Gifts for gardeners in Australia

A summer gift

In Australia a Christmas gift for a gardener arrives at the start of summer, which makes this the easy half of the world to buy for. Tools, gloves and a kneeling pad go straight into use. So does a pocket radio for the cricket in the shed. Seeds are the one thing to check: look at the sowing times on the packet before you buy, because many crops want planting in autumn or spring.

What we would buy

Felco secateurs, if they prune often. They are a tool people keep for decades. Check their hand size before you buy, since these are the medium-hand model. If secateurs feel like too much, the Diggers trowel is the next best gift: gift-boxed, stainless and a clear upgrade on the bent one most gardeners still use.

For the knees, the Mr Fothergill's pad is a kneeler you move along the bed, not strap-on pads. FunJobs gloves are cheap and cheerful, but cut for women's hands in one size, so they may be tight on larger hands.

For houseplant people and balcony gardeners

Handmade planters from Australian potters are the gift for someone whose garden is a windowsill. The Rhiannon Gill and Kumhara Clay pots are each one of a kind. Stock is thin, so order early, and check whether a saucer is included. The lilac Rhiannon Gill pot has none, so it needs a tray indoors. The microgreens kit grows greens on a kitchen bench with no garden at all.

For the gardener who has everything

An Oxfam Unwrapped goat or chicken sends money to farming programs and arrives as an e-card, so it works at the last minute. It is a symbolic gift. Some gardeners love that. Others would rather have a trowel, so think about which camp they are in.

The copper shell bird bath suits a grandparent who sits on the verandah and watches the birds come in on hot afternoons. It ships from overseas and can take a few weeks, so it is not a last-minute buy.

Questions people ask

What do you get a gardener who has everything?

Replace a worn item with a better one, or give something that gets used up. Most keen gardeners have an old trowel or worn gloves; a good replacement like the Diggers trowel or FunJobs gloves still gets used. Seeds, a garden journal or a kneeler for tired knees also work. For someone who truly needs nothing, the Plan Canada bees gift sends money to a cause instead.

What is a good gardening gift for someone with no garden?

Look at indoor growing. The Click and Grow Smart Garden 3 grows herbs on a counter, the Mr Fothergill's microgreens kit grows greens on a kitchen bench, and a handmade planter suits someone with houseplants. Nasturtium seeds work on a small balcony. All of these need light, so check they have a bright windowsill.

What is a good gift for an older gardener?

Anything that saves the knees and back. The Miracle-Gro Roll-N-Kneel works as a seat and a kneeler, and a Kneelo or the Fothergill's knee pad makes weeding more comfortable. For a grandparent who likes the garden but does less work in it, a bird feeder, the Sangean pocket radio or the large-piece Ravensburger puzzle are good picks.

Are seeds a good Christmas gift?

Yes, as long as you say what they are for. In the northern hemisphere, seeds given in December wait until spring, so they work best paired with something usable now, such as a tool, a journal or a seed calendar. In Australia, December is summer, so check the packet for sowing times before you buy.