A handmade Christmas is one which rejects mass consumerism and embraces the gift of time and effort. Most people will truly love receiving gifts that have been made at home and will appreciate all that has gone into them. Polytunnel gardeners could have a whole range of resources at their fingertips that make wonderful home-made presents for friends and family. These are also presents that many a gardener would be delighted to receive. So, whether you are a polytunnel gardener looking for gift ideas for others, or are looking for present ideas for a polytunnel gardener in your life, here are some suggestions for this festive season:
One obvious yet delightful way to go this Christmas is to give growing gifts. Many flowering plants make delightful presents as house plants, while a starter herb garden or winter salad garden could be a great gift for the more practically minded. Starting a few seeds for a windowsill winter garden for a friend or family member could be a lovely way to share an enthusiasm for growing your own.
Polytunnel gardeners (and others) could also consider the potential of edible gifts. Edible gifts could include a range of biscuits, cakes or preserves. These edible gifts will be all the more thoughtful if you have grown at least some of the ingredients for them yourself. Making nice labels and packaging for your home-made gifts will make them all the more appealing and will show off the time and effort you have spent to create them.
Practical gifts may appeal to many gardeners, and could also be a way to encourage a friend or relative who has expressed an interest in your own polytunnel gardening efforts. Small labour saving and practical tools and devices such as seed sowers, dibbers or pottery plant pots can all make lovely little gifts and could all be made at home by a talented and crafty individual. More unusual heritage seeds to sow in the spring may also make polytunnel gardeners very happy this Christmas and you could consider placing them in a wooden, handcrafted seed storage box.
Not all gifts have to have a practical purpose, of course. Using hardwood sticks, perhaps pruned from polytunnel plants, and other decorative natural items, you could consider hand-crafting Christmas decorations or art objects, mobiles, mirrors, picture frames etc... use your imagination and you will see that nature can provide inspiration and materials for many DIY Christmas presents that will appeal to anyone who loves growing things, and loves the natural world.
