There are so many reasons that it can be difficult to buy plants for the expert gardener in your life. Maybe it’s just because you don’t know their growing conditions, or because they are picky with plants - or that they literally already have so many that finding something different is increasingly rare. And ill-advised. Whatever the case, worry not! We are full of ideas for gardening gifts, both indoor and outdoor, that don’t have to involve just more plants.
Indoor Gardeners
1. Soil Ninja Goodies
Okay, you might not immediately think of dirt as a great present but trust us, great soil like the stuff Soil Ninja mix will be very much appreciated by someone with a huge houseplant collection. Whether it’s premium cactus soil for the succulent superfan, a massive bag of Monstera for the aroid enthusiast, or top-tier terrarium substrates for the glass-enclosed hobbyist, you can really get creative and make a hamper of high-quality substrates. All of us here at Sprouts are basically stocking private dispensaries of the stuff at home, so we can definitely vouch for the quality too.
2. Pretty Cache Pot
Decorative pots can be just as expensive than the plants that go in them (or more, for nice ones), and you may have spotted your plant parent pal keeping lovely plants in plastic trays rather than flashy ceramic. Why not treat them with a lovely cache pot to keep their favourite plant looking chic? This might involve some stealth measuring of their plant (or if they are as oblivious as me you can probably just ask them what size the plant pots are), or if all else fails, providing an excuse for them to buy another plant! There are so many options, from the chic to the wacky to the downright beautiful colour combinations. We’re sure there’ll be one that’s just perfect for them!
3. Mushroom Decoration
Carrying on with the decorative theme, this is a great way to help your loved one get their plants looking chic and stylish. Decorations aren’t just for Christmas trees - Rays of Hope’s gorgeous glass mushroom stake decorations will sit in the soil of any plant, adding a flash of colour and a shimmering vision of beauty to the already-stunning plant. Perfect for the nature enthusiasts who love the fun of fungi, these are a beautiful reminder of the intricate fungal networks that stitch the fabric of our world and its wildlife together. And it will add a splash of colour and a shining glow to any plant in your loved one’s home - these look especially beautiful when they catch the light from a nice bright window.
4. Pretty Mister
A plant mister is always useful, and whether it’s for misting moisture-loving plants, shining leaves or de-bugging plants, it feels so much better to have it looking pretty! With these glass misters from Garden Trading, that’s exactly what you can give your loved one. The thick glass helps them be somewhat hardwearing whilst their design also looks fit for any palace greenhouse or witch’s cottage. Both practical and pretty, this mister will be a treat and a utility for your loved one and their well-loved plants.
5. Watering can
If your friend is anything like me, they may be using any random bottle they have to hand to water their plants with. So why not treat them with a proper watering can? It looks much nicer than a plastic bottle - and will make it easier to get the water to the right place, straight into the soil rather than all over the sideboard. It might be that I’m just clumsy, but I’m going to labour under the illusion that I am not alone in this..! With a choice of Elho’s recycled plastic in stylish forest green, or chic silver metal from Garden Trading, you can improve the indoor gardening aesthetic and experience with something that’s a little bit of a luxury.
Outdoor Gardeners
6. Gloves That Fit
It can be so hard to find gardening gloves that fit properly, especially as a woman and especially if you have smaller hands. That’s why we’ve chosen Feverfew’s women’s gardening gloves as one of our top gardening gifts this year! They are tough and sturdy - not like those thin cotton things covered in flowers that you’ll often find labelled as ‘women’s gardening gloves’ - as well as actually being made in those hard-to-find smaller sizes. In practical plum or mid-green colours, these gloves are made for actually working in the garden, regardless of the size of your hands.
7. Fancy Tools
If you noticed on your last visit that your friend’s gardening tools were getting rusty (literally, not figuratively), then maybe a new set wouldn’t go amiss. It’s something that not everyone will splash out on for themselves, but that every gardener would appreciate. When the tools they use every day are good quality, shiny and new, their gardening will be an all-round more pleasant experience. And you could be the one to gift them that. Garden Trading’s Hawkesbury wooden-handled tools are designed to fit comfortably in the hand, made of sturdy wood and metal with a leather loop to hang them up by. Functional and stylish, these tools are a great gift for practical use and for looking great hung in the shed or greenhouse.
8. Seedball
If your friend is a budding gardener, a seedball pouch is a great way of helping them fill empty patches with beautiful native blooms. Choose from tins designed to promote their favourite wildlife, tubes of seedballs with their favourite colours or blooms, or a pouch of seedballs all designed for a specific space or purpose in the garden. Seedball’s seed collections are selected to grow together from native flora well-adapted to British weather patterns, and the seed balls themselves are laced with chilli powder to deter birds and squirrels from carrying off the seeds. Whether it’s for a shady spot, for the bees, or making a start on their garden meadow, this is a perfect way to gift seeds for any level of gardening expertise.
9. Carbon Gold Goodies
Okay, again, I know I’m basically recommending dirt as a present. But trust me, this is MUCH better than a lump of coal in your stocking! Carbon Gold compost is a great addition to any garden, a treat for both garden and gardener. It doesn’t have to be the whole present - you could pair the soil improver with lovely plants to grow in it, for example. Especially if your garden-obsessed loved one has complained about having rubbish soil in their garden. Or make them laugh with a 20l bag of compost for all their mulching needs this winter. At the end of the day, if they garden they will appreciate this top-quality topsoil - and it’s probably more useful than the thousandth citronella candle or yet another garden gnome.
10. Hand Cream & Bath Treats
After all that manual labour in the garden, your favourite gardener will need to look after their hands. And - taken from experience - the only way to really get all that dirt out from under your nails is a long soak in the bath. So why not make them a gardener-friendly hamper of bathtime goodies? Pair Clarity Blend’s outdoorsy scents with hand cream made from wonky fruit and you’ve got a gardener-pampering evening ready to go. And why not go the extra mile and throw in some ethical Otherly oat milk chocolate - to help them feel truly pampered whilst minimising environmental impact.
11. And if all else fails, a voucher ;)
If you really don’t know what to get for the indoor or outdoor gardener in your life, we’re sure they will be delighted with a gift voucher for Sprouts. Let them pick their own lovely treat (or bag of dirt, if they really want) whilst showing that you know how important their greenery is to them. Because while it might be their garden, their houseplants, they will appreciate that you have noticed the work they put in to greening up the space and the acknowledgement of this source of joy.
At the end of the day, however you show your appreciation, consideration or cultivation of your loved one’s hobby will show them that you appreciate their green thumb. And whether you gift them the tools to keep pursuing that hobby, ornamentation to enhance their aesthetic or an excuse for skincare on muddy hands, it is the personalisation of a green-thumbed gift for a green-thumbed friend that will mean the world.
