Gift Ideas for Gardeners: The Practical Bits I Actually Use

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I'll say this first: when I say gardener, I use the term very loosely. I'm still learning as I go, with plenty of things that worked and plenty that didn't. But I love being out in my garden, and my little patch gives me a huge amount of happiness.

So this isn't an expert's list. It's the bits I've picked up along the way that I actually use and love, plus a few I'd happily unwrap myself. If you've got someone in your life who's caught the garden bug, whether they're just starting out or they've been at it for years, there might be something here for them. Some links are to a close match rather than the exact one I own, and I've pointed those out as I go.

Bird Lover Books:
If you're shopping for a bird lover, a book is a nice thing to add alongside. Robins are a big part of our garden. We've had many over the years, one that hopped onto my partner's shoulder every time he was cutting logs, and one that walked straight in the back door while we were making breakfast, with no fear of us at all. This year a female even built her nest in our old broken BBQ…I was planning to make it a planter, but I let her do her thing.

There's a saying I've known for years, that when a robin appears, a loved one is near. My mum always believed a robin that visited her was a message from her own father, and we've lost a lot of special people in the last two years, so when a robin comes to say hello it feels a bit like a visit.

I follow Tony Putman on Instagram, and I'm a big fan of his robin, Bob. Bob the Robin is the true story of how Tony, a gardener in Kent, struck up a friendship with a garden robin and shared it online, and it would make a lovely gift for anyone who likes watching birds in the garden. He's since written a second book, Bob the Robin & Friends, which follows Tony through the seasons as he gets to know a new female robin, Bobette, Pip and other garden birds, so the two make a nice pair as a gift. It’s on my Birthday List.

For someone who loves wildlife

A solar fountain has been running in my garden since 2023, and the birds and squirrels have been using it all summer. What makes it work in Ireland is the backup battery, so it keeps going when a cloud rolls over, and the solar panel sits on a long cable so you can move it to chase the light.

Mine has since been replaced on Amazon, but this Biling solar pump is the same design with a stronger panel and a bigger battery. It needs a pot with no drainage holes to sit in, so it pairs nicely with an urn like this one, which is close to mine, plus some pond pebbles to fill the base.

Two small extras keep it looking good. I keep a copper disc in the water to slow down algae, and a protective cover over it at night keeps the leaves out. The full setup, including what I used, is in my solar fountain post.

For the pollinators

I've also got a few bee drinkers dotted around the garden. They're little flower-shaped dishes on stakes that hold a shallow bit of water, so bees can stop for a drink without the risk of drowning. They're weatherproof, they look pretty tucked in among the flower beds, and they make a sweet stocking filler for anyone who loves wildlife.

For someone who grows tall things

Bare bamboo canes are a hazard I didn't take seriously until I'd had a few close calls. Rubber cane toppers push onto the end of any cane and turn a sharp point into a soft cap. They're the small fix I wish I'd found years ago, and you can read how I found them in the bamboo cane post.

Then there's the stuff that actually holds plants up. Self-adhesive tie tape is reusable, cuts to any length and is gentle on soft stems. Jute is great for climbers like sweet peas, clematis and climbing roses, and I use whichever I can get: green garden string or natural brown twine. For tall, top-heavy plants, plant clips do the job when tape and string won't.

*DIY Staking Kit (image created with the help of ai)*

Put a few of these in a flexible garden bucket with some bamboo canes, and you've got a proper little staking kit that'll get used all summer. Mine is green, like these ones that come in a three-pack, and I use them for compost too, so they'll earn their keep long after the canes are in the ground. I can never find cane toppers in garden centres, so a pack of those makes a great finishing touch.

Garden Arches

If they grow climbers, a garden arch is the bigger gift. Mine holds up my clematis and climbing roses, and you can choose between this brown arch or this black arch, which is like the one I have. Climbers need something sturdy to scramble over, and the jute above is what I use to tie them in as they grow.

