Gifts for Gardeners

Spending so much time in the garden means that there is always something to buy - from vegetable seeds for the allotments, fertilizers, plant labels, twine or new garden tools. The list is endless and Mrs McGregor never has a problem with Christmas present ideas for me! Our local garden centre is always well stocked with a huge range of sundries, but I like to give plants as gifts.

Plants are a lasting gift and can only grow in beauty and value over the years. Once they reach a certain size, they are not instantly replaceable - only with a much smaller specimen that will take time to grow and mature. Although plants like us, have a lifespan, many shrubs and especially trees, will easily out live a human being!

When giving plants as presents, I like to select those that are easy to grow but perhaps a bit more unusual. There is no point in giving a plant that is tricky to grow just because ‘you don’t see it very often’. There is often a good reason for this and in my experience most people are mortified if they manage to kill a plant that has been given as a gift!

Evergreens are a good place to start and what better than a plant with a Christmas theme? Holly (Ilex) are available in a range of leaf colours, from gold and white edged variegation to the stunning Ilex ‘Blue Princess’ which has deep bluish green leaves that contrast well with the red berries, which are produced if pollinated by a male variety. Holly is easy to grow in sun or part shade and most soil types – especially in dry shade.

Another easy, but unusual evergreen is Arbutus unedo. The Killarney Strawberry Tree makes a rounded shrub of olive green leaves and clusters of white flowers, a bit like a Pieris, that appear in early winter. These are followed by the ‘strawberries’ which are edible, but a bit insipid! Arbutus will eventually make a small tree by gradually removing the lower branches. They are very hardy and easy to grow in most soil types and situations.

Spotted Laurels were popular in Victorian gardens and are superb growers for a densely shaded area and dry soil – often a difficult situation to plant! They are slow growing, making a rounded bush and female varieties have red berries through the winter, but may need a male variety to pollinate them.

Skimmias have been popular for winter colour for many years. Their handsome leaves make pleasing low mounds in sun or part shade and most soil types, although they do not like shallow, chalk soils. A newer variety that has caught my eye is S. japonica ‘Thereza’ which has panicles of olive green buds through winter, opening to scented white flowers in spring. Despite the name, this is a male variety and can be used as a pollinator to encourage berries on female varieties in the vicinity!

So why not give a garden plant as a gift this Christmas? A visit to your local garden centre will reveal a host of possibilities!

Mr McGregor