Plants as Christmas, Mother's Day and Valentine's Gifts
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Plants as Christmas, Mother's Day and Valentine's gifts
The seasonal gifting dates are when plants beat flowers most clearly. A bunch of roses is dead by the twentieth of February. An orchid bought on the same day is still flowering in May. Below is what to give at each date, and when to order so it arrives alive.
We don't sell plants - we make cards, pin badges and prints in house, printed in the UK. So this is a straight guide to the plant, and the card to send with it.
Christmas plants
- Poinsettia - the classic, but keep it away from draughts and never buy one that's been sitting by a shop door.
- Christmas cactus - flowers exactly when you need it to and lives for decades.
- Amaryllis bulb kit - it grows over December, which makes it a present and an activity.
- Rosemary trimmed into a cone - a Christmas tree shape that gets used in the kitchen afterwards.
- Paperwhite bulbs in a bowl - cheap, scented and they flower in about six weeks.
- Order by mid-December for UK delivery, and earlier for anything living sent to a home address.
Mother's Day plants
- Orchid - the standard Mother's Day plant and still the one that looks most like an occasion.
- Hydrangea - big, generous and it can go out in the garden afterwards.
- Lily of the valley or primroses - seasonal, and they suit a March date in the UK.
- Herb planter for the kitchen windowsill, for the practical mum.
- A rose bush for the garden, if she has one and uses it.
- UK Mother's Day falls in March, so order the week before - plant deliveries peak and slots go.
Valentine's plants
- String of hearts - the obvious pun and genuinely lovely.
- Red anthurium - heart-shaped, red, and it flowers for months.
- Miniature rose in a pot - lasts far longer than a bunch.
- A shared plant for the flat, which is a better joint present than it sounds.
- Order two or three days early - February the fourteenth is the worst delivery day of the year.
Easter and spring plants
- Potted daffodils and hyacinths - cheap, scented and completely seasonal.
- A primrose basket for a grandparent.
- Seed kits for children, as the non-chocolate Easter gift.
- Herb seedlings for anyone starting a garden in spring.
How to write it so it lands
- Buy poinsettias from inside the shop, never from the stand by the entrance - cold air ruins them.
- For any dated occasion, order the plant earlier than you would order flowers.
- Bulb kits make the best children's gift because they see something happen.
- Send the card separately if the plant is being delivered - couriers lose the message card.
Where to shop next
- Plant gifts UK
- What plant to give for each occasion
- How to wrap a plant as a gift
- Plants as a housewarming gift
- Plant meanings and symbolism
- Low maintenance plants to give
- Sympathy and memorial plants
- Pet safe plants for gifting
- How to keep a gifted plant alive
- Gift wrapping ideas
- All guides
- Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
- How to make a balloon arch
- Photo booth prop ideas
- Pin badges
Frequently asked questions
What plant should I give at Christmas?
A poinsettia, Christmas cactus or an amaryllis bulb kit. The bulb kit works best as a gift for children, since it grows visibly over the month.
What is the best Mother's Day plant?
An orchid if she wants something indoors, a hydrangea or rose if she has a garden. Both last far longer than a bouquet.
When should I order a plant for Valentine's Day?
Two or three days early. February the fourteenth is the busiest UK flower and plant delivery day of the year and slots sell out.
Do poinsettias survive past Christmas?
They can. Keep them away from draughts and cold shop doorways, water sparingly, and they'll hold their colour well into the new year.