A stocking filler for a gardener should earn its place: small enough to fit in a stocking, cheap enough not to matter, and useful enough that it is still in use in July. Here are fifteen stocking fillers for gardeners, all around £10 or less in UK shops, with a note on why each works. Plain links, no commission, and approximate prices.
Seeds and growing
1. A packet of scented sweet peas (£2–£4)
The classic. Choose a named scented variety. Browse sweet peas.
2. Seed tape (£2–£5)
Handy for tiny seeds such as carrots and poppies. Browse seed tape.
3. A mini herb kit (£5–£10)
A tin or pot with a few packets, ideal for a kitchen windowsill. Browse herb kits.
4. A bag of bulbs (£3–£8)
Late November is the last sensible moment for tulips. Add a note: “plant these in a pot before Christmas.” See my bulb planting guide.
5. A packet of wildflower seeds (£3–£6)
A cottage-style meadow mix for a corner of the garden. Browse wildflower seeds.
Small tools
6. A pocket folding knife (£8–£12)
Good for twine, cuttings and packets. Browse garden knives.
7. A reel of jute twine (£3–£6)
Gardeners go through twine all year. Browse twine.
8. Copper or slate plant labels (£5–£9)
Handy when you forget which sweet pea is which. Browse plant labels.
9. A hand weeder (£6–£10)
A narrow weeder or daisy grubber is a surprising favourite. Browse hand weeders.
10. Soft plant ties (£3–£6)
For dahlias, sweet peas and delphiniums. Browse plant ties.
For the gardener
11. A tin of hand balm (£5–£10)
Winter hands need it. Browse hand balm.
12. A lip and hand balm set (£5–£10)
Cold wind dries lips as much as hands. Browse balm sets.
13. Thin gardening gloves (£5–£10)
For sowing and pricking out. Browse thin gloves.
14. A small garden notebook (£4–£10)
For sowing dates. For a bigger gift, try my own Cottage Garden Notebook, and read keeping a cottage garden journal.
If the gardener in your life likes to plan the year ahead, my A Cottage Garden Year weekly planner for 2027 is a lovely bigger gift to tuck in beside the stocking: every week brings two gentle seasonal suggestions, one for the garden and one for the home, plus a line of garden lore. View it on Amazon UK.
A treat
15. Chocolate or local honey (£4–£8)
The gardener deserves a treat after a cold afternoon of digging.
Putting a stocking together
My rule: one useful thing, one pretty thing, one edible thing and one thing to look forward to. For a gardener that means twine or a tool, chocolate, hand balm and a packet of seeds for spring. For bigger presents, see gifts for gardeners under £25 and gifts for cottage gardeners UK. For a book lover, see my six cottage reads.
A last tip
Seed collections and hand creams sell out in the last week before Christmas, so buy in mid-November. Wrap seeds in a twist of brown paper with a handwritten label.
