Well, it’s that time of year again when you are making those Christmas lists but dreading the traffic as you travel from mall to mall or store to store in order to find those perfect gifts for your loved ones. A better choice might be to check out the plants and giftware at one convenient location, Amsterdam Garden Centre in scenic Pitt Meadows. By way of a small incentive, here are ten great options among the hundreds available, waiting for you to discover in person.
For the Traditional Gardener
Traditional gardeners like things just the way they are and one plant that has been a long-established seasonal gift is Helleborus niger or Christmas rose. This evergreen perennial sports pristine white blooms this time of year and can be brought indoors for up to 2-4 weeks, provided it is kept away from heat sources. It also makes a unique hostess gift that can be planted in partial shade and at USDA zone 3, it is quite cold hardy.
(📸 MK Lascelle)
For Mother Nature
Things have not been easy for Mother Nature of late, between extreme weather, environmental damage and ongoing air pollution, it has been quite the rough ride. One way you can make gardens a better habitat for beneficial pollinators is by giving a Bee & Insect Hotel to friends or family who share your concern for the state of the world. Made of all- natural wood and cardboard tubing, this inn is bound to attract mason and leafcutter bees, as well as Ladybugs, who hibernate during the winter months.
(📸 MK Lascelle)
For the Front Door
Nothing says welcome to our home better than a custom-made living wreath from Amsterdam Garden Centre. We have a wide selection of colour themes available, all made with real Fir, Cedar, Huckleberry, Eucalyptus, Magnolia and Holly, many accented with brass bells, ribbon, cinnamon sticks or other seasonal décor. If you can’t find what you are looking for, just talk to Candice and she will custom design one just for you.
(📸 MK Lascelle)
For the Cat Lover
We have a great selection of colourful front door mats, but this cat-themed one seems to catch the eye of Magnolia (or Maggie), one of Amsterdam’s newest kittens. Of course, we are not biased against dogs, birds or mildly sarcastic slogans – all of which are well represented in our mat section. Although the bonus here for cats in particular is that these thick Coco doormats also make for some great scratching.
(📸 MK Lascelle)
For our Children
Anytime we can encourage future young gardeners, we are making the world a better place. So, consider offering those budding horticulturists some cute gloves or maybe a kid-sized set of gardening tools. If you are a really sly grandparent, maybe consider teaching yours that weeding is the pinnacle of being a green thumb, as they probably won’t catch on until they’re about eight or nine years old, at which time payment will be due.
(📸 MK Lascelle)
For the Consummate Pruner
Do you have a friend or significant other (usually a man) whose sole pruning tool is a chainsaw and who always insists on a ‘thorough’ hack job. Then slow them down with a quality Felco hand pruner or secateurs, which will allow them to ponder between every pruning cut. Not only will this Swiss made tool last them a lifetime (with every part replaceable), but your shrubs will also appreciate not being butchered every year.
(📸 MK Lascelle)
For the Gardener’s Christmas Tree
Gardeners who are stuck in the house during the cold winter season still appreciate a reminder of their favourite hobby, and botanical or garden-themed ornaments are a small but thoughtful gift. I have a burgundy-ribboned brass watering can ornament given to me by a grateful design customer over twenty years ago that still finds a place on my tree every year. So, whether it’s this lovely mushroom cloche or a tiny greenhouse ornament, they are bound to put a smile on your loved one’s face.
(📸 MK Lascelle)
For the Patio Planter
Here’s something you don’t see everyday, a custom-made artificial Christmas tree created from real branches for an authentic look. Teresa decorates these with perfect seasonal accents of berries, pinecones and ornaments so you don’t have to worry about jazzing them up. They also come in their own pot, so all you have to do is bring them home, place them by the front door, on the patio or up on the deck and take all the credit.
(📸 MK Lascelle)
For the Hummingbirds
Anna’s Hummingbirds have been overwintering in British Columbia’s lower mainland for well over 50 years now, choosing to do so after finding an ample supply of feeders and winter-flowering plants, which haven’t always been available in the past. So, we are essentially responsible for them extending their northern winter range. These agile birds will often sneak into the garden centre store, foraging Christmas cactus and poinsettias, but you can make life better for them in the great outdoors by gifting a heated feeder, which won’t ice up when the temperature drops below freezing.
(📸 MK Lascelle)
For the Undecided
If you are stuck trying to find a gift for someone who is either very particular about what they like (which includes myself) or who always says when asked about what they might want, don’t bother…I don’t need anything anyways but doesn’t really mean it, then consider the simple peace of mind a gift card provides. You are neither dictating their tastes or overlooking them, and as you can see from the above choices, there’s something for everyone at Amsterdam Garden Centre.
(📸 MK Lascelle)
Copyright 2025 MK Lascelle
