What can I get my mum who hates everything?!

[petedicks]

Ok hates everything might be dramatic. But I've had a lifetime of buying her things she just puts straight in the cupboard and never looks at again. No to jewellery, no to decorative house stuff. She isn't particularly active, doesn't like beauty treatments.

She does like her garden and plants and flowers... But has everything for that. I've run out of bee houses and bird feeders to buy. I was thinking of a Bloom & Wild subscription but it'd be nice to get her something to open. Any ideas please?!

There's a company local to me called hive originals. They do a lovely gardeners hand balm and soap.
I often buy gifts from there.

https://amzn.eu/d/1Scp52D

I put off getting one of these for ages but if she hasn’t already got one I use it loads. (I’m only mid 50s and pretty active.)

Also the one thing I suggest to my kids every year is bags of compost, they never get it because they don’t think it’s a proper present.

Gardener here.
Depending on your budget a hori-hori has the been the gardening tool that has had a lot of hype in recent years - nice Japanese one? Agree
with others that a trip to an interesting local garden with lunch or tea is always a good bet - forward dated. Eg sisinghurst; Kew; Wisley

a terrarium kit if she likes indoor plants
agree with the gold leaf gloves recommendation - they are pricy and good quality but depends what style of gloves she favours
if you know her taste potentially a specific specimen plant (eg david Austen rose; a dickinsonia tree fern; an acre etc

Some ideas:
-Bird bath or bird feeder. These are rat and squirrel proof https://roamwildproducts.co.uk/products/roamwild-pestoff-squirrel-proof-bird-feeder-2-0?variant=44747229790430&country=GB&currency=GBP&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAmfq6BhAsEiwAX1jsZ30xxlmnglw4DDdatUEePvJlG6Tdbn_1pC7VNuBvgoCbGWQaRunzDhoC3fwQAvD_BwE

-This multi-use hand shovel thing https://roamwildproducts.co.uk/products/roamwild-multi-digger-hand-trowel

-I love my gold leaf gloves https://www.longacres.co.uk/gardening-products/gloves-and-footwear/gloves/gold-leaf-tough-touch-gloves-ladies/?_gl=1p5telq_upMQ.._gs*MQ..&gclid=CjwKCAiAmfq6BhAsEiwAX1jsZ10d9IQoaj0PSpuYT_DgCO1pPlzeM7hfoFwikElRVVqDA3Hg48YgkBoCRloQAvD_BwE

-Rather than stuff, a luncheon at a garden centre or restaurant with you

-Gardening type show tickets for you and her for the Spring/Summer. Kew, Chelsea, Hampton Court etc or one near to where you live.

www.marthabrook.com/product/personalised-gardening-journal/

The in-laws and the out-laws are now of an age where they don't want more "stuff". Or as Dad put it, "Only gift me things you want to inherit".

I now tend to mix thing up from year to year with nice teas, or nice coffees, or nice cheeses. Not a large quantity, but something special. House of Coffee, Pong, that sort of quality supplier.

What about a (Niwaki Hori) Japanese wedding trowel? Considering one for a garden-loving relative.

I also got a relative who loves birdwatching a scratch off map so he can keep track of birds he's spotted (he doesn't have a garden but loves wildlife).

My mum is one of these.

We don’t do Xmas but she had a significant birthday a couple of months ago. I got her the Fortnum’s carousel biscuit tin that plays La Traviata. Was about £25 I think and definitely something to get someone that has everything/doesn’t want anything.

My mil is a little like yours. I don't buy her anything. What's the point of giving someone something they don't want or need just for the sake of it?. I buy her a nice card and we go out for lunch in between Christmas and new years.

Buy her an experience

One that you can do with her and you can book

Skydiving 👀

Bottle of pink champagne and a small box of really nice chocolates.

This might actually be helpful as she's recently had a hip replacement?!

I've found Exbury Gardens near her - you can buy a gift day ticket.... So maybe that and lunch? Does anyone know if it's nice there?

I already bought her a garden ornament earlier in the year when I went to the flower show at Wisley so she'll have that to open too.

Thanks so much. Will be saving ideas for her birthday too!

Exbury is lovely, especially in the spring - the azaleas are the big draw.

A really nice Japanese gardening tool like a Hori Hori.

A nesting box camera

A bee brick herb pot.

Oooh Zoo Poo! - Lion Manure. (And Urine) It keeps cats out of your garden.