60th birthday present ideas for a dear friend

Your description is rather like my friend, and the special present I bought for her was a Sussex trug with a few garden treats in there. She was thrilled with it, and I then bought myself one, which I use for loads of purposes as well as bringing in fruit and veg from the garden. It's my fruit bowl at the moment. I can pm the email address if interested - 2-3 day delivery. The maker will even repair his trugs if theyget worn down underneath - they are becoming collectors' items now.

We have had a lot of big birthdays lately and I have bought :- digital photo frame, digital camera, white gold necklace, spa day vouchers, a weekend break in a hotel and various beauty products. If gadgets etc. don't appeal how about a magazine subscription or National trust ?

Do you have photo's of your friend taken throughout your friendship? If so, you can turn them into a personalised book - complete with captions if wished. One of my friends did this for us as our Silver Wedding gift and it's priceless. Click here for an example. You can scan and save old photo's into your computer and then upload them.
For my in-laws who have as much 'stuff' as they want/need I always try to create a memory by going away together for an outing/holiday. Maybe to the theatre or to a special event. For FIL's 70th we scrimped and saved to take him and MIL to Geneva for a long weekend - a lovely memory that he speaks of with great fondness.
I hope you find something truly special anyway and I'm sure your friend will appreciate your thoughtfulness.

something already potted for the garden like a fig or olive tree perhap?

A piece of nice jewellery, handbag, subscription, accessories (scarf, gloves), picture frame, something for the garden (birdbath, plants etc). Always easier when there are 2 of you contributing. Good luck!

What about a day trip out for the 3 of you but you pay for your friend, go shopping, have a nice lunch out followed by a theatre/cinema trip.

Magazine subscription ( they in effect get a gift every month)? Special rose, there are usually ones named for most anniversaries or events (There is a one called "Congratulations") you could always add a bag of manure for the planting!

Some great ideas already. We had this problem for a friend "who has everything" - so we made out Charities Aid cheque for £60 and asked him to choose his own worthy cause. Now that we are both retired it probably wouldn't be £60 but the principle would stay the same. For a girlfriend I like the idea of a "day out" or a treat to be enjoyed with someone dear to her - preferably oneself.

My friend bought me a 'plant a tree' for my 60th from the Woodland Trust. You can go along on a booked day and plant it yourself, or you can just ask the Woodland Trust to do it for you.

One of my favourite gifts from a dear friend at Christmas was a framed photograph of a loo in Burundi which my friend had paid for and 'twinned' with mine. It's a great idea for someone who isn't needing anything for themselves or enjoys the thought of giving; it even has the co-ordinates of the actual loo in case you ever want to visit it.

How about a sundial? Lakeland do a very nice slate one.Or a sbscription to the new-look Lady magazine? Hope this isn't advertising only there are times when you have to be specific.

Thank you so much for all the lovely ideas. Sorry I didn't feed back my appreciation sooner but I have had a few extremely busy days at work (and am there now, so can't linger!). You have all given me lots of food for thought. Carol please do pm me the email address for the Sussex trug - I am sure this would make a fantastic present for several friends! and grannyactivist I also like the idea of the personalised book, not to mention the 'twinned' loo!

Lovely ideas from all of you, thank you, and I will update you all when I decide what to get