There is nothing like the crunch of biting into fresh green beans, or the sweet juiciness of a homegrown tomato. Growing up, my father always grew his own vegetables. He would freeze whatever we couldn’t eat during the growing season, for us to use during the winter. He grew so many tomatoes that I didn’t even know you could buy tomato sauce in a jar until I was about twelve years old!
Gardening is a great hobby because it gets us outdoors while accomplishing something useful. However, it can be difficult to know what to buy for a gardener. They most likely have their own preferences for plants, and you aren’t going to wrap up a big bag of soil or manure as a gift. These gifts for gardeners will accessorise their garden, give them gardening projects during the off season, and inspire their imaginations.
1. A Day in an English Garden
Best gift ideas for gardeners in the UK
Give them some inspiration for their own gardens with a garden outing. With possibilities all over the UK, you are sure to find a garden near them.
If an outing is not practical, get them English Gardens, a book from the archives of Country Life Magazine, with inspirational photographs of more than seventy English gardens.
Or maybe they would enjoy a flower arranging class so they can make a brilliant display of flowers grown in their own garden.
2. Fire Pits
Gifts for garden lovers
With a fire pit, they can enjoy their garden even during chilly evenings or cooler times of year.
For evening lighting, give them some decorative solar lights to light up pathways and other garden areas. My favourites are these colourful solar string lights for the patio.
For a more tropical aura, give them a set of bamboo tiki torches. They will need some citronella torch oil to go with these.
For peaceful relaxation, get them an affinity pool. They can hear the peaceful sound of water while enjoying their garden. This pool comes with a plant basket for growing water based plants and will support fish life. Windows on the sides allow viewing of the fish.
3. Gardening Books
Gardening gifts for dad
Growing up, my dad had a vegetable garden. He was always trying to improve upon it by reading books. He learned about rotating crops and square foot gardening. We ended up with lovely garden boxes with walkways in between for easy access to plants. If your dad is anything like my dad, he will enjoy these books to find new innovative techniques for improving his garden.
This Dad coffee cup planter makes a nice Father’s Day gift, just make sure to plant something in it first. You don’t want to just give him an empty mug.
As he got older, it was hard for my dad to bend over to tend to his garden. I feel the same way now. This garden kneeler can be used as a seat, or flipped over as a kneeler to make gardening easier on the knees and back. It also has a handy pocket on the side so he won’t misplace his tools.
4. Custom Garden Tools
Personalised garden gifts
There is nothing like a personalised gift to show you care. It shows you took that extra time to plan, instead of waiting until the last minute. These custom gardening tools will provide a keepsake gift, but be useful as well.
You can also get a personalised seed box for them to keep their seed packets organised, or get them a customised garden apron UK.
5. Walk-in Greenhouse
Great gifts for gardeners in the UK
A greenhouse is a great way to extend the growing season in the UK. This one is large enough to walk in. It is a great place to start seedlings before the ground is ready for planting outdoors. They will also find a bin seat handy for storing supplies in their greenhouse as well as for sitting on.
Or you can get a smaller portable greenhouse. This one is on wheels so it can be moved to wherever they need it. For either one, you can get a digital greenhouse thermometer to keep track of the temperature inside.
6. Hydroponic 12 Plant Herb Garden
Indoor presents for gardeners
I definitely want one of these. I have a hard time growing basil and dill outdoors, but I like to use them in my cooking all year. This one has an adjustable light so it can be raised as plants grow. The light works on a timer, as does the water, so your plants are taken care of while you’re away.
For a smaller space you can get a 7 plant garden. If they already have one, they might want an additional unit to try their hand at growing vegetables or flowers.
These don’t come with seeds, so give them this herb seed gift set to go with the kit. You can also get them a refill kit which comes with additional plant sponges, nutrients, and labels.
7. Bird Houses
Garden gift ideas for those who like wildlife
Whether they are bird watchers or not, they will want to attract birds to their garden. Birds help pollinate plants and spread seeds. Plus they eat bugs that can be harmful to the plants. Cute bird houses will provide shelter for these garden helpers.
Bird feeders will attract them to the yard with food. These are designed to keep pesky squirrels out of the bird food. Make sure to provide bird treats for the feeder.
Butterflies also pollinate plants. Set up a butterfly house, and give your gardener a tin of seed balls filled with native wildflower seeds that will grow to attract butterflies.
You can also give them a house for attracting bees to pollinate plants. Make sure they have a place to put this that is away from daily human traffic. We don’t want anyone getting stung!
