Edible garden: Christmas gifts

Potted herbs could spice up the season as a gift worth giving. Photo / Thinkstock

Plan now for perfect festive garden gifts, says Janice Marriott.

Plan ahead to have edible Christmas gifts ready in time.

Buy herbs now and plant them up in attractive pots. Water well and they'll look great for Christmas giving. How about planting lots of seedling lettuces of different types in a large pot or even in a salad bowl (line it with plastic wrap)? Present it with a bottle of perfect New Zealand olive oil.

The Company Shed is one of many online mail order companies that have inexpensive and original Christmas gifts. I like the Tin 'o' Twine, wooden plant labels, compost scoops, and the biodegradable jute sacks for collecting and composting autumn leaves. See thecompanyshed.co.nz

Kings Seeds have gift pack selections under "Shop Online" on the home page of their website. Choose 10 packets of either organic or gourmet veges, herbs or microgreens.

Give each of the kids in the family a pumpkin in a pot, with instructions, and see who can grow the largest one. Or give office-workers or apartment-dwellers a bokashi compost system that gets rid of kitchen waste.

For that big present, how about a New Zealand-made Winter Gardenz polycarbonate greenhouse with ventilation, insulation and guttering?