All of a sudden summer is here and Christmas is around the corner! Read on for a few Christmas gift suggestions plus Tony's tips for a spectacular garden this month!
Acorn Nursery will be closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day. From all of us here at Acorn Nursery and The Oaks Cafe, we wish you a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year!
The Acorn Gift Guide
Food and Beverage Gifts
Barbeque Grill Master Collection - $55
What could be a better accompaniment to Christmas lunch than a selection of delicious mustards, chutneys and sauces? There's no need to choose just one with this gift!
Smokehouse Spice Pack - $45
Always have the exact right flavours on hand for cooking! Explore a world of spices through this one simple present.
Reusable Coffee Cup - $39.95
Stylish meets sustainability! These lightweight, insulated stainless steel reusable coffee cups will take your morning coffee to the next level.
A6 Memobottle - $45
With an elegant form and minimal appearance, the A6 memobottle will easily become part of your daily routine to stay healthy and hydrated. The award winning design slips easily into a handbag or backpack so you can take it anywhere!
Gardening Gifts
Niwaki Garden Shears - $199
The very best option for an all-round pair of garden shears – ideal for hedges, shrubs and topiary. Hard-wearing SK steel holds its edge and puts up with heavy use, while the white oak handles are the perfect length for everyday use.
Felco 2 - $149
Felco 2 secateurs are incredibly high-quality and sturdy. They are what we use here in the nursery and at home. The classic model Felco 2 has forged aluminium handles, hardened steal blades and can be easily adjusted. A well maintained pair of Felco 2 secateurs will last a very long time.
Kew Bee Pot - $65
Designed in the UK and bearing the seal of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, these hand crafted pots are of the highest standard. The unique shapes and colours make them the perfect showpiece outside or inside the home.
Sprout Goat Skin Gardening Gloves - $34.95
These premium goatskin garden gloves are super soft, stretchy and firm fitting so you can feel what you are touching. They make the perfect gift for yourself or the gardener in your life. One size fits most.
Gifts for Kids
Building Blocks - $51.95
A bucket of 50 colourful wooden building blocks is perfect for the toddler in your life. As well as having developmental benefits, this toy is crafted from sustainably sourced wood and presented in a beautiful gift box.
Cloud Weather Station - $54.95
Once used by seafarers to predict oncoming storms, this historical device responds to atmospheric fluctuations to forecast the weather! Great for kids and the young at heart alike!
Sun Hat - $39.95
Keep kids sun smart and adorable with a classic sun hat. It has a broad and well-structured brim and is rated UPF 50+ for maximised sun protection. A head tie creates adjustable sizing and the chin tie with toggle secures the hat for ease of wear.
Gifts to Wear or Carry
Large Pearl Hoops - $99
Our exclusive range of pearl jewellery combines sterling silver with the highest quality pearls from Lombok, Indonesia. Just the thing to elevate an outfit for Christmas!
Gold Tennis Necklace - $39.95
A timeless and elegant piece adorned with sparkling crystals. Crafted with precision and attention to detail, it adds an understated touch of glamour to any outfit, making it perfect for special occasions or everyday wear. Made from nickel free hypoallergenic brass plated with 18k gold.
Duck Head Umbrella - $69.96
A cute and quirky gift to keep up with the Melbourne weather. Made from recycled plastic bottles and sustainably sourced birch wood, it is compact and ideal to fit in a handbag. 
Elizabeth Tote Bag - $199
The ideal work or travel bag, you can fit everything in it! Made from genuine leather, it features several pockets, metal feet, and a zip top. Available in black, navy and tobacco colours.
Ruby Sports Cross Body Bag - $99
Mix up a look with interchangeable straps on this handy little bag. The perfect size to fit daily essentials and small enough to fit inside a larger tote when needed!
Gifts for the Home
Brass Tray - $250
This vintage brass tray is both gorgeous and useful. Crafted with meticulous detail, this tray showcases the lustrous beauty of brass, aged to perfection. It's more than a serving accessory—it's a work of art.
Marble Side Table - $695
This marble side table is a refined and luxurious addition to any living space. Its elegant design features a smooth, polished marble tabletop that showcases the natural beauty of the stone, with unique veining patterns that make each table one-of-a-kind.
Vintage Wooden Doors - $895
The uses for these doors are limited only by the imagination. Hang them as internal or sliding doors, use them as a headboard, a room divider or a wall art.
Powder Coated Chair - $375
Meet the epitome of outdoor comfort—a powder-coated chair designed for style and durability. With its sleek finish, this chair effortlessly withstands the elements, making it the perfect addition to an outdoor oasis.
Gifts for Relaxation
The Harmonious Set - $65
The perfect gift for anyone who needs a bit of pampering. These hand and body care formulations are designed to nurture and nourish. Vegan-friendly, cruelty-free and made in Australia.
White Musk and Warm Vanilla Candle - $49.95
Natural soy wax in a sophisticated art deco inspired cut glass vessel. The freshness of tropical citrus and leafy green notes create a warm, mossy floral heart that rests on a creamy base of sandalwood, Pacific vanilla, balsams and musk. Burns for up to 70 hours.
Gin & Tonic Soap Bar - $7.95
A thoughtful little gift that will remind you of a perfect summer day with fragrances of lemon, orange peel, juniper berries and a bittersweet base of cedar & vetiver. This soap is produced in Australia by dedicated artisan soap makers using the traditional French triple milling process. Enriched with pure organic shea butter, these bars will leave your skin soft and moisturised.
Tony's Tips
December 2023
Summer to me is all about colour! It is important to keep your plants hydrated so they can produce an abundance of flowers and fruit. I am just starting to pick tomatoes and basil and am enjoying the second flush of flowers on my roses. My Gardenias are flowering nicely and this proliferation of productivity must be sustained with regular feeding and watering.
Even more summer colour comes from Mandevillas, Bougainvilleas, Crepe Myrtles, Petunias, Impatiens, Calibrachoas, and summer-flowering perennials. One of the champion summer-flowering perennials is Agastache, a drought tolerant, upright growing, hardy and long flowering perennial in mostly pinks and blues.
Gauras, Salvias, Fuchsias and Clematis are particularly colourful now and through to late autumn. Clematis Jackmanni should be treated like a climbing rose–after each flush of flowers, prune back by a third and feed with a rose food to encourage new growth and more flowers.
Things to Do:
- Prune spring-flowering plants such as Star Jasmine, Roses and Winged Lavenders as they finish flowering to encourage the next flush of growth and flowers.
- Drought proof your garden and pots. Treat soil with Rapid Soak wetting agent to ensure water gets in and then use a good mulch to ensure it stays in!
- Feed fruiting veggies such as tomatoes, chillies, cucumbers and eggplant with a high potassium fertiliser to maximise production.
- Watch out for Lawn Beetle Grub in lawns, Azalea Lace Bug in Viburnum and Azaleas and Calypso beetle in Lilly Pillys. Eggs of all three were hatching through November and we’ve seen damage already.
- If you have a live Christmas tree, the foliage adapts to the indoors. After Christmas, it should be put out in the shade and watered daily until the foliage adapts to being outdoors.
