| Christmas
Presents
12
December 2007
It
is difficult to think what to give 鈥渢he
person who has everything鈥 but a bigger
problem for me is what to buy for 鈥渢he
gardener who has been gardening for years鈥.
One easy easy way out is to give a garden centre
token but it still seems like handing over money.
An annual subscription to a gardening magazine
is fine but it may be too late to have the first
issue in time for Christmas.
 Avoid
gimmicks. We all have a shed full of them. If
there is a piece of equipment that has broken
or is nearly 鈥渄one鈥 then a replacement
will be gratefully received. Tools tend to be
personal and each gardener has his or her own
preference. I have two hoes and the paint is
still on the blades. Bob Flowerdew has 4-5 and
they have been sharpened so often that there
is little blade remaining.
 If
you are buying tools buy the best and that usually
means not the cheapest. Cheap tools won鈥檛
stand the test of time. They become rusted or
break ending up under the bench along with last
year鈥檚 disasters.
There is a fine crop of good gardening books
that have been published in time for Xmas. Some
are practical while others cover the history
of gardening.
One present that is always acceptable is something
to ease sore backs. It doesn鈥檛 have to
be fragrant so long as the product actually
works. A good soak after a day in the garden
is magic.
Still thinking of a gardener鈥檚 back a
kneeling pad that is light and easily carried
will be welcome to gardeners of a certain age,
especially if it is waterproof on the underside.
 Bear
in mind that while you have the problem of what
to buy you are probably causing someone a similar
headache. Do everyone a favour and let it be
known what you would like, really, really like
this Christmas.
See
also:
Christmas
present ideas (2005)
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