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Do you have a friend or family member that loves to garden?  Or are you lucky enough to have a garden or outdoor space? There is still much to do in the winter months preparing for the new season when you are looking to sow your new seeds and prepare for the spring bulbs and looking forward to a time when the sun is starting to shine and you can enjoy the warmer weather.

From pruning shrubs, weeding and preparing soil then there's leaf clearing after the autumn drop.  Winter is an ideal time to plan your scheme for the months ahead. 

Here at Ooh we love the garden and have a range of beautiful gardener gift boxes to suit any garden.  With seeds that bring flowers to attract Bees, Butterflies and Hedgehogs and a winter branded selection of all white flowers that love shade, perfect as a Christmas gift for your green fingered friend.  We also like to offer help and have created a checklist of jobs to consider in the quieter months before the flowers bloom.

Plant Regeneration

Trim back hedges and shrubs to avoid those ugly woody stems that develop over the years.  Prune back old stems to encourage new shoots in the spring.

Roses are an example of a plant that benefits from regeneration (but not all roses).

Winter Tip: When all the leaves have fallen make time to clear unwanted or poorly looking plants and feed the soil.  It might be a good time to plan your display for spring on this new blank canvas?

Did you know? All wild nesting birds are protected by law. These means that you cannot deliberately disturb a wild birds nest between 1st March and 31st July. For many woody plants, winter is the best time for pruning and it avoids disturbing wild bird nests.

Know your plant before you prune!  Different trees, shrubs and climbers all have different needs and at different times of the year:
Winter pruning often involves cutting back woody growth and therefore takes longer and results in large amounts of cuttings. By getting these jobs out of the way in the off season you’ll be free to concentrate on the planting and maintenance in the spring and summer.  Your garden will look better and you’ve spread the workload and cost over the year.

General Tidy Up. British winters can be cold, windy and frosty but we can also get quite warm spells too and weeds will continue to grow during a mild winter. By clearing the debris of leaves and broken and damaged plants you will improve the look and well-being of the garden. Good garden hygiene also helps to reduce diseases. Sweep away leaves and moss from paths and hard ground.  Leaves will fertilise weeds allowing them to establish themselves in cracks and paths.  Regular weeding means less weeding.

Winter Planting. Some plants (like roses) lie dormant in the winter and so can be moved.  As long as the soil is not frozen or waterlogged, these dormant plants can be planted before they 'wake-up' in the spring.

Bulbs such as crocus, tulips and iris are often planted in late autumn. Herbaceous plants (Daffodils, cyclamen and periwinkle) are often divided and replanted in early spring depending on your local climate.

Only heavy frost and snow will stop a keen gardener!

Soil Preparation

Winter is a good time to re-design ready for spring.  If you want to add a new border, feel free to leave the soil in clumps as the cold, wet and frost will help to break it down naturally, it will also kill off any pests by exposing them to natural predators such as birds and the hedgehogs you’ll attract using the seeds from the Spring Seeds Gift Box.  The same rules apply to any vegetable plots.

Is your lawn a state? Often if you have pets and/or kids your lawn area will take a hammering over summer and so the winter is a good time to remove sections of turf, add/remove soil and relay. Lawns can be reseeded and grass grows if the temperature is above 5 degrees.

Landscaping Repairs

Now that you can see your garden in its bare bones, what repairs are needed?

- Repair any leaks on sheds and greenhouses

- Invest in a water butt

- Create or purchase a compost bin

- Repair and paint fences and furniture

- Repair any loose paving slabs

- Pressure wash paths and patios

- Build or buy a bug hotel

Being outdoors is great for your physical and mental well-being, and come spring when you see the fruits of your winter labours you’ll be so glad you put the effort in now.

If you are looking for Garden Gifts then check out our range in the shop xxx

Enjoy x

We all need a little smile or a pick-me-up every so often.  Smiles come from different places and happen for many reasons.  A smile may come from somebody smiling at you - and you smiling back at them, receiving good news or even a lovely gift.  Whatever the reason, a smile is a good tonic and if a smile was a colour it would be yellow.

So, why yellow?

Yellow is the (perceived) colour of the Sun, provider of life to Earth and general picker-upper.  Without the lovely sun, Earth would be a lifeless lump of ice and let’s face it, when it’s out there are lots of people smiling!  So, it’s no surprise that the colour yellow symbolises warmth, happiness, optimism, inspiration and creativity.  As an added bonus, it can even stimulates the nervous system.

Yellow is also a colour often associated with bumble bees and it’s no surprise, not only because of their stripes, but the job they do (which is actually quite remarkable).  Why?  Like the sun, these guys are also important to life on Earth.  To be more specific, according to the WWF, a whopping 75% of leading global crops and 90% of wild plants are dependent on the pollination that bees provide.  Also, did you know that our lovely pollinators are responsible for providing one out of every three mouthfuls of food too?  So basically heroes, then.

A true creature of optimism, bees are often associated with messages of cheer and it’s not unusual to send a bee happy gift box as a gift to a friend in need of a smile!  Here at Ooh Box, we’re always looking for ways to make people smile, otherwise, what’s gifting for?  We’re hoping we can give a gift which reaches out in two ways, with the introduction of our bee gift box, “For my Bee-loved”.

