On-trend interiors are currently channelling the 1970s jungle vibe, so here are some pressies for budding gardeners with a growing enthusiasm for all things green-fingered…
What's planted where
Even in a weeny windowbox, it's easy to lose track of the plants, seeds and bulbs that are in there, especially if they're lying dormant, died back or, not wishing to be negative, but just plain dead. And it's not unheard of to forget the name of that favourite flowerer… Pop in a plant marker, with the plant name (and date of sowing or bulb planting) written on it in pencil indelible marker and you'll know what's where. So useful.
Wooden plant markers, £3.95 for 40, Sarah Raven
Light up
Light the way, or show off a favourite plant, with this space-saving planter featuring a built-in solar-powered LED lamp. Yes, fairy lights are lovely, but this will sit on a tabletop. Once fully charged, it gives eight hours’ light, perfect for outdoor entertaining.
Elho Flower Light, £35.95, The Worm that Turned
Learn with experts
No, not the services of a gardener. This is RHS Ambassador Jamie Butterworth, whose RHS remit is to encourage more young people to get into gardening. This online gardening course teaches how to convert any spot into a plant paradise including how to plan properly, what to plant for both food and beauty and how to maintain it all.
The new Contemporary Garden course, led by RHS ambassador Jamie Butterworth, from £79, www.learningwithexperts.com (gift vouchers available)
Hearts on hand
Yep, an actual plant. This
Ceropegia woodii, aka chain of hearts or string of hearts, is a trailing vine, looking its best cascading from a hanging basket or down a set of shelves. It's often to be seen in the top
#houseplants Instagram posts
Ceropegia woodii, £12.50, Trouva
No visible means of support
Terrariums look great, although their popularity may have peaked. However, as anyone who's ever owned one knows, the plants can quite quickly fail to thrive. That micro-environment needs careful managing in order to create optimum growing conditions. I've learnt this the hard way, by making several terrariums and watching their decline. See
James Wong's terrarium advice. However, if you routinely kill all houseplants, an airplant (
Tillandsia, to be precise) is much less demanding than soil-sited plants. This just needs a bright place, good air circulation and squirting with a plant mister a few times a week in summer, less frequently the rest of the year.
Airplant terrarium kit, £10.50, Crafty Plants (I'd leave out the reindeer moss when assembling, myself)
As seen on my screen
Definitely not Crocs. I appreciate that you don't reeeeally need special outdoor shoes for a bit of light pruning on the balcony, but these will identify you as a gardener when you're going out for supplies, visiting a garden for inspo, guerrilla gardening etc. Light, comfortable and waterproof, Backdoorshoes are made of super-lightweight expanded foam, in sizes 3-14, in loads of jolly outdoor designs including flowers, veg, grass, meadows (like mine, left).
Backdoorshoes, £25, www.backdoorshoes.co.uk
