This Christmas giving has an emphasis on being more eco, more tailored and more thoughtful, even when looking for stocking fillers. That means giving presents that you know will be appreciated, used and loved. We don’t want our gift to end up in landfill, or be a jokey present that generates a laugh and then is consigned to the cupboard. Instead, give a gift that can be used or grown. It’s much easier when you know your recipient is a gardener, because there are lots of lovely things that will be useful for their hobby and many gardening gifts last for years and years. Plus you don’t need to spend a fortune, most of these are £12 and under.
Gardening gloves
Every gardener needs a pair of gardening gloves or more. These days gardening gloves are practical, attractive, comfortable and amazing value. They are designed to protect your hands while gardening, but still allow you to feel what you are doing. Gardening gloves are sized these days so you can choose a glove that fits. And there are gloves designed for men and women so you don’t have to share them anymore either. We’ve got a few styles to choose from in our shop. They’ve all been selected with real gardeners in mind and are gloves that our team of experts use in their own gardens. One of our favourite styles is the Donkey Gardening Glove. They are bright orange so if you take them off and put them down somewhere you will find them easily! They are available in four sizes so you can get a pair that fits. They are light and comfortable to wear, padded where it matters and you can put them into the washing machine and wash them! They were designed by Blue Peter Gardener Clare Cooke, who now runs a Donkey sanctuary, hence the name. A perfect stocking filler for a gardener and they cost just £12 a pair.
Compost Scoop
Potting up and sowing seed can be a messy business. But when you use our lovely Compost Scoop it really makes a difference. It’s designed to scoop up the right amount of compost and allows you to easily transfer it to your flowerpot. The scoop has deep sides to stop the compost falling out and is narrow so you can direct the compost straight into your pot. You don’t make such a mess, the compost is not wasted and the whole process is much easier. The scoop is made from bamboo and rice starch, It is light and easy to use. It’s an unusual gift and it’s just £4.99, so it’s a perfect stocking filler for the gardener who might appear to have everything! And of course you could use it for other things.
Handy snips
Even if your gardening friend already has a pair of secateurs, our handy Compact Mini Secateurs. are a great addition to their tool kit. They are small, so great as a stocking filler. They are neat and sharp and efficient. Ideal for picking herbs, cutting flowers and light jobs in the garden. How many times have you been out and about when you wanted a pair of secateurs to take a cutting (with permission) or tidied a friend’s plant? You can keep these in the glove box of your car or pop them in a handbag so that you always have them ready. They have bright red handles so you won’t lose them in the garden and they cost just £8.
Wooden labels
How many times have you been rooting around in the compost heap or in the border soil when you’ve found an old plastic label? They don’t degrade, they don’t compost and they will linger in the garden probably for centuries. Plastic is not fantastic these days. So, we need a more environmentally friendly alternative. And we’ve got two options and both are perfect stocking fillers. For the gardener who sows and grows a lot from seed, our pack of 50 Seedling Labels (£3.99) is ideal. They are plastic-free and made from FSC-certified beech wood so they will last long enough to be useful and can be re-used by lightly sanding the words off with sandpaper. But if your recipient is a houseplant fan, or has a collection of specific plants, you might find our Wooden Plant Labels x 6 a more attractive option at just £7.99). It’s a set of three different sizes and there’s more room to note the names of your plants. Also made from FSC-certified beech wood, but chunkier and more reusable.
Oval Nest Pocket
Here’s a lovely idea for the bird lover in your life. This lovely Oval Nest Pocket is perfect for smaller birds and a great insulated roosting spot for them in colder weather. It’s just £7.99. It’s made from natural, sustainable materials and can be hidden in a wall creeper, or a dense hedge to provide a roost or nest for our garden birds. But it is also ideal for children to place under their bed for the tooth fairy to visit, or for a little nest for some of their smaller toys. Plus it might make a lovely little nest for your pet hamster or mice!
Seed collections
One of the best stocking fillers for a gardener is a packet of seeds. Or a collection of seeds. With fresh produce in demand at the moment, being able to sow and grow a few ingredients to feed your family is a real privilege. Anyone with access to a garden or some large planters can have a grow. Experienced gardeners would be thrilled with any of our vegetable seeds, but if you are buying for a new gardener with a veg patch, then maybe the Peas and Beans Collection is a good place to start. Peas and beans are sow easy and you get a great harvest from a small area. Plus they can be grown in pots. Or why not make your own selection from the single seed packets. Easy to grow choices include Ruby Chard Vegetable Seeds, Radish French Breakfast 3 (you get more than 3 seeds!! You actually get about 1200 seeds!), Lettuce Little Gem, Lettuce Lollo Rossa, Courgette Defender F1 and Parsley Moss Curled Vegetable Seeds packets. Prices from just £1.49.
Photo courtesy of Kings Seeds 
Photo courtesy of Kings Seeds
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