Page 2 | Present for 40yr old keen Gardner?

Citygirlrurallife · 2023-04-14T18:06:09+00:00

My best friend loves her garden and has really got into it in the last few years. She turns 40 next month so trying to think up something to give her - are there any good memberships or courses or something a keen Gardner would value? It’s a big birthday so don’t want to just get her vouchers from the local garden centre….

thatsn0tmyname · 14/04/2023 22:03

A decent pair of secateurs/snippers are always useful.

ThreeRingCircus · 14/04/2023 22:12

EarlGreyAndCucumber · 14/04/2023 21:54

You are very thoughtful but I would rather have vouchers.

Agreed.

I'm so particular about things in my garden I want to choose them myself. E.g pots, planters and the actual plants I'd want to select my own as I know what my plans are and tastes are......plus I just love looking for plants and browsing for them.

If there's a local RHS garden or botanic garden then a pass for that would be a nice gift if you didn't want to specifically give vouchers.

EarlGreyAndCucumber · 14/04/2023 23:05

@ThreeRingCircus you are right. It’s not just the joy of having lovely things; a voucher gives you the joy of choosing.

SlB09 · 14/04/2023 23:15

Vouchers.....in May.....when we can buy perennials until our hearts content and see them blossom and bloom in the same year over the summer of our 40th birthday sounds heavenly to me!

As others have said it's quite a personal choice thing/planting schemes etc so far nicer to go with a wedge of vouchers and choose yourself.

Otherwise personally I would appreciate some quality secetaurs, if she's into growing flowers there are some good snipping ones specifically for cutting flowers/stems and I love mine. A nice seed tin or seed saving vessel, some gorgeous modern simple ones out there. Little booty wellies - wear mine all the time and get some fab ones from joules etc

SlB09 · 14/04/2023 23:16

I'm 39 by the way 😁

Original poster

Citygirlrurallife · 14/04/2023 23:50

Wow amazing responses, thankyou. Maybe I can pull together a gift set with secateurs (seeing as that seems to come up a lot) and chelsea flower show vouchers or Kew membership (she lives in London) and then some vouchers too….all in a pair of welly clogs 😂

OP posts:

ThreeRingCircus · 15/04/2023 08:05

Citygirlrurallife · 14/04/2023 23:50

Wow amazing responses, thankyou. Maybe I can pull together a gift set with secateurs (seeing as that seems to come up a lot) and chelsea flower show vouchers or Kew membership (she lives in London) and then some vouchers too….all in a pair of welly clogs 😂

That sounds lovely and very generous! I wish you were my friend 🤣🤣🤣🤣

deplorabelle · 15/04/2023 08:15

That sounds amazing!

I got secateurs as a 40th birthday present that I use at least weekly and I'm 47 now. They aren't fancy (in fact I'm pretty sure they came as a free gift on the front of a gardening magazine). The reason I love them is they are smaller and lighter than standard secateurs and I'm a flower arranger too so these fit in my bag or even pocket.

I can't believe nobody has mentioned the ultimate gardener's gift though - massive builders bag of well rotted manure 😁.

BeaLola · 15/04/2023 08:46

Citygirlrurallife · 14/04/2023 23:50

Wow amazing responses, thankyou. Maybe I can pull together a gift set with secateurs (seeing as that seems to come up a lot) and chelsea flower show vouchers or Kew membership (she lives in London) and then some vouchers too….all in a pair of welly clogs 😂

Chelsea may be sold out (or nearly) but is wow the first time you go

As she lives in London and you mention membership to Kew - I think that also gives access to visit its "country" twin of Wakehurst place in East Sussex - which is certainly worth visiting if you think she would be able to have time to go.
If she likes roses a David Austin voucher - I think they are launching 2 new roses this year - she has a huge range to choose from.

BringtheJury · 15/04/2023 09:12

Hampton Court flower show is lovely too.

Tinkeytonkoldfruit · 15/04/2023 09:13

Can see someone else has beat me to it but came on to say David Austen rose.

Thehonestybox · 15/04/2023 09:14

A rose plant

ohfourfoxache · 15/04/2023 09:16

Tickets to the Chelsea Flower Show?

ohfourfoxache · 15/04/2023 09:17

Sorry, should have read the thread

IAmcuriousyellow · 15/04/2023 09:17

I was given a Japanese digging knife/trowel - a hori hori- which I use constantly
35-40 quid of garden joy, also hori hori means diggy diggy 😁

MereDintofPandiculation · 15/04/2023 10:55

If she lives in London, membership of the Rhs is good value, if she doesn’t already belong which is quite likely. Free entry to Wisley and the other RHS gardens, and to RHS Partner Gardens, cheap seeds from RHS garden, access to Lindley library, monthly plant shows in London.

I was given a garden seat for my 50th, which I was pleased with

Original poster

Citygirlrurallife · 15/04/2023 11:28

MereDintofPandiculation · 15/04/2023 10:55

If she lives in London, membership of the Rhs is good value, if she doesn’t already belong which is quite likely. Free entry to Wisley and the other RHS gardens, and to RHS Partner Gardens, cheap seeds from RHS garden, access to Lindley library, monthly plant shows in London.

I was given a garden seat for my 50th, which I was pleased with

Oh this is a great idea

OP posts:

FayCarew · 15/04/2023 12:12

@GoodChat , They're not cheap and they are useful. I used mine as a 'pond' for years and it attracted wildlife, and it's now a planter. They aren't naff.

Generic isn't a bad thing. I've been given plants that I share a name with - think a rose called 'Faye' and a shrub called Viburnum 'Carew'. The rose is nice but I don't like viburnum, but they were gifts and I appreciate the thought, but I'd rather have something I actually wanted to have in my garden

GlassBunion · 17/04/2023 17:27

Yes, I'm another one to suggest membership to RHS Wisley. It's in Surrey and not far to get to.