Floral scarves for gardeners: how to choose one that gets worn
A floral scarf is the most useful thing in a gardener's wardrobe that nobody thinks of as gardening kit. It takes the chill off a seven o'clock start, tucks into a pocket when the sun comes round, and keeps the wind off the back of your neck while you are bent over a border. It also happens to solve the hardest problem in gift buying, which is sizing.
The question is not whether a scarf is a good idea. It is whether the one you choose gets worn, or gets folded into a drawer marked "too nice for the garden".
- What a scarf actually does in the garden
- Choosing the palette and the print
- Five POM scarves we stock
- Styling it through the year
- Making it a gift
- Frequently asked questions
What a scarf actually does in the garden
British gardening weather does not commit. A March morning can start at four degrees and be shirtsleeves by eleven, which is why a layer you can take off and stuff in a pocket beats a layer you have to carry.
There is a second, less obvious job. Standing still is colder than digging, and a lot of gardening is standing still: sowing, tying in, deciding where something goes. A scarf holds warmth at the neck when the rest of you has stopped generating any.
And then there is the plain fact that it looks like you made an effort, which matters when you have popped out to the shop straight from the compost heap.
Choosing the palette and the print
Look at their coat, not their party clothes. Whatever they wear over the top of everything else is what the scarf has to live with.
- Navy, grey or beige outerwear: softer botanicals and seaside tones sit comfortably against it, and get worn far more often than a statement print.
- Someone who already wears colour: go brighter. Turquoise, coral and yellow will not frighten them.
- Genuinely unsure: pick a neutral base with a few bright accents in the print. It works both ways.
Print is personality rather than practicality. Daisies read cheerful and open. Botanical swirls are calmer and more classic, the wardrobe equivalent of a well-planned herb bed. Metallic florals catch the light, which is why they earn their keep in winter when everything else is dark.
The same principle as planting a border, really. One bright patch makes everything around it look better, and three bright patches make a mess.
Five POM scarves we stock
POM stands for Peace Of Mind, and their designs are made to be worn rather than saved. These five cover the range from cheerful to calm.
- Pink Jade Daisy Print. The friendliest of the lot, and the safest choice if you are buying for someone whose taste you are guessing at.
- Yellow Blue Daisy Print. Same open, optimistic feel in a brighter pairing. Good against denim.
- White Silky Botanical Print. The quiet one. A light base that works with beige knits, denim and dark coats alike, and looks refined without looking formal.
- Turquoise Lilac Floral Print. For someone who is not shy about colour. It reads strongly against navy or charcoal outerwear.
- Coral Recycled Metallic Flower Print. A little shimmer, and made with recycled yarn, which matters to most gardeners. Coral is warmer than it sounds and sits well with neutrals.
All five are in our scarves collection, along with the rest of the POM range.
Styling it through the year
The reason a scarf gets worn is that it moves. Coat in March, cardigan in June, bag handle in August, wool coat again by October.
In spring, a fresh print over a trench or a gilet is enough while you are sowing and checking for new shoots. In summer the scarf comes off the neck entirely: tied in the hair it keeps flyaway strands out of your face while deadheading, which is the single most practical use on this page. Autumn and winter is where the bright prints do their work, lifting a dark coat while you are cutting back and clearing beds.
The rule throughout is to pair a printed scarf with plain textures. Denim, wool, cotton. Let one thing be the pattern.
Making it a gift
A scarf wraps flat and posts cheaply, which is half the appeal. A neat fold, a ribbon and a tag is enough presentation.
If you want to build it out, a scarf sits well alongside a hand cream for after the digging, a packet of seeds, or something from the wildlife range for anyone who watches the feeder more than the telly. The rest of our gardening gifts work on the same principle, and there is more on choosing for a gardener who owns everything in this piece.
The most common mistake is buying the print you like. Start with the colours they already wear, and work from there. If you want a second opinion on tying it, Vogue has a decent guide to the standard knots.
Frequently asked questions
What is a gardening scarf?
There is no such thing as a dedicated gardening scarf, and anything sold as one is usually an ordinary scarf with a higher price. What works in the garden is a lightweight scarf you do not mind wearing outdoors: something washable, light enough to pocket when the day warms up, and in a colour that will not show every mark. Silky and recycled yarn scarves suit this well because they pack down small. Save heavy wool for the school run and keep the packable one by the back door.
Will a floral scarf look too busy?
Only if it has to compete. A floral scarf is an all-over print, so it works best against block colours and plain textures: a single colour jumper, a simple coat, and accessories that stay quiet. Worn over a patterned blouse or a checked coat it becomes noise. If the scarf is the brightest thing you have on, that is the correct outcome rather than a problem. The rule is one pattern at a time, and let it be this one.
Which floral scarf colours are easiest to wear every day?
Neutral bases with floral accents. Cream, navy and soft grey grounds go with almost any coat, so they get reached for repeatedly rather than saved for particular outfits. Statement shades such as turquoise, coral and sunny yellow are for people who already enjoy wearing colour, and they are wonderful on those people and awkward on everyone else. If you are buying for someone else and genuinely cannot tell, choose a print that carries both: a calm base with bright blooms through it.
Is it safe to wear a scarf while gardening?
For hand tools, planting and general work, yes. Take it off before using anything with a motor. Shredders, strimmers, hedge trimmers and mowers can catch loose fabric, and a scarf around the neck is exactly the wrong thing to have near a rotating mechanism. The same applies to long hair and loose sleeves. If you want the scarf on while doing that kind of work, tie it in your hair instead, well clear of the machine.
Is a scarf a good gift if you do not know their size?
It is one of the best, for exactly that reason. A scarf has no sizing at all, so it removes the guesswork that makes buying clothes as a present so uncomfortable. It also suits a wide age range, works across seasons, and can be worn several different ways, so the recipient can make it their own. Practically, it folds flat, wraps easily and posts for very little, which makes it a sensible choice for someone at a distance.
Written by David Hurrion
David Hurrion is a trained horticulturist, teacher and journalist who has worked on nurseries, taught at colleges, and edited some of the nation's leading gardening magazines. He chooses everything Norman & Vera stocks, and makes practical gardening videos for BBC Gardeners' World Magazine.