5 great Christmas gifts for gardeners

With the season of gift giving looming, don’t leave your gardening loved ones until last. You might think that they are difficult to buy for, but with such a wonderful hobby you just need to think outside the box a bit.

The obvious and easiest gifts are plants and seeds, especially if you know what your gardener’s guilty pleasure is. From houseplants and succulents to giant veg seeds the garden centre is a fantastic place to source all sorts of garden inspired goodies. But if you can’t get out and about, here are five ideas to buy online.

Bee inspired:

You won’t bee surprised to see a bee theme popping up on my gift list. Top of my list would be a membership gift to the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. It’s a great gift that keeps on giving because it inspires and educates the recipient and supports the great work of this charity. But a subscription to any wildlife or nature charity is a great gift for a garden lover and will help expand their hobby in any direction you choose. There’s a perfect pack for family membership so the whole family can get involved for £35. You get regular newsletters, wildflower seeds and lots of bee fact sheets and bee ID guides for young and old and help support the vital work conserving bee habitats and raising awareness. www.bumblebeeconservation.org

For the plant geek:

When you’ve got a loved one that really loves plants, why not treat them to something a bit different. Plants4Presents has a wide range of plant gifts to choose from. Choose from exotic orchids, cardamon, curry leaf, lemons or limes, or special gift sets like grow your own coffee, or pistachio, or tea. It even has magnetic pots of succulents for your millennial recipients. Prices from around £20. plants4presents.co.uk

Wear your heart on your sleeve:

Here’s an idea that lets you wear your gardening hobby. Our very own contributor, Mr Plant Geek otherwise known as Michael Perry has launched a range of botanically inspired gear that includes hoody’s and T’s – well for hipsters and millenials. Look out for T’s emblazoned with Gin & Geraniums, or Fronds & Anemones. And don’t blush at his rude botany range, depicting some of the more questionable Latin plant names. Plant geek or goddess there’s sure to be something suitable. shop.spreadshirt.co.uk/mrplantgeek/

Sow the seeds:

For a great stocking filler or a secret Santa pressie for the office, what about these gorgeous little tins of seed balls from Seed Ball? There’s a fantastic range to choose from, from little clusters of salad seeds, herbs and even a mix for herbal teas to a fabulous range for bees or butterflies and a colour themed range for meadows as well as wildflowers. Most tins are £5.99 and contain 20 balls; each one packed with dozens of seed to grow a healthy cluster of seedlings. You can pick three packs for a personalised gift box for £18.99. www.seedball.co.uk

Feed the birds:

I’m a firm believer that the very best present for anyone that has everything is bird food. For young or old, a pack of quality birdseed and a feeder can introduce a whole new dimension into life, bringing a wealth of wild pets into the garden. The bird food industry and the offer at the garden centre is overwhelming. Take a tip from someone that has tried the rest and choose the best. I can hand on heart thoroughly recommend Richard Jackson’s Premium Plant Food. It contains a staggering array of TWELVE top quality ingredients to help attract and support a wide range of garden birds. It’s fortified with more energy rich sunflower heats and protein rich dried mealworms, giving your birds a rich source of high nutrient ingredients. You can buy 14kg for £31.50. www.qvcuk.com