Father's Day is fast approaching, and with it that age-old question: what to give a dad who loves spending time in his garden? To celebrate gardener dads properly, nothing beats a carefully chosen gift that reflects their passion for gardening. Unusual plants, practical tools, well-thought-out accessories or nature-inspired decorative items: gift ideas are plentiful for Father's Day. Here are our favourites to delight every garden-loving dad.
Give rare plants for Father's Day
For a dad passionate about botany or simply curious about new things, giving a rare plant is both an original and meaningful gesture. Some uncommon species add a touch of originality to the garden while piquing the gardener's interest.
For shady gardens, consider Hosta with unusual and decorative foliage (notably Hosta 'Big Daddy' and why not 'Obi-One Kenobi' or 'Jurassic Park ®' for a cinema-loving dad?), ferns with unusual shapes (such as the original Dragon's-tail fern), or a Corydalis 'Craigton Blue' with delicate electric-blue flowers.
For sunny gardens, consider graphic Eryngium, warm-toned daylilies, or Kniphofia with blazing flower spikes. Some garden orchids tolerate sun and partial shade provided the soil stays cool and offer unusual flowering, perfect for summer borders. And don't forget roses for collector dads.
For a graphic effect, consider tree ferns, a Japanese dogwood for its striking blossom, an Aralia with divided leaves or a Japanese maple with changing colours. These plants are both attractive, long-lasting and often little-known, perfect for enriching the collection of an experienced or passionate gardener.
If your dad is more of a vegetable-garden enthusiast, consider perennial vegetables, still rare in our gardens, and dwarf fruit trees.
Choosing a plant suited to his garden is giving a living gift that grows, flowers and changes with the seasons… much more than a simple object, it's a lasting gesture.
Choose quality gardening tools as a gift
A well-chosen tool is a useful, durable gift that accompanies the gardener through the seasons. For a dad who likes to care for his plantings, a precision pruning shear, a forged spade or a Japanese hoe are safe bets. It's also the perfect opportunity to replace a worn or less ergonomic tool with a more comfortable and effective model, such as a aerating fork. Prefer tools with steel heads and wooden handles, both sturdy and pleasant to use. Today you can also find very beautiful garden tools, both aesthetic and technical, in copper or bronze.
You can also think of gardening accessories, such as a tool apron or a comfortable kneeling pad, which will make gardening easier for your dear dad. These are practical gifts designed to last and provide real comfort in the garden.
Gift an inspiring gardening book
Father's Day also coincides with the arrival of summer, and the heat that fills the garden often forces the gardener to rest. It's the ideal moment to give a gardening book to browse quietly in a shady spot, lying in a hammock or a deckchair while the garden breathes.
Some titles encourage reflection. For a dad keen to adapt his garden to the climate, All Plants That Tolerate Drought is a book that helps rethink the garden to make it more resilient to increasingly hot summers.
Other books offer regular guidance, such as the book The Garden Month by Month, which guides the gardener step by step with simple, practical advice, whatever the season.
These are lasting gifts that are kept, annotated and sometimes passed on. Gifting a book also gives time for oneself and inspiration.
Create a personalised garden gift box for Father's Day
A bespoke gift box is a thoughtful present, easy to create and personalise. It can revolve around a theme such as sowing pollinator-friendly flowers, vegetable-garden maintenance or plants useful to pollinators. You can tuck in a few plants, some packets of seeds, a comfortable pair of gardening gloves, a garden notebook, or even a book or a small illustrated guide. Add slate plant labels and a restorative hand cream for a thoughtful touch. It's also a lovely way to give several small useful items, neatly presented, for a gardening dad.
Gift an indoor plant
Not all dads have a garden, but that doesn't stop them having green fingers (or simply wanting to add greenery to their home). A well-chosen indoor plant can transform a corner of a room, a desk or a windowsill into a little island of nature.
Consider gifting an elegant fern, a Ficus with a graphic habit, or a Sansevieria, robust and easy to care for. For a more original effect, think of a Zamioculcas, an Asplenium nidus or a Calathea with decorative, moving foliage. Some dads will also appreciate a ready-to-place terrarium, a decorative mini greenhouse or a potted herb to keep near the kitchen. It's a simple way to bring a bit of nature indoors, even in an apartment, and to give a living, decorative and lasting gift.
Give a plantable seed card for a new dad
The idea is simple: make a card from paper or papier-mâché into which you mix some flower seeds or herb seeds. Decorate the card as you wish, with drawings or little messages for dad. Afterwards, the lucky recipient can cut out and plant the card in the ground or a pot. Once in place and well watered, the seeds germinate and flower, becoming a living memento of the shared moment.
It's a perfect gift idea for children who want to take part in their own way. The card can also accompany a plant or a tool. A small gesture that takes root in the heart as much as in the soil.
→ Find our detailed tutorial: "How to make a plantable card?".
And why not simply share a moment in the garden?
Sometimes the most beautiful gift you can give is time together. A morning hoeing side by side, an afternoon planting a new specimen together, sowing vegetable seeds or simply sipping a coffee on a bench while watching things grow. The garden is also a place of connection and passing on, a space where you can give your time, your presence, your memories. On Father's Day, a sincere gesture sometimes carries more weight than a perfect present.
The entire promesse de fleurs team wishes all dads a happy Father's Day!
Comments