How to: grow a gift

Growing gifts are great for gardeners. If you are stuck for ideas choose a living present that will continue to thrive beyond the chaos of Christmas.

Lovely lillies
November or Christmas lilies are the easiest! Lilies take 14 weeks from bulb to bloom. Give them morning sun, mulch and keep them just moist, not too wet or bulbs will rot.

Plant must-have herbs into pots for friends and family. Pot friendly herbs include parsley, chives, oregano, basil and coriander.

Plant a hippeastrum bulb into a pot. You can have a show of 2-4 giant trumpets in around 5 weeks so you can create a potted table decoration or gift blooming just in time for Christmas!  Available in tones from white, cream, lime through to pinks and reds along with many combinations of these tones and in double and miniature varieties. Pots 1 bulb per 18cm pot or 3 bulbs per 35cm pot. Plant with neck of bulb above ground. They prefer a bright, warm and sunny location and like watering once a week around the sides.  Spray with fungicide during wet, humid weather.  Hippies dislike overhead watering and strong winds while flowering.

Plant a strawberry pot. Delicious varieties include Strawberry Delight, which has sweet, medium-sized fruit from pretty pink flowers that can be shown off to best advantage in pots or hanging baskets. Excellent strawberry flavour! Use a strawberry pot or well-drained 30cm container in a full sun position for a harvest in 14-18 weeks. Ensure good drainage and start with plenty of organic matter or a complete fertiliser at recommended rates.

Colourful and indestructible, a red geranium will flower through Christmas and all summer long. There are brilliant colours available now and some have striking foliage as well as flowers. We like the red Piccolo geranium.