8. Floral Garden Tool Set
Gardening gifts for her
What do you buy a female gardener? This beautiful tool set comes with a trowel, pruning shear, and cultivator. Even if she already has tools, these make a lovely addition, since tools can rust after a while. You can also get her a waterproof tool bag to store tools. This one is decorated with flowers.
Gloves help protect hands from irritants and sharp rocks. This garden gift set comes with a pair of floral gloves and hand cream to keep her hands from getting dry and cracked. However, if she is prone to rashes, you may want to get her extra long gloves to protect her arms as well.
9. Bonsai Kit
Indoor gifts for gardeners
During the winter months, when they can’t garden outdoors, a bonsai kit will make a great indoor gardening gift. This kit comes with everything needed to start their new hobby. Bonsai tools will be useful as the plant grows for pruning it. For learning more about the art of bonsai, the Bonsai Book for Beginners should help them learn everything they need to know.
10. Bistro Table Set
Garden gift ideas for seating
This set just conjures images of sipping wine or tea, hidden away in a romantic garden spot with someone special. To make it more comfortable some cushions can be added to the seats.
A wooden storage bench is great for seating and for storing gardening supplies.
A garden swing with a canopy makes a romantic getaway for lovers.
11. Womens Gardening Hat
Extra gifts for gardeners UK
She will need a hat to protect her eyes and skin from the sun. You can get a hat for him too.
Some pretty floral Wellington boots will keep her feet dry on muddy days. Black Wellingtons will do well for him.
12. Grow Your Own Chilli Kit
Gardening gifts for men
What to buy a man who likes gardening? If he likes things hot, he will love growing his own hot peppers with this mini kit. My husband grows several hot pepper varieties and then uses them to create his own fire breathing hot sauces. This kit comes with six pepper varieties.
If he is a mixologist, he may like this Boozy Gardeners Kit, which contains plants that can be used to flavour cocktails. It even includes recipes!
If he does a bit of landscaping work as well as gardening, he will appreciate these heavy duty gloves that can be used for yard work, welding, or mechanics.
13. Tree Stump Planters
Unique gift planters
These tree planters remind me of the Ents in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. They will bring an otherworldly quality to the garden.
Hedgehog home planters are adorable planters for succulents. I like these cute llama planters as well.
If they prefer hanging plants, get them one of these sloth planters.
14. Funky Veg Kit
Unusual gardening gifts UK
There are many seed kits out there, but this one grows purple carrots, rainbow chard, and striped tomatoes! These can even be planted indoors so they can enjoy them sooner.
Or get a living stones kit to grow lithops which mimic colourful stones.
They could also grow their own coffee or a venus fly trap to get rid of pesky bugs.
15. Cottage Arbour
Luxury gardening gifts
This cottage arbour makes a secret retreat tucked away in a hidden corner of the garden.
For entertaining, a wooden pergola creates an outdoor room. I want one of these. I can just imagine vines weaving their way across the top, creating shade, while letting just enough sunlight in. An arbour trellis is another luxury garden gift that can help separate garden areas by creating a doorway.
16. Watering Spheres
Christmas gifts for gardeners
Giving these at Christmas will inspire them to start planning their spring garden.
During the cold winter months, they can reminisce about the outdoors with a miniature greenhouse craft. This will provide them with a new winter hobby, as well as start them dreaming of warm weather.
A vintage plant mister makes an elegant gift for watering indoor or outdoor plants.
17. A Terrarium Starter Kit
Winter gardening gifts
This kit has all of the accessories needed to start their own terrarium such as moss, drainage stones, soil, and decorative stones.
If they don’t already have a container for their terrarium, this geometric dome will look like a modern greenhouse once it has succulents growing in it. They will also need some plants to start off with.
18. Raised Bed Garden Kit
Best gifts for gardeners
Raised beds are great if you live somewhere with poor soil. I use these in my garden. The size makes it easy to reach the plants, while creating walkways in between boxes.
We also have a rain barrel which we use to water our garden during the dry season. It has a tap for filling watering cans, and it hooks up to the gutter drain to collect water runoff.
A compost bin is one of the best gardening accessories. We collect produce waste in a jar in our kitchen. When it is full we dump it into our compost bin. When we are ready to plant our garden, we scoop compost from the door in the bottom of the bin into our garden boxes as fertiliser. The best part is that we usually end up growing a variety of tomatoes that sprout from the seeds in the compost. We don’t even have to plant them!
19. Fairy House
Whimsical gifts for gardeners UK
A fairy house evokes a sense of fantasy in the garden. Depending on which one you choose, you can make it a personalised garden ornament.
Make the trees come alive with woodland faces to adhere to the bark.
Alice in Wonderland fanatics can create a themed garden with handcrafted garden ornaments from Wonderland
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