As always around this time of year I am being asked to suggest Christmas presents for the outdoorsy types and keen gardeners.

A little ironic as I am probably the world’s worst shopper but I do love finding things that are ’fab’luss’ and will make people’s lives easier or happier. And that’s what happened last week, I have just discovered the absolutely brilliant ’complete growing system’ from Ergrownomics. Clever product, clever name. Ergrownomics is a father and son team, both with backgrounds in soil science and with positive and proactive attitudes. Their amazing ’grow-your-own-planter-system’ was inspired by ’a desire to let everybody enjoy the benefits of home-growing, wherever they lived, with whatever space they had.’ Some of you will all be aware of my passion for ’alittlements’ as forerunners to allotments. I hear from so many people who have just been overwhelmed by a full sized allotment or even a good sized and well-intended veggie patch at home. Well intended doesn’t automatically lead to well attended. It is a big commitment and there is so much more to growing your own than throwing some seeds at a patch of ground - no matter how good your intentions are.I always advise people to start small - even if it means using containers, because if you can’t keep those watered and cared for, then you are not going to stand a hope in Hell pitched against nature on an allotment. Lots of people have told me that they have heeded this advice and actually choose to stick with their containers, including veggies in the herbaceous borders and maybe just digging over a small patch in their garden for veg.. They are content to enjoy a bit of fresh produce from their garden rather than try to keep a family of four fed from their plot all year round. There are lots other options for that, like Farmer’s Markets and veggie boxes, for example. And now Ergrownomic’s growing systems will take the ’backache’ out of growing your own veggies and/or herbs in planters at home too. There are 60 possible ’bespoke’ combinations utilising the planters and their stands to provide the growing capacity and perfect working height for everyone. It is just the cleverest way to enjoy absolute success with a packet of seeds. There is a saying, "The healthiest way to gamble is with a trowel and a packet of seeds’, well I would say, Ergrownomics take the gambling element out of that process.They will provide you with the planters, supports, an irrigation system, drainage material, the soil (remember I said they were soil scientists - win win) and even advice and support - in fact all you need to get growing in any space you have - even on a balcony. They recently achieved a 5* award from Chelsea Flower Show but (possibly) more important than that, they are approachable, passionate and as well as having a great website, you can actually speak to Jamie. You know how much I like speaking to ’real’ people. There is currently a ’winter offer’ on their website and they have an ’ex-display and seconds’ section too. I think a bespoke ’planter package’ would make an excellent Christmas present for the enthusiastic (or dejected) gardener in your life, the wanna-get-growing gardener, for children, and the ’more mature’ - and just about everyone really. For more information visit www.ergrownomics.co.uk or call 07743 960564