Sure to give a warm buzz, this thoughtful bumble bee gift box contains a Needle Felt Bee Hive from Crafty Kit Co, a much needed distraction from life’s challenges and perfect for those moments of mindfulness.  What’s more, once made, this delightful little hive can be proudly displayed homes.  For refreshments along the creative journey included is a cheerful (and very tasty) salted caramel chocolate bar and a rather cheerful drinking vessel!

And for our pollinators?  Setting the Bee Hotel up in a garden or on a balcony provides shelter and much needed rest for solitary bees bumbling along on their travels.  It also provides an area of interest (and comes in a lovely, cheery shade of yellow, of course!). To attract those bees, we have included a tin of Bee Mix by Seedball.  A mixture of native wildflowers, each seed ball includes seeds from a mix of Birdsfoot Trefoil, Foxglove, Red Clover, Viper’s Bugloss and Wild Marjoram – all recommended as bee-friendly plants by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust.  A tasty treat for bees indeed.

With food and shelter provided for the bees, there’s one more thing more to take care of - their wellbeing.  At times, bees need a pick-me-up too.  The Beevive Bee Revival Kit, included, will take care of that!  The idea for this inspirational little life-saver came from no less than a chance encounter with a tired bee by the founders, who carried him to the nearest cafe, where they fed him sugared water from a teaspoon…setting him off on his journey once more!

This tiny device is on a keychain, which can be fixed easily to a backpack or existing keychain when on your travels.  Inside a strong aluminium chamber sits a glass, corked bottle containing a magical mixture of ambrosia bee food syrup mixed to the perfect formula for your rescues!

Now you see how easy it is to pass on that smile…

Since the first airing of The Great British Bake Off in 2010, Britain has seen a surge in amateur enthusiasts of this (rather messy) hobby.  Messy it might be, but forget that!  Baking is incredibly fun too.

During the happiest times of our childhoods, play was messy, building mud kitchens, digging for worms - messy was fun.  Most remember baking with parents/grandparents with absolutely no mess to clean up… just the spoons - yummy!

When you get older, the mess is yours to claim.  The less of it, the better, eh?  In baking these days, there are so many gadgets to make life easier (and cleaner).  Our baking gift box set contains items which certainly make life easier… but, sorry, no promises on the cleaning!

So, how do you lay your claim on Domestic Genius status?

Invest in a stand mixer.  For a busy day of baking, a stand mixer is the ultimate kitchen buddy, making lighter (and less messy) work of mixing, kneading, whisking, everything!  For those things a stand mixer can’t already do, the chances are, you can buy attachments, such as pasta rollers, graters, choppers, mincers, etc.  Aside from being incredibly easy to clean (yes, they really are), stand mixers are also available to suit all budgets and tastes.

Invest in a Baking Mat.  The unsung hero of cleanliness, baking mats are usually made of silicone, a much more sea-friendly option than plastic (silica, it’s main ingredient, is actually found in sand).  The silicone material is fantastic for baking, keeping work surfaces clean, it’s more hygienic to use and can be easily washed in the sink, rolled up and packed away in a drawer once used.  A great worktop saver - especially when using flour.

It’s OK to make mistakes.  That’s what makes you better at what you do.  Mistakes in baking are something you learn from and don’t mean that you’re bad it it!  Being experimental with your baking and going off recipe every so often, really doesn’t do any harm at all too, and can produce some amazing results!  There are tons of well-reviewed recipes readily available online - why not adapt them to suit your own tastes?

Clean as you go along.  Free your time by cleaning up when your stand mixer is busy, or waiting for dough to rise, etc., and be prepared for battle with the next lot of dirty dishes - show them who’s boss!

Choose the right tools.  Start off on the right foot and at the very least have the most basic baking tools readily available.  Looking for baking gift ideas?  Check out our Baking Day Gift Box, equipped with those “forgotten about”, but valuable kitchen buddies.  With FSC approved wooden baking accessories, along with other essentials, such as matching apron and pot holder, ceramic measuring cups, mini whisk, cake tester and icing pen - not only is this baking gift box functional, but stylish too, with a nod towards vintage chic!

Bookmark those recipes!  If you find a good recipe, get organised!  Bookmark on your computer or tablet or invest in a recipe folder or book to store it for keeps.  For a touch of luxury to your baking essentials, why not try our Desk Mate, containing a luxurious Cross Notebook and Pen set in quality white leather, and embossed with a message of inspiration?  Also included is an elegant white water bottle for hydration, along withheld sanitiser and a wonderfully handy desk pad with sticky markers - handy for finding those pages in your new recipe book!  The gift box itself can double as storage too.

Now here’s the best bit.  Studies have proven that taking up baking as a hobby can alleviate stress and generally improve moods - perfect for those Mindful moments.  In the crazy world we live in today, it’s great to have such fun distractions - especially when there’s something tasty at the end!

Whatever you bake, however messy it gets, enjoy the journey!