WE all know how commercialised advent calendars have become over the last few years; what used to be beautiful Christmas scenes to lovingly place amidst the tinsel, are often now nothing more than bleak brand promotion.
If like me, you leave it until supermarket closing time on November 31 to dash around in a sweaty panic, chances are you’ll be left with a costly giant chocolate advert to stare at over your cornflakes, while your children stuff their faces with ‘breakfast pudding’.
But, luckily, times they are a changing and finally a bit of gardening love is making it to the Christmas build-up.
The swanky Urban Botanist's limited edition Plant Advent Calendar, including a DIY terrarium and mossarium amongst the astonishing offerings, will set you back an eye-watering £179.
Whereas, at the other end of the scale, you’ve got Sainsbury’s seed advent calendar at a much more affordable £20.
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But what else is there out there for the discerning Gardener in your life who has everything?
Here at Sun Shopping, we’ve scoured the internet for some sparks of joy, ripping apart the boxes to find out what's going on behind the scenes.
So sit back, make sure no one's watching as you break open the Christmas chocolate early and let us help plant the seeds of your imagination…..
Own Grown
- Seed Advent Calendar - ‘Flowers’ - by Own Grown £19.97 - buy here
The advent calendar I received from Own Grown comes in a lovely blue and white, florally-designed cardboard box. When you shake out the contents, you have 24 luxurious envelopes with each day’s number printed on them.
It's a collection of 24 packets of premium heirloom seeds, which means they have unique and special characteristics that growers have passed down through generations. Included in these bundles of joy are several different kinds of Sunflowers, all with instructions on the back. But they also have fruit and veg calendars on offer too.
Beware, 24 envelopes hung by lovely little pegs on plastic-free string take up a lot of room, so make sure the person you’re buying for has enough space.
But if they do, this is a lovely gift for the more traditional gardener in your life.
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Border in a box
- Border in a box advent calendar £49.99 - buy here
This is the most festive-looking hanging advent calendar that we came across. And, although it's £49.99, there’s a real sense of joy about it.
It has 24 envelopes that come in red and green Christmassy colours with a nice green string and white pegs. Unlike the previous offering, this comes with all sorts of fun gifts for those just starting out.
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Not only are there seeds, but there are plant markers, recipe cards, a tape measure and a really sweet notebook.
The absolute winner though, is the seeds to plant your own Christmas tree, giving you joy for years to come.
Make sure you’ve got enough space to hang it, though; it comes in at three metres. But, as they suggest, you can always put the envelopes in a basket, which won't detract from the fun at all.
Sainsbury's
- Christmas Seed Advent Calendar, £20 - buy here
This lovely seed advent calendar from Sainsbury's is definitely worth a look - at just £20 a pop.
A classic, colourful behind-the-doors, it's got 24 packs of fruit, vegetables and flowers and its vibrant flowery style means it will look merry and bright on any shelf.
Helpfully, it comes with a seed tray, peat-free coco discs, a wooden spoon and a seed planting planner, giving you everything you need to get growing at exactly the right time.
There are even how-to instructions on the back, so its perfect for any gardener, whatever their level. A lovely buy.
Moments in Bloom
- A Gardeners Year, Moments in Bloom, £7.99 - buy here
This is much more your standard advent calendar, with doors to open over the month of December. You could gift it at any time of the year really as it's not advent specific, but it’s 12 door set lends itself much more to the festive season..
Behind each opening is a little pack of loveliness best suited to the months you open - ie, March to June has a pack of poppies hiding away, but others have little plastic pots with coir and a sachet, a wildflower carpet or seed bombs.
Definitely one for the gardeners in your life; it will bring year-round blooms to grow in Winter, Spring and Summer.
Border in a Box
- Border in a box Grow Your Own Garden Wall Calendar 2024, £29.99 - buy here
You could easily pass this off as a late December advent calendar and set it up for the garden lover in your life for the last 12 days. You could write your own numbers on the stunning selection of seed envelopes, arrange them beautifully in a basket or it will make a really good gift.
It comes with a simple guide to your first garden, with help on design, light and shade, protection, wildlife, pests and loads of top tips to get things going.
The one I received was a Grow Your Own Cottage Garden, but they also have eight other designs to choose from: sunny, shady, evergreen, clay soil, contemporary, well-being, and butterflies and bees.
There’s also a handy planting plan; perfect for those starting out, as it's always difficult to work out where to plant everything in your outdoor space.
Remember that pots and window balconies will take flowers just as well as gardens, so this could be for anyone keen to improve their horticultural knowledge, or just look at pretty flowers through the window.
Two other calendars worth checking out, but not reviewed by us, include…
Little Trees, Bees and Seeds Gardening Company
The Grow Your Own Advent calendar by Little Trees, Bees and Seeds Gardening Company, £19.98 - buy here
This features 25 different varieties of vegetables, herbs and salad seeds that can be grown year-round to create your very own kitchen garden. It comes with envelopes, pegs and string to hang anywhere that suits.
Topline
- The Seeds Advent Calendar by Topline, £25.95 - buy here
This is a super-traditional ‘behind-the-doors’ calendar, with an assortment of vegetable, herb and flower seeds with a greenhouse grow kit. And there’s even a jolly Santa on the front; a perfect early Christmas gift.
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