A curated list of the best gifts for your green-thumbed friends and family members (or perhaps a wee treat for yourself!).
Unless they’re a complete newbie to gardening, the gardener in your life quite possibly has many of the tools and accessories they need already. So we’ve spent a bit of time (actually, a lot of time!) curating a Gifts for Gardeners list with a wide scope of ideas for the best gardening gifts.
The list includes practical, beautiful, thoughtful, educational and delicious gifts for gardeners. Like with everything we do, we’ve tried to showcase and support local businesses, makers and products.
You’ll find a mix of neat things from some of our favourite brands, as well as things we spotted that just tickled our fancy.
Intended to delight both a new gardener and master gardeners alike. These gift ideas suit anyone who is garden-curious and inspired by the wonders of the wild world around us. We hope this gift list helps inspire you for whatever occasion you’re celebrating.
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Many of the brands and makers mentioned within this gift guide feature in our Directory. For discount codes and special offers, visit the Directory here.
Gifts for Gardeners | Gift Guide 2024
— Gifts for the Hands-in-the-Dirt Gardener
Very practical gifts for your very ‘gardeny’ friends and family.
Sharp snips — Absolute essential. We love the ARS (Always Really Sharp) secateurs. They come in a selection of fun colours and truly live up to their name. And these Sophie Conran precision snips are perfect for your cut flowers.
Gardening overalls — Flouncy’s garden overalls are both gorgeous and durable, and are highly praised by those who own a pair.
Gumboots — There are plenty of good-looking and practical options for shoes to wear in the garden these days (or to the local farmers’ market and kids’ sports games). We love anything by Merry People. Another option is these hemp garden clogs from Garden Objects.
A beautiful garden spade — A sharp, lightweight and hardworking spade is a gardener’s dream. This beautiful and practical Niwaki Golden Spade definitely fits the brief.
A pair of gloves — Any avid gardener will know, you can never have too many pairs of gardening gloves.
Knee-saving kneeling pad — Ok, now we’re getting a bit carried away with the ‘practical gift’ thing. But seriously, anyone who has weeded in-ground garden beds or planted out multiple seedlings will know how good a garden kneeler is.
Good-looking garden stakes — Something practical and functional for staking tomatoes, dahlias and anything else that needs a bit of support.
— Gifts for the Sower, Grower & Propagator
For those true gardeners who love sowing, growing and propagating.
Seed growing kits — Both practical and beautifully packaged. The perfect easy gift. All the fuss of seed sowing is taken care of with seeds, growing pellets and pots all ready for sowing, growing and transplanting. You’ll find lots of fun combos at Gibson & Green.
Bulbs — A pop of colour for your loved one’s garden with some special bulbs from NZ Bulbs.
Watering Can — Highly practical, with lots of styles to choose from. The Garden Beetle Watering Cans are Japanese-made designer watering cans that, aside from looking great, function beautifully too.
Paper pot maker — A clever and simple little tool to make paper seedling potters to grow seedlings in, then plant directly into the ground. We love our one from The Company Shed.
A workshop — Something hands-on and fun, like Babylon’s clever Kokedama workshops.
Unique flower seeds — There are so many gorgeous and unique seed options for sowing, growing and picking these days. A simple, yet fun wee gift.
A plant — Of course. New plants are always a wonderful gift for garden lovers. Something special like a special potted rose, a fancy hybrid hellebore, maple or forest pansy tree. Edible trees make the perfect presents for house warmings or budding edible gardeners – citrus, feijoas or a fig tree are great options. Or a gift card for a local gardening store is the ultimate gift for someone establishing a new garden.
— Gifts for the Gardener & Homemaker
Gift ideas for those who love gardening and home-making. For relaxing at home or entertaining outside.
A vase — A statement piece or something unique, like this sweet little floating ripple vase.
Hand cream & repair balms — Something nourishing to put on the hands and body of a gardener. We love the Maryse treatment balm as a lip and skin salve, and the Largo balm for any skin irritations.
A botanical print — Something botanical to adorn the walls of a home. This year, Sage Journal has a collection of 9 garden-inspired photographic prints, capturing moments of raw beauty in the garden. Artist, Mollie Howard’s garden-inspired prints are also gorgeous.
Garden sculpture — A statement piece to enjoy in the garden year-round. These firepots from HOOGA serve dual purposes.
An “everything” bag or basket — Something handy for packing up swimming and beach gear, holiday road trip things or keeping bits tidy and together when you’re at home. This bluebell basket is the perfect allrounder.
