Gardening gift suitable for 70 year old

Cressida100

Hello I have a good friend who will be 70 soon. I'm thinking of purchasing a magazine subscription for her but cannot decide which one to get. I think Gardeners World will be a bit basic. I would welcome any recommendations please. I was going to get RHS membership but unfortunately she is the wrong side of the country for visiting the RHS gardens. 

[Deleted User]

So any type of gift ?

Maybe a fork or spade ?
Bracket for the hosepipe to be wall mounted ?
Wooden seat ?
Large terracotta pot ?

There are soooo many things she would like - can you remember her saying that she liked something, in particular, but wouldn't spend the money on it ?
Those are, often, the types of things i buy for people.

Black_Cat2

I second Catsacor (Hi Cats - long time no speak/type 😻) that maybe she has mentioned something in particular in the past?  I also wonder if she lives local to a favorite garden centre of hers that may sell vouchers.  Might be seen as a bit of a cop out mind and not very imaginative lol 🐈

Woolsery

While RHS gardens don't exist in every area of the country, partner gardens do, and she should be able to access those free at particular times as an RHS member. There's also a reasonably interesting magazine each month.

Some of the larger partner gardens also have a yearly access fee. If she's a 'proper' gardener, she'll not mind visiting the same garden at different times of the year. Random e.g. A season ticket to Abbotsbury Sub Tropical Garden is about £40....somewhat cheaper than RHS membership too!

Green_hopeful

What about a Historic Houses membership. We mostly only visit the gardens. There seem to be lots of gardens as opposed to RHS which we have but can rarely use because we don’t live near the gardens. The map shows you which ones are free for members. 

Otherwise my favourite garden tool is a bronze PKS trowel. It feels really nice to use. It was a wedding present. 

Devongardener

As a keen (older!) gardener, I’m always delighted to receive a garden centre gift voucher.   It gives me the chance to buy a certain plants etc that I’d normally think are a bit of an extravagance.  Last Christmas I used one to buy some expensive secateurs I’d wanted for ages.  

Tucosalamanca

Handmade Trug?
I bought one a couple of years ago and filled with secateurs, gloves, kneeling board, few other nik-naks.
The recipient was extremely pleased.

Otherwise vouchers for shops/garden centres. I find these are well liked as no commitment or effort needed for a 'day out'.

twopenny

Depends what sort of gardener she is.
Pots and troughs, annuals, shrubs?

70 isn't that old unless she has health issues. 

Might be an idea to invite yourself to see her garden and get her talking. Good chance she will say what she would like more of.

Gardeners world tickets at Birmingham are only £25. Are you near a rail route for that or any coach tours?

But as an avid gardener a voucher attached to a small pretty plant would be exciting. I still have things I've bought with the vouchers I've been given 25yrs ago and I remember the people who gave them every time I see them

[Deleted User]

Black_Cat2 said:

I second Catsacor (Hi Cats - long time no speak/type 😻) that maybe she has mentioned something in particular in the past?  I also wonder if she lives local to a favorite garden centre of hers that may sell vouchers.  Might be seen as a bit of a cop out mind and not very imaginative lol 🐈

Hi @Black_Cat2 hope all's ok with you and yours 🤗😊

ukbill69

How about these types of gloves https://amzn.to/3tMMWCn

Katiehound

What about the new book by Alan Titchmarsh

"The Gardener's Almanac"

a kind of commonplace book with snippets, seasonal things, music suggestions & poems. heard him talking about it, and it sounds interesting