CHRISTMAS isn’t far off and with it comes the perennial problem of finding a gift for someone who has everything!

But gardeners always have space for just another plant, and you might even spark the interest of your non-gardening friends and family with the right gift.

This month we’re suggesting a range of gifts that will suit different budgets.

Plants for all budgets

The wonderful thing about plants is that you can make your gift match your budget, whatever you wish to spend.

You can buy a colourful houseplant from under £10 right up to a specimen indoor plant at over £100 – the range is enormous.

We suggest that if you’re considering an indoor plant, you should consider the recipient’s home, lifestyle and skills. For example, if a plant needs even, warm temperatures, it might not be suitable for someone who turns the heating off during the day while they are at work.

The poinsettia, possibly the favourite Christmas houseplant, has the reputation of being difficult to care for but this needn’t be the case provided you remember a few simple rules. Consider a plant’s native habitat and you’re well on the way to understanding the care it needs.

The poinsettia is native to the dry, warm temperatures of Mexico, so it will feel at home in a well-lit room with warm, even temperatures. They can’t tolerate our Scottish winter temperatures and should be protected from even short periods of cold such as when you’re taking them home.

Being used to dry soils in the wild, you shouldn’t overwater your poinsettia; if you’re in doubt, our advice is to keep it on the dry side and mist it regularly.

If even that seems like too much to remember, you could consider the Schlumbergera – commonly known as the Christmas cactus.

It’s super-easy to care for, produces a wonderful show of flowers between November and January, is very tolerant of a range of temperatures and is forgiving of erratic watering.

In its natural rainforest habitat, the Schlumbergera can be found growing by attaching itself to trees! This easy plant is perfect for someone who will enjoy the beautiful blooms but can’t give it a great deal of care.

There’s a wide range of houseplants to suit all conditions and budgets, and staff at a reputable garden centre will be happy to help you choose the one that’s best for you.

If you know that a specific outdoor plant is on the wish list, your gift-buying is easy, but if not, why not choose a planter and include a mix of plants with different foliage and flowering times, providing interest for many months ahead?

Outdoor planters are ideal for placing on the doorstep or in a cool conservatory and, at this time of year, require little attention other than some watering when it becomes dry.

There’s lots of choice and you can choose a pot and mix of plants to match your budget.

This is such an easy gift to prepare that even a child can plant one for their favourite relative, but if you need some ideas the staff at any good garden centre will be delighted to help you select the best mix for you.

Alternatively, many garden centres will have a range of ready-made planters for you to choose from and they may even deliver it directly to the recipient for you.

This gift is ideally suited to people who can’t prepare their own planter, someone who doesn’t have a garden, or perhaps someone who simply hasn’t thought about the enjoyment of seeing the seasonal changes in the plants as they pass by each day.

Non-plant gifts

Of course, if you’re concerned about choosing the ‘wrong’ plant for your friends or family, garden centres offer a huge range of other interesting and practical gifts to choose from.

For a budget of under £10, what about some gardening gloves? Our plant team will vouch for the fact that you can never have enough gardening gloves!

Even at this time of year, there’s always plenty to be done in the garden and the fleecy lined winter gardening gloves are particularly popular.

With a budget of £10-30, you might consider secateurs, which many gardeners will confess to regularly mislaying! For well-priced, everyday secateurs, a brand such as Kent & Stowe is a good choice. If the recipient is a keen gardener you might think about the Darlac brand, which is not only a better quality but also includes sharpeners and spare parts in their range to help extend the life of your cutting tools.

In the £40-50 budget range, what about a greenhouse? Luckily, you don’t have to worry about how you’re going to wrap a greenhouse because it comes flat-packed!

These lightweight greenhouses come with a stout plastic cover and are ideal for spring, allowing your plants to enjoy the light and longer days while protecting them from cold winds.

If you’re looking to spend in the £50-£150 range, what about a bird table or a bird station and accessories? They are attractive in the garden, help small garden birds through the winter and provide hours of enjoyment for the recipients as their feathered friends begin to visit regularly.

Once the birds learn that there’s a secure source of food and water available, they will drop in frequently!

For budgets of more than £150, you might like to consider a piece of garden furniture. Regardless of whether your friends or family have a huge garden or a small balcony, most people enjoy sitting out in the fresh air and it’s important to have furniture that is weather-resistant.

Garden furniture is created from softwood, hardwood and many grades of metal and rattan, with prices starting around £150. An easy indication to the lifespan of the piece is the guarantee and it’s always worth asking staff for advice before making such an investment.

Hopefully we’ve provided some inspiration and helped you solve the problem of what to get for the person who has everything.

There is a limit to the ideas and advice we can offer in this column but for further advice, please go to merryhatton.co.uk or pop in and chat to our team, who will be delighted to help.