I’ve recently been making gifts for friends rather than buying. My presents have included homemade chocolate truffles and bottles of sloe gin, wild plum gin and blackberry vodka. But I’ve also been collecting herbs, flowers and plants from my garden due to the book Gifts from the Garden by Debora Robertson. The author is a food writer and editor who has worked with RED magazine and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall at River Cottage.
I think there’s something rather special about giving a present as a thank you or for a birthday that I’ve grown, collected and made. More so because when I was little, and even in my teens, I always had to be creative and make presents for my mother and father. Sometimes I wrote a story, drew a picture or made a meal. They were gifts from the heart for my parents.
Gifts from the Garden not only has instructions and recipes for “100 gorgeous homegrown presents” but inspiration on how to wrap and present them.
My huge rosemary shrub now has many uses – not just as a flavouring for food or in butter like my recipe here. I also can make rosemary moisturising lotion, hair oil or toner. I have some beautiful small ceramic and glass jars. These now are perfect containers for lip balm or nail cream.
Gifts from the Garden has recipes in which I can use my dried rose petals and lavender. Herbs will be now be grown in tin cans and tea cups. Perhaps I’ll make a garland or make a different style of Christmas wreath after honing my skills at a winter workshop. Shall I make apple water for my face or toffee apples for my children?
The book is filled with edible delights, beauty products and beautiful ways to present flowers and plants to make and give as gifts. Every season I will be taking it off my bookshelf before roaming in my garden – or even the hedgerows nearby – as I seek treasures from nature to turn into presents for friends and family.
Gifts from the Garden is available on UK Amazon.
You can also order it from US Amazon.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This garden book I bought, use regularly and wanted to share with you.
That looks a fab book Kriss, and I’m loving your photographs in this post – gorgeous. This book is going on my birthday list (and no it’s not my birthday yet – but I do like to plan! 🙂 ) Thanks for linking up to #pocolo x
All fabulous and inspired ideas and I love the concept of making gifts from the garden. Thanks for sharing x
HI Kriss, homemade gifts are special. I am happy to see that my sixteen year old daughter and her friends put thought and effort into creating memory filled photograph albums for each other on their birthdays. I must check out this book as if she keeps it up she may give her this book in her Christmas stocking…
xx
I’m really pro homemade gifts again. How wonderful that your daughter and your friends have been doing that!
Sounds like a brilliant book. I’ve been thinking of making my own moisturiser etc and this would be perfect. Just need to grow the right things in the garden now!
I’m now planning to make some of my own beauty and bath products as there’s some great suggestions.