Guest Author - Hellie T.

Here are some ideas for presents for people who enjoy gardening and with an English Garden especially in mind.

English Gardens contain many decorative features – you can get many different designs for metal or wooden arches – ideal for climbing roses or honeysuckle. They often have wooden planters to match.

Decorative bird baths

An old fashioned wicker Apple Basket which can be used for gathering flowers as well as fruit.

For naming perennials and shrubs you can buy copper labels and tags - these can be written on with a biro and will add a lovely old fashioned decorative touch to the garden.

Enamel or galvanised watering cans it is always very useful to have a selection of these.

A wooden seat - these can be rough hewn or made from sustainable hardwood.


Plants

Potted shrubs or climbers – winter jasmine, buddleia, lilac, magnolia, wisteria, potentilla or viburnums.

Pots of bulbs – daffodils, crocus, bluebells, snowdrops, grape hyacinths, or garden hyacinths.

Lavender or catmint plants.

Box plants

A selection of herbs such as rosemary, bay, chives, sage, mints or lovage.

Climbing or shrub roses – scented ones.


Accessories

For recyclers - a Paper Potter is a natty little tool for making biodegradable seed pots and uses old newspapers.

A wooden trug, a really useful item popular since Victorian times.

A plant pot brush – these are excellent for cleaning out terracotta pots and containers. They also help to scrap off plant pests and are easy to use.

Secateurs with a holster which can be fitted on to a belt.

Straw sun hats

A welly boot bag is ideal for storing your muddy gardening boots and they come in a wide range of colours.

Very useful for weeding or deadheading smaller plants - a thick padded Leather Kneeler. Look for one with a strap that makes it easy to carry or hang up to air.

Gardener apron and gardening clogs

Oak dibbers and packets of annual seeds - here are ten of the English Garden annual favourites and all are easy to grow.

Candytuft, Cosmos,English or Pot Marigolds
Love in a Mist, Poached egg plant, Mallow,
Night-scented stock, Swan River Daisy,
Annual Pinks or Dianthus
lastly Sweet Peas

Enjoy your garden!