Outdoor cushions — For home, at a picnic, or at one of the many outdoor school concerts you need a cushion for. We love the Slowlife Collection ‘picnic cushions‘.
Handmade ceramics — Handmade pieces of art, picked especially with the recipient in mind.
A puzzle — How about a botanically inspired 1000 piece puzzle? For some of us, working (uninterrupted) on a jigsaw masterpiece is the ultimate luxury!
Bird feeder — There is something so delightful having birds flit in and out of the garden to stock up on food and water. Bird feeders (and bird houses) are a great gift option for adults and kids alike.
— Gifts for the Gardening Foodie
Delectable gifts for your clever foodie friends and whānau (family).
Artisan spirits & liqueurs — This year we’re loving Hastings Distillers’ wine-based aperitif: Constance.
Picnic bag — We’re big fans of the Slowlife Collection picnic bags. Practical partitioning, effective insulation and a timeless aesthetic.
Seasonal recipe subscription – Like The Modern Mess. We are a huge fan of Jen’s flexible and insanely delicious weekly recipes, as well as all her tips and cooking demonstrations to help along the way.
A wine delivery — We’re spoilt for choice on this side of the world with so many delicious wine brands to choose from. This year we’re gifting wine in a box from Dicey. Because, wine not?
Produce-shaped candles – Because, why not! Poppy & Sage’s fruit and vegetable beeswax candles are super cute.
Heritage seeds — Heritage or heirloom seeds are the perfect gift for someone keen to grow their own produce. These ‘rare beauties’ seed boxes would make a lovely gift.
Something for the kitchen bench — Something practical and pretty for the benchtop. Like this bench top planter or plinth bowl for displaying fruit.
Cookbooks — Of course. We have featured lots of gorgeous recipe books this year, which you can find here.
— Gifts for Green-thumbed Kids
Don’t forget about the nature-loving children in our lives. We hope these gift ideas will encourage kids to get outside and foster wonder and awe for the wild world around them.
Children’s gardening tools — Some child-sized hand tools are the perfect gift for a budding gardener.
A garden swing — Endless hours of fun! The Little Swing Co swings are durably made in New Zealand.
A kite — A classic childhood pastime. These classic octopus kites are nostalgic fun for the whole family.
Gumboots — So practical. These kids boots from Merry People are super fun.
Bug hotel — A cute little bug home to help provide shelter and a cosy spot for insects to dwell, especially while they hibernate for winter. You can make your own with this kit from Nature Club. (They also have these cute paper making kits.)
Stickers — Stickers are always fun. Especially when they come in the shape of vegetables, like these ones. Or pop one of these super sweet holographic sun catcher stickers on a window and wait for the sun to shine through – filling the room with rainbows.
Books — There are so many lovely children’s books around. It’s always a bonus if both kids and adults enjoy reading them.
— The ‘Treat-Yourself’ Gift Guide for Gardeners
Those higher-ticket items that just might be worth considering putting under the tree for oneself!
Outdoor fireplace — The ultimate courtyard luxury. Take a look at these ones from HOOGA.
Pots and planters — For a lovely big range of outdoor pots and planters, check out Babylon Store, Artedomus Al Fresco and Hawthorne. Or these functional and stylish planter boxes from Plant Where You Can’t.
Sun tent — For the beach or backyard. We love these ones from Sun People.
A floral workshop — It’s always fun to get a bit creative. House of Florelle run gorgeous floral workshops in Cambridge.
A quality garden belt — So practical, and so so handy. These leather garden belts from Crafty Gatherer are super functional and practical.
Comfy & stylish gardening clothes — Something to wear and feel both comfy and cool in the garden. (Including underwear, like these underwire-free bras from Videris.)
‘Just a Little Something’ Gifts for Gardeners
Whether it’s a small token of appreciation or a ‘just because’ gift, here are some small and simple gift ideas that you can do yourself…
A homegrown bouquet — Raid your own garden (or your neighbours’) and put together a posy of self-picked blooms and foliage. Perfection isn’t required, just a little creativity.
A thoughtfully written card — Receiving a handwritten card is such a delight.
Something secondhand — Trawl secondhand shops and marketplace for preloved pots, antique trinkets, vases, bulbs, seeds and more.
Plant cuttings and seedlings — The best gift from one gardener to another is something to plant in the garden from the gifter’s own garden. There is significance in sharing plants with one another. Pot up a new or secondhand pot with a plant cutting or seedling. (Don’t forget to label it!)
Seeds from your garden — Save your own seeds and spread the love by gifting them to fellow plant lovers. Pop them in an envelope (and perhaps a seed tin if you have multiple varieties) and label them neatly.
