Father’s Day is celebrated throughout the world and reminds us to take time out of our hectic lives to give thanks and spend time with the nation’s dads.

In its modern format it is a relatively new celebration dating back to the last century. However, it is recorded that the Romans honoured fathers, but those who were deceased. This is a day that urges us to honour our fathers, as well as being a time for reflection for others.

This anonymous quote draws an amusing and perhaps accurate comparison between horticulture and the art of being a good father,

“A man's children and his garden both reflect the amount of weeding done during the growing season.”

What better way to show your dad high esteem and affection than to spoil him rotten? Gardening is a hobby that can be followed and enjoyed by all, with rest and relaxation being an essential part of this hobby and lifestyle!

For dads who like to get stuck into their gardens, there are a range of power tools/toys that can be purchased, including the well-known hedge trimmer and lawnmower as well as the fun weed management device the flame weed killer!

Without wishing to stereotype further, perhaps your dad would like to have a go at growing his own beer, by cultivating a hops plant (Humulus lupulus), a novel take on the grow your own idea! For those that are tea-total, perhaps a Camellia sinensis plant would be more appropriate; the nation’s favourite hot beverage of tea comes from this plant! Maybe your Dad is a coffee drinker; if he has a conservatory or greenhouse then he may enjoy the challenge of growing his own coffee beans, so a Coffea arabica plant would be a good choice.

For the plantsman dad, an aptly named plant may be the perfect gift. The rose has been voted the official flower for Father’s Day, with the red rose being a time-honoured way of saying I love you. Rose, My Dad, has copious amounts of large red scented flowers and Rose, Father’s Love, is also red with a wonderful spicy fragrance. It is also worth searching online for a cultivated plant that goes by your father’s name such as Fuchsia David, or the climbing rose Adam, for that personalised gift.

A garden that does not encourage wildlife is surely missing something. Many of our native animal species are struggling, so a gift that promotes them in dad’s garden will bring him joy as well as helping with the conservation effort. Hedgehog houses, bug hotels and nesting boxes are just some of the ways that you can show your appreciation to your dad and he can sit and enjoy watching both flora and fauna in his sanctuary.

For those dads who enjoy spending time in their sheds, completing various important tasks, there are a multitude of gifts available, some declaring territorial boundaries and who may or may not enter! If you feel that your dad is deserving of an accolade you could buy him one of the popular signs in The Walled Gardens of Cannington’s Gift Shop, stating Garden Shed of the Year or Vegetable Plot of the Year!

Expanding on the theme of it being important to factor in time relaxing and enjoying the wonderful array of plants that nature brings us, is a gift that gets your dad exploring the many styles and designs of garden, may be right up his tree-lined street! The Walled Gardens of Cannington offers a season ticket, as do many of the fabulous gardens that are located in the southwest. The Walled Gardens of Cannington’s can be purchased online from the comfort of your armchair.