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Plants Make Great Gifts

Plants make great gifts! Plants are all around us, but most people don’t think about how they can be used as a home decor piece or as a gift. Are you looking for a unique gift for someone that is hard to buy for? Do you need a special gift for a friend or family member that is going through a rough time? Need a unique housewarming gift? No matter what the need or occasion, giving a plant is the answer. Whether it’s for the indoors or outdoors, giving a plant as a gift is a gesture that will last.

Live plants make a house more livable both inside and outside, and can turn a house into a home. Giving a plant gift can be an expression of your (or the recipient’s) love for nature and nature-based décor. Live plants add life and color to any room they are placed in.

If you are thinking about giving a plant to someone special, this article is full of awesome ideas and some of the best plants to give. Whether you are purchasing for someone who knows a little or a lot about keeping plants alive, there is something here for everyone.

Image of beautiful houseplants

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Why Plants Make the Best Gifts

Plants and flowers can be a great gift for many reasons. Not only are plants cheerful and pretty to look at, they are also environmentally friendly and can help purify your home. Plus, it is the gift that keeps on giving, because many will last for years to come.

Many plants need very little care to keep them going which makes them perfect for those who want to enjoy their beauty, but do not have a green thumb or the time to take care of a live plant.

How to Choose the Right Plant or Flower for Gifting

When it comes to choosing which plant will work best as a gift, there are a few things that you will want to think about.

  1. Would the recipient prefer a houseplant or an outdoor plant? There are a variety of different plants you can gift, but knowing whether it will be placed indoors or outdoors is important when choosing which plant to give.
  2. Think about what type of gardening skills or green thumb skills they have. This will help you identify if you need a plant that takes little to no work or a plant that is for more advanced growers.
  3. Know their allergies. While it may be uncommon, some do have an allergy to certain types of plants. If you know of any plant allergies, be sure to steer clear of those plants. Although I personally love the smell of Easter lilies, many cannot tolerate them.
  4. Do they have pets? Some plants can be toxic to animals and if you are giving the gift of a plant, you want to be sure that plant will not harm any pets. If you are wondering which plants are toxic, the ASPCA has a detailed list of toxic and non-toxic plants you can reference.

Before purchasing a plant, do your research and think about the questions above so that you can give them the perfect plant.

Image of a hyacinth planter

Which Plants or Flowers Make the Best Gifts?

While any plant or flower that your gift recipient loves can make a great gift, there are a few plants that can make even better gifts.

  • An arrangement of spring bulbs or Easter lilies are readily available in the spring at most garden centers. Be sure to choose a planter where the plants are not in full bloom. That way it will last much longer. Once the flowers are done blooming, the recipient may be able to replant the bulbs in their garden.
  • If the person you’re buying for is a gardener, consider purchasing a plant for their garden. Hydrangeas come in an array of colors and make an excellent choice.
  • A pretty, outdoor flower pot for a porch.
  • Of course, houseplants always make great gifts. See below for lots of ideas.

Giving Plants as Christmas Gifts 

Do you ever have that one hard to buy for person on your Christmas list? You know, the one who has everything or the one who doesn’t seem to have much of a particular interest in anything?

For those who are difficult to buy for, why not choose a plant or flower to give them for the holidays. Plants and flowers also make a great gift for co-workers, teachers, and those who enjoy the beauty of nature.

Best Plants to Give for Christmas

Christmas Cactus – The Christmas Cactus is a succulent with beautiful red and white flowers that make their appearance in the winter. The flowering display is pretty impressive and can brighten anyone’s day, especially during the holidays. One of the best ways to present the Christmas Cactus as a gift is to plant it in a hanging container before giving it as a gift. This will allow the plant to grow and give it enough room for its limbs to drape giving the plant even more beauty.

Christmas Cactus

Poinsettias – Probably one of the plants that are most associated with the holidays, poinsettias are often a popular well-loved plant to give as a gift. Poinsettias come in many different colors and sizes. During the holidays you will see that many of those out are red or white. Often, many don’t keep poinsettias after the holidays, but they can typically live for years and do not take much work to care for. For those who have pets, poinsettias are a no no, so be sure to keep that in mind.

poinsettia

Amaryllis – This is another very popular plant around Christmas. Amaryllis plants are grown from bulbs that can be saved year after year. The huge flowers of an amaryllis are gorgeous and come in many different varieties. The fun thing about giving an amaryllis bulb is that the recipient can watch it grow and bloom. 

Image of a red amaryllis plant

Rosemary – You can find Rosemary plants at just about any florist, garden center or even the grocery store floral department. Around the holidays, you’re likely to find rosemary pruned into small tree shapes. The fragrance of rosemary is amazing. Plus, the recipient can use the plant for cooking.