I bought my Clematis Montana in Lidl, and she has powered up along this arch. I planted her in a pot, because two other clematis I bought died in the ground. Keeping the roots shaded and cool as much as possible is key. I don't have any flowers yet, but I'm looking forward to spring when she blooms, if she gets through the winter for me. I bought the climbing rose in lidl too which are doing great.

There are so many different types of arches out there. If you want something more decorative, there's this triangular arch with trellis detailing, or this steel arch with extra scrollwork. Some even come with little gates, and there are pricier wooden archways too. Whichever style you go for, an arch can really help zone a garden or give a space that whimsical, secret garden feel.

Gloves are one of those things you can never have too many of, and I really should wear mine more. I love the feel of the soil in my hands when I'm planting up, but it destroys my nails. Thank god for nailbrushes! I use two kinds of gloves. One is a pair of work gloves from Lidl with a rubbery grip coating, which are brilliant for hauling and breaking up compost, trimming roses and general mucking about. The other is lighter garden gloves from Dealz for planting and weeding. The only problem is I can still feel thorns coming through when I'm tackling the roses or pulling out brambles, so mine aren't the best quality.

So a proper thornproof pair is next on my own list, and it makes a really thoughtful gift for anyone with roses. These leather gardening gloves look tough but still flexible. If you'd like something a bit prettier, these Ainiv gardening gloves and their thornproof version come in lovely colours. For anyone who prefers a plainer, roomier fit, these SAWANS gloves are a good shout.

And for the soil-under-the-nails gardeners like me, this wooden nail brush from Wild & Stone pairs perfectly with a new pair of gloves. It's beechwood with natural bristles, so it looks lovely by the sink too, and it makes a sweet little stocking filler.

For something local to go with it, there's Beyond the Ferns, a small Wicklow company making natural, handmade soaps with botanicals and essential oils. I was given their mini soap starter bundle as a Christmas present. I'll be honest, I'm more of a liquid soap person myself, but if you know someone who loves natural soaps, these are lovely. I use the soap dish from the set by the sink with my nail brush sitting on it, right beside a little bar. Soap, a nail brush and a good pair of gloves would make a really thoughtful bundle. I don't know them personally, I just love everything about this lovely little Irish business.

For someone who saves seed

A seed tin is a lovely, useful gift for anyone who starts things off in the greenhouse. Mine lives in the greenhouse and keeps my seeds dry, and damp is the enemy of stored seed. It's handy to bring indoors too when it's all in one box. Mine isn't an exact match for these, but it's the same idea, and they come in a few styles: white and green.

The old vintage style tin isn't as practical size-wise (it's listed as 15.7cm wide, 5.5cm deep and 21.4cm tall), but I just love the look of it.

If they like growing from seed, I'd pair the tin with a book. I follow Anya Lautenbach on Instagram, and she's great, and The Money-Saving Garden Year is her month-by-month guide to keeping a garden looking good without spending much. It covers things like self-sown seedlings, when to propagate and the seasonal pruning jobs, with plant lists and a planting calendar for each month.

If you're just looking for seed packets to store the seeds you harvest yourself, these ones are handy and fit nicely in the tin.

The Quick List

Wildlife and water

Staking and climbers

Gloves and grubby hands

Gloves: leather, Ainiv, thornproof or SAWANS
Wooden nail brush

Seed saving

Everything on this list is a type of thing I use in my own garden, apart from the books, which are by two gardeners I follow and enjoy and are on my gift list. If you're shopping for a gardener and you're stuck, I'd start with books like Bob the Robin. It's a lovely, easy gift for anyone who stops what they're doing when a robin lands nearby, and the two books together make a sweet pair.

Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I use these kinds of products in my own garden, though a few links are to close equivalents of the exact ones I own, and the books are by gardeners I follow.

Gift Ideas for Gardeners: The Practical Bits I Actually Use

The Solar Fountain That's Been Running My Garden Water Feature for 3 Years