Santa’s green stocking! The ultimate Christmas gifts for gardeners

Shopping for gardeners is never difficult. With so many new tools, fancy pots, and helpful books, we’re spoilt for choice.

If you’re trapped in a Tier Three zone, or want to avoid face-to-face shopping – worry not. Everything below is also available online.

GET A GRIP 

Tools adapted for ageing muscles and creaky joints make gardening a joy.

The handles of Easi-Grip trowels, forks, and cultivators are set at rightangles to the business end. That gives better leverage which makes weeding, cultivating or planting much easier. Typically, trowels cost £10.99. See completecareshop.co.uk or look in store.

GNOME GROWN 

For gardeners who have everything, the Gnome With A Chalkboard blends humour with usefulness. The little chap holds up a mini-blackboard for messages. So if you write ‘Gone Fishing’, visitors should take the hint.

The XFort Gnome With A Chalkboard is £26.99; golden gnomes are from £14.99 each or £29.99 for three at dobies.co.uk.

CLIMATE CHANGER 

The Geopod Propagator’s price tag looks far less daunting when you see how many features it has. Measuring 62cm x 43cm, with plenty of height, it carries low energy lights in the right spectrum for optimum growth.

You can set the temperature from 5c to 30c. Excellent for raising seeds, cuttings or protecting vulnerable plants indoors, in winter. Priced £145, but it’s self-assembly. Go to harrodhorticultural.com.

TAKE A SEAT 

The Esschert Design Tool Stool is a portable folding seat with a generously pocketed tool bag attached. Keeps trowels, fork, string and other items handy. It’s easily portable and good for sitting jobs, too: £21. See amazon.co.uk.

JOURNAL DU JOUR 

The 90-year-old Alpine Garden Society’s journal – The Alpine Gardener – is the most beautiful horticultural periodical in print. Published quarterly, it’s a visual treat with colour illustrations on almost every page and the expert articles are well written. Membership for adults is £36 per year and for students £15. See alpinegardensociety.net.

MINIMALIST TREND 

House plants may not be cool for students, but cacti and succulents are currently ‘trending’.

For busy youngsters, they thrive on minimal care. John Lewis offers The Little Botanical Succulent Plant Gang – a collection of three indoor succulents in ceramic black and gold pots. Priced £28 at johnlewis.com. 

FUNKY VEG 

Become a jazzed-up gardener with a Funky Veg Kit. The weird purple carrots, striped tomatoes and other rainbow veggies are as tasty and nutritious as conventional varieties. Seeds, pots and a little plastic propagator are included. From £14.99. amazon.co.uk, gardeningexpress.co.uk. 

GO TO PRESS 

Suitable for children over eight, a small press will preserve gathered flowers. Individual blooms are placed in the press and gently heated in a microwave.

Flower presses are essential kit for budding botanists. Young gardeners could grow the flowers they press. So slip packets of easy-to-grow seeds such as marigolds and cornflowers into their stockings, too. From £13.18 at craftyarts.co.uk.

FIRST TOOL KIT 

This handy collection includes a garden tote bag with lots of side pockets. Miniature trowels, fork, gardening gloves and watering can are also included. All in cheerful green with big red ladybirds from £14.95 at woodentoyshop.co.uk.