Gift guide for the gardener: A budget friendly guide
If you never know what to buy the gardener in your life, this is the guide for you! The best part is, this guide is budget friendly and so thoughtful.
As a gardener, winter can be a bit of a sad time for me. Most gardeners take winter to relax and rest, but i am already looking forward to spring! If you know a gardener that feels this way, this gift guide will really help lift their spirits a little during the cold winter months.
I love to go to thrift stores, i find thrifting so fun. I love the idea of buying preloved items and giving them new purpose and life. Now, a few years ago, i would never have even looked at a thrift store let a lone shop in one. I realize now that thrift stores used to feel like lack to me, and if i shopped there maybe people would think i can’t afford to shop in regular stores. I now feel differently as my abundance mindset has changed.
These days, a warm coffee in hand and a browse in a thrift store is one of the best ways to spend an afternoon!
Last week i went thrifting and couldn’t help but notice all of the gardening accessories that filled the shelves. Now that gardening season is done for the year, people have been donating everything they aren’t using. This then got me thinking about how to repurpose these items to gift to the gardeners in my life this holiday season.
I don’t know about you, but as i get older i care less about buying new or trending things, but i really value repurposing and making new things out of items that already exist.
Also, being a gardener myself, this is an easy gift guide to create! Basically it is just a list of things that would be helpful and special to me.
20 Best Gifts for Gardeners on a Budget (Thoughtful Ideas Under $30)
One: Flower seed packets.
Probably the most budget friendly of them all is gifting flower, or vegetable, seed packets. You could even make this a bit more special buy putting them in a beautiful thrifted tin or jar.
Seeds are just one thing that gardeners always use and need.
If you are a gardener that is gifting to another gardener, some saved seeds from your garden will make it extra thoughtful.
I started with seed packets because they can literally accompany any one of the other gift ideas!
Two: Terracotta pots
Terracotta pots are relatively low cost and most gardeners love them. From tiny pots for seed starting, to large bowl shaped pots to repot flowers and plants, they come in handy for every gardener. I have an unhealthy obsession with them myself! I just picked up a bowl shaped terracotta planter yesterday at the Dollarama for $5.
Three: Garden twine.
This seems very simple and strange but i can promise you gardeners never have enough twine. From tying climbing plants, to supporting flowers, twine can be used inside and outside, and is always needed.
Four: A gardening notebook or journal.
A really great idea for recording planting dates and for remembering what plants work well with others. I know that my gardening journal is filled with notes and tips, it is literally gold and i plan to pass it down to my children.
Five: Plant markers.
You can find some really amazing ones on Etsy, but you can also find these at any garden center. You can even buy some clay and make your own.
Six: Orchids.
As a gardener, i love to have orchids all around my home. Although flowers may not be be blooming outside, inside you can have orchids bloom all winter with proper care. You can find orchids almost everywhere, from home hardware stores, Costco, and even your local grocery store.
Seven: Pretty gardening gloves.
I have around 4 pairs of gardening gloves. Two are in my car, one pair is on my balcony, and i keep one spare pair at the farm where i rent my garden plot. Gardeners can never have enough gloves! Look for thicker material as i know i appreciate those ones so much.
Eight: Baskets.
You can find baskets in thrift stores at any time of the year. I love harvest baskets for collecting my summer vegetables and flowers. Gardeners love baskets for carrying seed packets and tools.
Tip: To make baskets extra special, tie a silk scarf to the handle.
Nine: Watering can.
I have the prettiest watering can that i found at Ikea, pictured below, for under $20 and just love it. I use it indoors and outdoors and i have had it for so many years. A good metal watering can will last a very long time and will get used almost everyday.
Nine: Gardening books.
Another thrifted favorite for me is gardening books. There are usually so many different ones. You can also find some gardening books under $30 at bookstores too, if brand new is your thing. When i gift books i like to write a personal message on the inside of the cover with the date that i gifted them. Below is one of my favorite books, The side gardener by Rosie Daykin.
Ten: Plants in tea cups.
Grocery, and hardware stores sell a variety of inexpensive plants that you can repot in thrifted tea cups for the cutest gift! I think this may be my favorite gift idea on this list. Herbs like rosemary and thyme would also be really great to plant in tea cups for kitchen decor.
Eleven: Pruning shears.
Another thing that gardeners always need and can never have enough pairs of. Pruning shears can be used all year long, from trimming back bushes, to making plant clippings, these are really a work horse for gardeners.
Twelve: Gardening apron.
An apron is a must for all gardeners. Find ones with pockets and add see packets to them! They are very affordable and will get used a lot.
Thirteen: A rooted plant cutting.
If you are very close to the person you are gifting, root cuttings make such a great gift. This is particularly great if you know that the person you are giving to has been wanting a certain plant. If you have plants you could even gift a few personal cuttings and put them in jars. Marketplace is full or ads for plant clippings and some of them are free.
Fourteen: A garden kneeling pad.
I bought myself one of these last year for the first time and i saved all of my pants this year from getting dirty! Another practical idea is a kneeling pad for gardeners.
Fifteen: A simple bird feeder.
For mother’s day a few years ago, my children gifted me a painted birdhouse that they bought from the dollar store, and it still hangs on the tree outside. The joy that the birds bring me is unmatched, especially in the long winter months.
Sixteen: A gardening themed mug.
A warm cup of tea and gardening just go hand in hand. Plus, you can never have enough mugs and cups! You could even pair this with some homemade shortbread with flower sprinkles.
Seventeen: A plant mister.
These are useful for indoor plants to help with the long dry winter. You can find some pretty plant misters in Winners and Homesense and they are under $10. This one on Amazon is under $15.
Eighteen: Gardening bag.
For tools, seeds, and other gardening essentials, gardening bags are pretty and functional. The one pictured below is going to be my next purchase on Amazon. Grab it here. I love the color and i also love its many pockets and spaces for all of my gardening tools and accessories.
Nineteen: Repotting mat.
These are really useful for repotting plants and help to stop soil from getting all over the floor, especially indoors. I have several and they have saved my floors from huge messes! You can also use them to wrap up seed packets and other small gardening gifts.
Twenty: Pots of all sizes.
Another great item to thrift is plant pots of all sizes. When you have a gardener or plant lover in your life, i can guarantee they are always shopping for new pots for when their plants outgrow the pots they are in. Before i started thrifting i spent a small fortune a year on plant pots, and i would have really appreciated someone gifting me some.
I hope you find this list helpful! If you have a bigger budget, you could try mixing and matching some of these options to create a bigger gift.
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It’s gift guide season 🌲