Gift AlmanacA directory of good gifts

Birthday gifts for gardeners

Gardening birthday gifts that get used, not just admired.

42 gift ideas here, each with a real shop for your country where we've found one.

Vegetable seed gift collection

In Veggie & fruit growers

A box or tin of easy vegetable seeds is the classic gift for a food grower. Seeds can't be posted across borders, so pick the shop for your country.

Seed-starting gift kit

In Veggie & fruit growers

Seeds, little pots and instructions in one box, so they can start a crop on the kitchen windowsill.

Self-watering seed starter

In Veggie & fruit growers

A tray that waters seedlings from below, so they don't dry out if the grower forgets for a day.

Harvest basket or trug

In Veggie & fruit growers

Something sturdy to carry the crop in. A mesh hod lets them rinse the mud off outside, before it reaches the kitchen sink.

The home-preserving "bible"

In Veggie & fruit growers

For the grower with too many tomatoes. 400 recipes for jams, pickles, sauces and safe canning, from the makers of Ball jars.

A grow-your-own guide written for their climate

In Veggie & fruit growers

Growing advice only works if it suits the local seasons, so pick the book written for your country.

A fruit tree to plant

In Veggie & fruit growers

A tree that will still be fruiting in twenty years. Live plants only travel within their own country.

Blueberry bushes

In Veggie & fruit growers

Blueberries crop well in a big pot, so they suit small gardens too. Planting two varieties together usually gives a better harvest.

Raspberry canes

In Veggie & fruit growers

A row of raspberry canes gives fruit for years. An autumn-fruiting variety is the easiest for a beginner to prune.

Thornless blackberry

In Veggie & fruit growers

All the blackberries, none of the scratches. Grows happily on a fence or trellis.

An apple tree

In Veggie & fruit growers

A classic gift that marks a birth, a wedding or a new home, and keeps giving every autumn.

Garden planner and log book

In Veggie & fruit growers

Somewhere to record what was sown where and when, so next year's garden is better than this year's.

A first good trowel

In New gardeners

The one tool every gardener uses daily. A sturdy trowel beats a cheap boxed set that bends.

Trowel and fork set

In New gardeners

The two hand tools a new gardener needs first, for planting and loosening soil.

Seed-starting kit for beginners

In New gardeners

Trays, cells and a cover in one box, so the first seeds get off to a good start indoors.

Self-watering jar grow kit

In New gardeners

A small, almost foolproof first project that sits on a windowsill. Good for children too.

Garden kneeler

In New gardeners

A cushioned pad that saves knees from damp, stony ground. Cheap, light and used every time they weed.

Good gardening gloves

In New gardeners

Gloves that fit properly make every job nicer. A gift that's always needed, because gloves wear out.

Bulb collection

In New gardeners

Bulbs are about the easiest flowers there are, so they're ideal for a beginner. Check the season in your country before you buy.

An easy-care houseplant

In New gardeners

Tough, low-light-tolerant plants that forgive forgetful watering, so they build a new plant parent's confidence.

Felco secateurs

In Heirloom tools & tool lovers

Swiss secateurs that professional gardeners use for decades. Every part can be replaced, so they're a lifetime tool.

Everyday bypass secateurs

In Heirloom tools & tool lovers

A well-made pair for cutting flowers and pruning shrubs, at a price that doesn't make losing them in the compost a tragedy.

Heart-shaped stainless trowel

In Heirloom tools & tool lovers

A pointed, heart-shaped blade slices into soil easily, and stainless steel doesn't rust. Pretty enough to give.

Korean homi (hand plough)

In Heirloom tools & tool lovers

A traditional Korean hand tool with a curved blade for weeding, digging and making furrows. It has a devoted following among gardeners.

Hoss Hoe Dag

In Heirloom tools & tool lovers

A short-handled American tool with a wide and a narrow blade, designed in Idaho over 40 years ago. Digs, chops, weeds and edges.

Haws watering can

In Heirloom tools & tool lovers

Haws have made watering cans in England since 1886. The long spout and fine brass rose give a gentle, even shower.

Personalised trowel

In Heirloom tools & tool lovers

An engraved name or message turns a good trowel into a keepsake.

Easy-grip tools with arm-support handles

In Easy-reach gardening

The handles sit at right angles to the blade, keeping the wrist straight. Designed for people with arthritis or weak grip.

Ergonomic trowel

In Easy-reach gardening

A curved, padded grip that spreads the load across the palm instead of the wrist.

Ergonomic weeder

In Easy-reach gardening

A weeder with a wide, comfortable handle for gardeners with sore hands.

Kneeler that flips into a seat

In Easy-reach gardening

Kneel on the padded side or flip it over to sit, with handles to help push yourself back up. One of the shop's long-time best-sellers.

Long-handled bulb planter

In Easy-reach gardening

Plant bulbs standing up. Step on it, twist, and drop the bulb in.

Ceramic indoor planter

In Houseplant & orchid lovers

A good-looking pot is the easiest way to make a plant feel like a gift. Choose one a little wider than their current pot.

Houseplant gift box

In Houseplant & orchid lovers

Plants sent in a gift box with wrapping and a card, so it arrives ready to give.

Orchid repotting kit

In Houseplant & orchid lovers

Orchids need a special airy mix and a clear pot to thrive. This is the kit to rescue a supermarket orchid.

Orchid fertiliser

In Houseplant & orchid lovers

Regular gentle feeding is what gets an orchid to flower again. A small, useful add-on gift.

A flowering orchid

In Houseplant & orchid lovers

A moth orchid in flower lasts for weeks, far longer than cut flowers.

Grow light for indoor plants

In Houseplant & orchid lovers

Most houseplant trouble is too little light. A grow light lets plants thrive in a dim corner or through winter.

Indoor watering can

In Houseplant & orchid lovers

A small can with a narrow spout gets water to the soil, not the leaves or the windowsill.

Plant mister

In Houseplant & orchid lovers

A fine mist for ferns, orchids and other plants that like humidity.

Plants that grow in water

In Houseplant & orchid lovers

A box of plants that live happily in a glass of water. A soil-free, mess-free way into propagating.

Glass plant vase for cuttings

In Houseplant & orchid lovers

Somewhere pretty to root a cutting and watch the roots grow.