Modern garden centres are major stockists of Christmas decor – trees, topiary, wreaths, silk and fresh flowers and baubles – as well as presents.
They sell glassware, ceramics and tools and accessories for avid gardeners. But most anyone will appreciate a living gift – it is an inexpensive and environmentally friendly option this festive season.
Look out for mixed bowls or baskets filled with indoor plants such as the kalanchoe, African violet or love palm. Poinsettias, ferns, chrysanthemums and peace lilies remain firm favourites.
Other ideas:
* Fill a gardener’s stocking with twine, labels, marking pen, secateurs and packets of seeds or a basket with sunscreen, organic soap, hand lotion and garden gloves.
* If you are thinking of green Christmas presents for kids, look out for little animal pots that grow “hair” (rye grass), gardening equipment, boots, gloves, those cool seed germinators, a worm farm, the Jiffy propagation products or even a bug box.
* The living gift of a plant is always a winner, but why not go a step further and include a bag of compost and fertiliser for instant planting?
* A moisture meter is useful for checking the moisture level of soil in containers and a rain gauge will accurately measure the amount of rain.
* Foot scrapers are useful for muddy gardening shoes.
* Subscriptions to gardening magazines or gardening books such as Jane’s Delicious Garden by Jane Griffiths, an organic guide to growing your own food; Homegrown Garden Design by Tanya Visser and Anna Celliers; Creative Gardening with Indigenous Plants by Pitta Joffe and Waterwise Gardening by Ernst van Jaarsveld would be welcome.
* A bird enthusiast can never have too many birdbaths, bird feeders and bird tables. Nesting boxes or sisal nesting logs that can be attached high up in a tree where birds will be safe and sheltered from rain will also be appreciated. - The Star
For more information, go to www.lifeisagarden.co.za