Five Best Houseplants to Give as Gifts

Before we get to the list of houseplants, let me tell you why they make such great gifts. Coming from a complete gardening geek, there’s just nothing quite like being able to have a living, breathing plant indoors!  There are lots of health benefits for growing houseplants. When you’ve finished up here, pop over and check out this article, it’s quite interesting. 

The plants listed are all easy to care for and are easy to grow, so they are great for those who don’t have much experience growing plants indoors.

Pothos – A vine plant that is great for those who don’t necessarily have a green thumb or are just getting with caring for houseplants. Pothos come in an array of different varieties with variegated foliage. They can survive low light areas or bright spaces and do well in many different environments and can even be grown in water.

Image of a pothos plant

Palms – There are several different types of palms that work well as houseplants. Palm plants also come in a wide array of sizes. This is another plant that can survive some neglect, but will truly flourish if well cared for. Palms can make the perfect gift for those with busy schedules or those who don’t want to put in much effort when it comes to plants. They can be placed indoors for the cooler months and outdoors during the summer months. 

Image of a Palm houseplant

Snake Plant – One of the easiest plants to grow, the snake plant can make a great gift especially for those who do not have any experience with plants. Snake plants retain water well so you don’t have to worry about watering it every day and even though it prefers bright light, it can survive in shade or with artificial light making it easy to grow and take care of.

Image of a Snake Plant

Philodendrons are probably the easiest plants to grow and they come in many different varieties. They grow in medium light and they can even take a little neglect. It’s easy to look at a philodendron and tell if it needs water. Although easy to grow, philodendrons can be poisonous if eaten.

 

Spider Plant are also easy to grow and are a super fun plant. They work best as a hanging plant, or sitting on a pedestal. Did you know that you can clip the babies off spider plants and start a new plant from them.

Image of a spider plant

Check out these live houseplants that can be ordered and delivered right to your doorstep.

Plant Gifts for Children:

Plants can make good gifts for kids because it can help teach them about responsibility and other important lessons. Be sure the child is mature enough to take care of a plant, and choose a plant that is kid-friendly and not poisonous. Although plants aren’t typically a gift that you would think of giving to a child, it can help teach them a variety of different skills. For instance, as they take care of the plant, it might pique their interest in gardening. Children can also learn the basics about taking care of things when given a plant to care for. 

Some fun plants for kids:

  • venus fly trap
  • airplant
  • a simple indoor fairy garden with succulents (see below)

More Ideas for Giving Plants as Gifts

It’s easy to pick up a combination planter in any garden center, florist shop, or even the floral department at the grocery store. Many have flowering plants added to them.

DIY Succulent Planter

Succulent planters are really popular and very easy to care for. You can make a DIY succulent planter with just a few simple steps.

  • Select a container that has drainage in the bottom.
  • Add soil specifically designed for growing succulents. 
  • Add a variety of succulents. Pack the soil in around the roots and add more soil if necessary.
  • Once you have the succulents arranged the way you like, fill in the container with some shells or small rocks to complete the look.

Easy, peasy! Seriously, DIYs make the best gifts! Be sure to include care instructions. If you want more adorable succulent planter ideas, Trinity from The Succulent Sprint has some really creative ones in this post.

Image of a succulent planter

DIY Mason Jar Herb Garden

An herb garden also makes a really fun and creative gift, especially for someone who enjoys cooking with fresh herbs. Pop over and check out this tutorial post – DIY Mason Jar Herb Garden for step-by-step instructions on making one to give as a gift.

As an alternative to putting together an herb garden, consider an herb garden kit.

 
Here’s an inexpensive and heartfelt gift idea. Are you a gardener? Or, do you grow houseplants? Divide one of your plants, or take cuttings, and place it in a cute planter.  Be sure to include care instructions when giving a plant.

Flowers and plants will make a stand-out gift and something that the recipient can potentially enjoy for years to come. Plants make great gifts and we hope you’re leaving with some ideas come away with some ideas for giving a plant to a friend or loved one. Do you have any other ideas for giving plants that we didn’t cover here? If so, please leave a comment below.

Happy gardening,
Joanna

Our picks for Plants as Gifts (please note that it may not be a good idea to order plants online during winter months):

 

p.s. Follow Gingham Gardens on Pinterest for lots of great gardening ideas and tons of gardener’s eye candy. Save this post to your favorite gardening, fall or landscape board on Pinterest.

p.p.s. Gingham Gardens is also on Facebook. Stop by and say ‘hello.’ 

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Images of houseplants with text overlay - Plants Make Great Gifts

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One Comment

  1. Thanks, Joanna, for a great newsletter. I enjoyed the article about caring for amaryllis over the winter, and hopefully years to come. I’ve not had great success with this, so hoping this time around it goes better. And yes, my garden’s been put to bed and my bulbs were planted the day before Halloween. This year I had a garden helper, so things got done earlier and easier. Thank you again for some great reading, and wishing you and your family have a happy, healthy fall.

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