Help with Retirement gift for keen veg grower

[hollifer77]

I am hoping this is the perfect place to get some advice on what to get for a colleague of mine who is soon to retire. He is a keen gardener and is a long time allotment owner. He has given me some excellent advice, along with plants and seeds for my own attempts at growing my own!

A few of us are having a collection and would love to get him something personal as a thank you and as a reminder of his many years of service as a consultant engineer.

I thought a nice, solid chair (we could add a little plaque) for the shed but is that a bad idea?

Any thoughts welcome - I'm open to all ideas.

Thanks in advance

[jackie j]

Garden Vouchers are always welcome from a good Garden centre. A chair for the allotment might not be a good idea so unless he has a garden where would he keep it. Maybe a nice tree that could go on his plot or in a garden.

[allotmentlady]

I agree with Jackie vouchers are great but why not get a really plush trowel and fork set, with somethhing engraved on the back of it?

I was once given a wooden handmade trug as a thank you gift but hey I dont think a chap would want one of those.

[Glutton4...]

Oooh, that's a difficult one; we're all veg gardeners, but we're all different! Personally, I really like the chair idea, or what about a really posh thermometer (or would it get knicked from his Lottie?). Upmarket plant labels? Galvanised (Haws) watering can (love mine!)? Terracotta Rhubarb forcer? My family as a whole don't 'do' gift vouchers, but I have always been thrilled to receive them myself. Oh, and yes AL, I'd like a Trug too (killed mine )!

Sorry, I'm rambling. Good luck!

[TonyF]

Pair of Felco secateurs, Sneerboer fork and trowel, camn get the trowel engraved if you buy from one of the large gardening suppliers, tho can't remember which one.

[hollifer77]

Thank you!

Some great ideas - I will look into a few of those and see where I get to.

I know we're already planning on getting him some Garden Centre vouchers but we wanted to get him something a bit more personal and something we had thought about. I like the engraved tools idea so I'll do a bit of research but if anyone knows a decent supplier then that would be a real help.

Many thanks for all of your thoughts so far )

[Nicos]

I'd go with secateurs too- but good quality ones as Tony suggests.
You could always nip into B&Q and buy an orange bucket- and put some bits and bobs in it like twine, seeds,gloves,marker pen and plant labels,organic feed, garden bags- maybe a book on keeping chickens!!!

All wrapped up inside the bucket along with secateurs and vouchers ( depends on how much you collect I suppose!!!)


Alternatively- a small camera would be lovely, now he'll have time to record what's going on around him!!

[maytreefrannie]

Some great ideas - I will look into a few of those and see where I get to.

I know we're already planning on getting him some Garden Centre vouchers but we wanted to get him something a bit more personal and something we had thought about. I like the engraved tools idea so I'll do a bit of research but if anyone knows a decent supplier then that would be a real help.

Many thanks for all of your thoughts so far )

I think the idea of a personal gift is great - something small that will be a keepsake of yourselves. Giving the vouchers for the rest of it is also perfect - I love spending vouchers, it's a lovely way to ensure he gets what he'd like.

It's best of both worlds, vouchers and a small personal memento which will be useful in his gardening.

[Glutton4...]

I'd go with secateurs too- but good quality ones as Tony suggests.
You could always nip into B&Q and buy an orange bucket- and put some bits and bobs in it like twine, seeds,gloves,marker pen and plant labels,organic feed, garden bags- maybe a book on keeping chickens!!!

All wrapped up inside the bucket along with secateurs and vouchers ( depends on how much you collect I suppose!!!)


Alternatively- a small camera would be lovely, now he'll have time to record what's going on around him!!

Apart from the fact that the B&Q orange buckets are total carp, the handles fall off inside a week, and they shatter in the cold! I've got carrier bags that are more robust!

[Tam]

Gardening Hand Tools from Sneeboer Allotment Growing

You can buy engraved garden tools from here.

[Nicos]

Apart from the fact that the B&Q orange buckets are total carp, the handles fall off inside a week, and they shatter in the cold! I've got carrier bags that are more robust!

...ahh...but can you pee in a plastic bag????

[SarzWix]

My Father-in-Law was bought a really good gardener's knife for a retirement gift nearly 20 years ago and it still gets used regularly

It's one of these, but they aren't cheap
Tina Horticultural Knives | Horticultural Knives | Hand Tools | Quality Garden Tools

[zazen999]

And of the above....or of course a year's subscription to Garden Organic / HSL [see my link], or even a magazine of their choice. I like Nicos' idea of a surprise pack of goodies that always come in useful [for us it's gloves, can't get enough of them].

[Glutton4...]

...ahh...but can you pee in a plastic bag????

Aah! Now I see your point lol I'd still get a more robust one tho!

[sweetiepea]

Depending on how much you have to spend, how about a gardening course? There may be an area he's interested in but hasn't tried. Vouchers may be available so he could choose when he went. Or tickets to Chelsea (next year perhaps) or another similar show?

Of course these are what I'd like, so if anyone I know is looking in PLEASE TAKE NOTE!!