainly succumbed) will also make any toddler happy.  There’s lots of choice out there.

Stocking Fillers

On the whole, we gardeners tend to be relatively easy to please and there are many cheap and cheerful gifts perfect for a stocking.

Horatio’s Garden twine

I would always pop in a roll of twine.  Not your average sandy coloured twine but a Nutscene twine in a specially selected colour to match the recipient’s personality.  I love lilac which is only available at the Horatio’s Garden shop (a brilliant charity with a garden theme) . I also hanker after their lime green for my husband who is very good at hedges and edges.  Oh, and I know exactly who I shall be gifting the neon pink twine!

You can also always pop in a packet of seeds. Whilst you wander into the garden centre to buy your Christmas tree, stroll along the seed packet aisle and you will find some cheap thrills.  All gardeners enjoy a packet or two of seeds selected to make the recipient smile.  How about seeds for a super-size squash or some sweet-smelling sweet peas or, if you want to go with the Christmas theme, the divinely beautiful angels fishing rods (Dierama pulcherrimum)   And add some plant labels to your basket whilst you are at it. Mine are always eaten by the dog!

Don’t forget gardening gloves.  Gardeners can never have too many.  Showa gloves are perfect for a stocking; cotton lined goat hide gloves from Sarah Raven would be a treat.

A New Garden

And finally, if you would like to give the gift of a new garden, a flower bed overhaul or an hour or two of garden consultancy, please do get in touch.  Helping clients turn their gardens into beautiful spaces is our business and our pleasure. Happy shopping!