THE MODERN MINT BLOG
Need a gift for someone and they are just so difficult to buy for?
We all have a family member, friend or colleague like it – they give you no clues as to what they might like, no ideas for what they might need and appreciate, no signs for something that might just make them smile come Christmas.
They are, all in all, a difficult one to buy for.
This is where Modern Mint can come in and help you.
Gifts for Difficult People – wildlife/outdoorsy types
If they love nature and being outside, we definitely have ideas to help you here.
A small budget (around £5) can get you an eco-friendly bird feeder. This bird feeder is made from recycled plastic pots here in the UK, which means less plastic going to landfill. The product itself is sturdy and, though the photograph on the box suggests threading an apple onto the feeder, we like to think you will be more imaginative than that – try cheese, blueberries or even a Christmas Pudding – perhaps one you just don’t have the room to eat this festive season?
See the Eco Bird Feeder now.
(If you have pots to recycle, check here to see if a nursery or garden centre near you will take them.)
Seedballs – in different varieties – also cover the difficult Secret Santa / Stocking Filler / Small Budget yet a Decent Present area we have to work in.
Could this product help you with your difficult person to buy for?
Other Outdoorsy Gifts
Another recycled product we love is our gardening hat from Brazil.
But it could also be used for dog walking. As could our dog whistles, hand made here in the UK from off cuts of off cuts from forestry work.
Not only do they look amazing, they give a merry toot when blown to grab your hound’s attention.
Though we are aware it won’t work for every dog… (aka the Famous Fenton!)
Gifts for the Garden Lover
Here are unique and excellent presents for people who love their gardens. The first is the secateur and whetstone gift set.
These Japanese secateurs are amazing quality. The steel is so good and stays sharp a long time – then with the soft grit of this whetstone, it can be sharpened again to become factor quality keen all over again. This will be a very appreciated present…
As will our shears gift set.
Or our copper and bronze tools, hardworking and well-shaped trowels and hoes for proper gardeners. Not just pretty to look at, these fit beautifully in the hand and are sharp, so slice far more easily into the soil….
See all of our bronze tools.
Keep Warm & Well – Gifts for Those Who Need It!
Warm feet and moisturised hands. This is what you need if you are an outdoorsy type. These two gift sets should help you out of a tight spot, when you just don’t know what else a difficult person will appreciate…
Gardener’s Hand Cream Gift Set.
Need a Gift For Someone Who Likes A Night In?
You can’t go wrong with an embroidery kit, UK designed and made – you even get to practise on the bag before you start the actual design… how clever is that?
Or if they are something of a book worm, then we have these fantastic books by the earth friendly gardener – Digging Deep is pointed and, well, deep… while Eco Garden is inspiring!
Gifts for those who Like Beautiful Designs & Objects
Then it must be our Eco Clocks…
… and laptop brushes we present you with.
The Final Gift for Difficult People
Is our range for children. This starts with skipping ropes…
… but ends with catapults. A gift for the big kids out there.
Buy a catapult – or just enjoy a browse.
Michael Gibson, New York Topiary Art!
In the New York Times earlier this year was a lovely interview with Michael Gibson, who makes topiary and gardens in New York. The article is here but you may not have access… however, search the internet, find it and have a read. It is great! His philosophy of pruning is especially worth it… Sacred geometry in topiary? Yes please! What a phrase! I think (and speak) of balance, of major and minor, of leaf volume… but sacred geometry might well make it into my topiary teaching lexicon! And the idea of directional trimming? I realise I do this, but …
Topiary Library
I do a lot of teaching topiary. I had the opportunity from my mentor, Charlotte Molesworth, to work on her garden and experiment and test techniques and generally try making shapes without the worry of failure, or being fired, or being sued and run out of business for getting it wrong. This opportunity was essential (along with Charlotte’s insistance that pruning standards had to be high!) in becoming better at topiary. When I look around the world at our cultural vitamins, what we see in the media day in and day out, I see the stupidest and grossest of people …
Clipsham Yew Tree Avenue
With Chris Poole of the European Boxwood and Topiary Society we visited Clipsham Yew Tree Avenue in Rutland. Do you know it? Amazing place! Chris and I were teaching a topiary workshop in order to give local people the skills and technique, and tenacity! to help with the pruning of the avenue and elevate it to something even more special than it already is. Read more about the workshops here. We hope to run a further workshop in September 2026, as well as teach an advanced course too. Check the teaching page through the year as it will be updated …