These are gifts that make life easier, such as slow release fertilizers, drip irrigation, automatic timers for outdoor landscape lighting, automatic watering timers, and containers, to name a few. For large containers, choose the new faux clay or terra cotta pots made of plastic. They look quite real and are popular because of their light weight. There are many other types of containers to choose from, especially at antique shops and craft shows, including old milk urns, sap buckets, woven twig baskets, and even old boots. They all make interesting gifts.
Most people just think of annual flowers for containers, but consider mixing it up.
Or, you might plant a container just of foliage plants. Keep it indoors this winter, then put out into the shade garden in summer.