Gifts for gardeners

Work out what kind of gardener they are

Gardeners split into a few camps. Vegetable growers want seeds, sturdy hand tools and something for the kitchen once the harvest comes in. Flower gardeners want good scissors, secateurs and a vase. Houseplant people want pots and new plants. Older gardeners who are slowing down want anything that saves the knees and back.

The quickest way to tell is to look at their space. A big backyard with raised beds points at the Barebones hori-hori, Felco secateurs or the Botanical Interests taco seed bundle. A balcony or windowsill points at nasturtium seeds, the herb stripper or a Rhiannon Gill planter. An apartment with no outdoor space at all suits the Click and Grow or the microgreens kit.

If they garden less than they used to because of their knees or back, take that seriously rather than buying another tool. The Roll-N-Kneel bench, a Kneelo kneeler or the Fothergill's knee pad will get more use than a new trowel.

Budgets that make sense

Under $25, seeds and small tools are the best value: the Wyndham hoe in Canada, Burgon and Ball flower scissors or a Kneelo in the UK, FunJobs gloves or the Diggers trowel in Australia, and Botanical Interests seeds in the US. These are good stocking fillers and pair well together.

In the middle range, Felco secateurs, the hori-hori, a handmade planter or the Roll-N-Kneel bench are gifts a keen gardener will keep for years. This is also where the garden journal and the Lino Lord print sit, for someone who already owns the tools.

Spend more only if you know they will keep it going. The Click and Grow needs replacement pods, and The Sill's plant club bills monthly after the first box. Both are good for the right person and a slow nuisance for anyone who loses interest.

Timing and the season problem

Most gardening gifts are given in December, when much of the northern hemisphere is frozen. Seeds and outdoor tools still work as gifts, but they will sit until spring, so say so on the card. Indoor gifts like the microgreens kit, the Click and Grow, a houseplant planter or the hydroponics lab can be used straight away.

In Australia the season runs the other way. A December gift lands in summer, so tools, gloves, a trowel or the Sangean radio for the shed all get used right away.

Seed calendars and journals are best given before the year they cover starts. The Hudson Valley Seed calendar is a 2027 calendar, so it makes most sense as a holiday or early-January gift.

Shipping matters more than usual here. Handmade pieces like the g ceramic vase and the Rhiannon Gill planters vary from piece to piece and are often in short supply, so order them early. Seeds and calendars post flat and cheap, which makes them good late additions. For a live-plant subscription like The Sill, check the shop page for shipping dates and regions before you commit.

Mistakes and pairings

The common mistake is buying a novelty tool set that looks good in a box and bends in clay. A single good tool beats a cheap set. Another is gloves in the wrong size; FunJobs gloves are cut for women's hands in one size, and Felco secateurs come in sizes for different hands, so check before buying.

Symbolic gifts like the Plan Canada bees work for a gardener who already has everything, but they suit people who like that kind of gift. Some people would rather have a trowel.

Easy pairings: seeds with a trowel or the hori-hori, flower scissors with the handmade vase, a kneeler with Haeckels hand balm for after a long session, and the herb stripper with a pot of herb seeds for someone starting a kitchen garden.

Questions people ask

What do you get a gardener who has everything?

Replace a worn item with a better one, or give something that gets used up. Most keen gardeners have an old trowel or worn gloves; a good replacement like the Diggers trowel or FunJobs gloves still gets used. Seeds, a garden journal or a kneeler for tired knees also work. For someone who truly needs nothing, the Plan Canada bees gift sends money to a cause instead.

What is a good gardening gift for someone with no garden?

Look at indoor growing. The Click and Grow Smart Garden 3 grows herbs on a counter, the Mr Fothergill's microgreens kit grows greens on a kitchen bench, and a handmade planter suits someone with houseplants. Nasturtium seeds work on a small balcony. All of these need light, so check they have a bright windowsill.

What is a good gift for an older gardener?

Anything that saves the knees and back. The Miracle-Gro Roll-N-Kneel works as a seat and a kneeler, and a Kneelo or the Fothergill's knee pad makes weeding more comfortable. For a grandparent who likes the garden but does less work in it, a bird feeder, the Sangean pocket radio or the large-piece Ravensburger puzzle are good picks.

Are seeds a good Christmas gift?

Yes, as long as you say what they are for. In the northern hemisphere, seeds given in December wait until spring, so they work best paired with something usable now, such as a tool, a journal or a seed calendar. In Australia, December is summer, so check the packet for sowing times before you buy.