There are plenty of unusual Christmas gifts for gardeners that you could consider giving to the keen gardener in your life. Polytunnels and fruit cages can, of course, make excellent gifts. Those who have already made the switch to protected or undercover growing know how much difference one of these useful structures can make.
Giving a polytunnel or fruit cage to your loved one this Christmas could be the perfect way to show that you value the effort they put into growing food and/or creating a beautiful garden. It can show them how much you care about them, and help them to garden year round in more comfort, and with a little less hard work.
But in addition to considering purchasing a polytunnel or fruit cage, you could also consider choosing to gift other even more unique Christmas gifts. Here are a few ideas to get the inspiration flowing:
Plants or Seeds as Christmas Gifts
Keen gardeners will often already have a good idea of what they want to grow. But that does not necessarily mean that they would not welcome some additional plants or seeds for their garden. If you plan to give an unusual Christmas gift, a heritage plant or some rare seeds could be something special.
If you do plan to gift plants or seeds, the key thing to remember is that your choices should be tailored. They should be tailored not only to the person you are buying for, but also for the specific garden they are tending. For example, if the gardener you are buying for loves flowers – or even a particular type of flower, you should bear that in mind. If they grow mostly edible crops, that is also something to consider.
Unusual Christmas gifts in this vein might include:
- An unusual tree (for example, a heritage fruit tree or rare specimen tree suited to the area).
- A bonsai tree (wonderful, perhaps, for a small-space gardener).
- Rare rose bushes or other shrubs that might fit into their garden design.
- Scarce seeds or plants to start a new perennial vegetable patch.
- Seeds of rare/unusual heritage annual fruits, vegetables or herbs to plant next year.
Home-Made Gardening Christmas Gifts
Another great way to show you really care is to take the time to make a gift yourself. For example, a keen gardener might appreciate:
- Home-made/ personalised ceramic pots.
- A hand-crafted box or cabinet in which to keep their seeds or tools.
- A hand-woven basket in which to collect their harvests.
- Hand-knitted gloves or a hat to wear while they are out in the garden.
- A unique piece of garden art to decorate their polytunnel or outdoors spaces.
Upcycled Items
Another great eco-friendly way to come up with unique gifts for gardeners is to think about items that you might upcycle to help them out in the garden. For example you could upcycle:
- An old chest of drawers to make a vertical garden.
- Old fabric to create a hanging garden with planting pockets.
- A range of items to make attractive new planters.
- Wood pallets to make a range of items, such as new garden furniture.
- An old metal drum, to create, for example, a barbecue grill where they can cook up the produce they grow.
When making unusual Christmas gifts for gardeners, or upcycling items to create something new for the keen gardener in your life, play to your strengths. Think about your own skill set, and try to use the skills you already have to make them something great.
These are just a few unique and unusual Christmas gifts that you could consider giving to a keen gardener in your life this year. The best gifts are not always the most expensive and you do not need to spend a lot of money in order to make a big impact. Think about which of the unusual Christmas gifts in the list above the keen gardener in your life might really need or want, and try to choose something they really will love. At the end of the day, however, remember that it is the thought that counts.
Do you have your own unusual Christmas gift suggestions to share? Give us your tips for a happy Christmas in the comments below.
