Christmas Presents

pyat2010

Hi There,

I'm looking to get my Dad something for Christmas.

He's gotten into gardening and growing his own veg late in life - as far as I can see has been primarily driven by whatever was on special offer in Aldi or Lidl that week - and he really gets a kick out of it.

I was thinking about encouraging this new hobby with a Christmas present and would be graetful for any ideas.

I was thinking about a set of gardening tools, a good book about getting started growing your own veg or may be a voucher towards a greenhouse (he's using a plasticy looking awning from one of the above named shops) - but I've no idea where to start!

Any help or advice very gratefully received!

Many thanks

PYAT

Corsendonk

pyat2010 wrote: »

Hi There,

I'm looking to get my Dad something for Christmas.

He's gotten into gardening and growing his own veg late in life - as far as I can see has been primarily driven by whatever was on special offer in Aldi or Lidl that week - and he really gets a kick out of it.

I was thinking about encouraging this new hobby with a Christmas present and would be graetful for any ideas.

I was thinking about a set of gardening tools, a good book about getting started growing your own veg or may be a voucher towards a greenhouse (he's using a plasticy looking awning from one of the above named shops) - but I've no idea where to start!

Any help or advice very gratefully received!

Many thanks

PYAT

Ok I will start this one off, I wouldn't go for the greenhouse just yet, maybe a watering lance and a windup hose for watering his veg garden in the summer mornings or evenings. A good one can make life for the gardener that much easier.

For a book I find The Royal Horticulture Society Book "Growing Vegetables" by Tony Briggs(ISBN 978-1-84000-152-5) good enough, simple explanations and simple diagrams. A good basics read which is all he needs, some books make veg growing too complicated. Its a trial and error hobby and thats were the fun comes from.

redser7

Pick up a few packets of seeds for him to sow in the spring. Something to look forward to and encourage him during the dead season.

looksee

A book, the Hessayon books are good, give good basic information on gardening. And a voucher so he can get a garden tool that he really wants.

TheFatMan

Carol Klein's grow your own veg book from the BBC is good
A few packets of seeds (unusal stuff).
A voucher for one of the seed catalogue people.

For a laugh Woodies are doing 3 bags of manure for €12. All gardeners love manure!

pyat2010

Thanks all - keep the ideas coming!

Definitely will get some of the books mentioned above. I'll like to get Dad a set of good gardening tools - is there a particular brand to look out for or place to get them?

I appreciate that he may need to pick individual tools for himself depending on what he decides to grow but I think it would be nice to give him a set on Christmas Day.

He's also big into gadgets - any gardening gadgets people find handy?

Thanks again

Kind regards,

Pyat

greenart

• A good pair of secatares
• A strong wheelbarrow plastic preferably
• A strong trowel
• Packets of seeds and seed tray
• Watering can
• Shovel + spade + rake
• Wellington boots
• Gardening gloves (ones with a plastic front to them very important!)

Snaffles2014

Folks, i'm looking to buy a present for someone, an encyclopedia of flowers that can grow in Ireland is what I'm looking for with info on the best conditions for each, time to plant, time they bloom, how to treat them. I'm looking for a fairly comprehensive one though, any ideas?

RHS Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers seems to be good, but does anyone have it?

Snaffles2014

Snaffles2014 wrote: »

Folks, i'm looking to buy a present for someone, an encyclopedia of flowers that can grow in Ireland is what I'm looking for with info on the best conditions for each, time to plant, time they bloom, how to treat them. I'm looking for a fairly comprehensive one though, any ideas?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/books/dp/1405354232/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8

don't have this book but I use the RHS website all the time for plant info. the reviews seem good

Snaffles2014

Deleted User wrote: »

http://www.amazon.co.uk/books/dp/1405354232/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8

don't have this book but I use the RHS website all the time for plant info. the reviews seem good

Excellent, i was looking at that one too actually. It does seem to be good. What are garden centres though, would there be a 'gardeners bible' so to speak?

stewygriffin

pyat2010 wrote: »

Hi There,

I'm looking to get my Dad something for Christmas.

He's gotten into gardening and growing his own veg late in life - as far as I can see has been primarily driven by whatever was on special offer in Aldi or Lidl that week - and he really gets a kick out of it.

I was thinking about encouraging this new hobby with a Christmas present and would be graetful for any ideas.

I was thinking about a set of gardening tools, a good book about getting started growing your own veg or may be a voucher towards a greenhouse (he's using a plasticy looking awning from one of the above named shops) - but I've no idea where to start!

Any help or advice very gratefully received!

Many thanks

PYAT

A gift voucher for any gardening centre would be a good idea.
I bought a gift voucher for a relative for Mr Middleton last christmas and it was the best gift they got from anyone last christmas,as it was the most thoughtful and actually a usefull gift.

wait4me

stewygriffin: pyat2010's post was originally posted in 2010. Hopefully he got something useful for his Dad!!

stewygriffin

wait4me wrote: »

stewygriffin: pyat2010's post was originally posted in 2010. Hopefully he got something useful for his Dad!!

didnt see the original date of the post until now.