Living Gifts for Valentine’s Day

Written by: Ingrid Hoff

All love is worthy of celebration. Tell your bestie how much they mean to you, reach out to a sibling, or whomever makes you smile… let them know. Even better, buy yourself a little something to celebrate you. Love of all kinds should be in the air.

Just how to celebrate is another topic. A big floral bouquet is a wonder to behold but it’s just so short lived. Whereas a plant can last for many years.

If you really want to channel the season then look for flowers or foliage in pinks, reds, purples and white. Or perhaps a cute little planter in millennium pink, or something with a heart shaped leaf perhaps?

Check out some of my personal favourites below.

 

• Cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum) are compact (15 to 23cm tall) plants with perfect little heart shaped leaves, often with silver marbling and veining. The flowers rise up above the leaves and come in a variety of colours perfect for celebrating love (pink, purple, red and white). A great houseplant that is able to thrive in lower light, just be sure it gets one to two hours of indirect sunlight per day. Also make sure to keep it at a slightly cooler temperature. Water your cyclamen well but never let the soil be waterlogged.

 

• Anthurium are the perfect plant to celebrate love with their glossy, green, heart-shaped leaves and pink and/or red tropical, long-lasting (literally for months) flowers. Able to withstand a bit of shade they like bright indirect light, but if you have it in a spot that’s too dark you will see a drop in flower production. They are susceptible to root rot so don’t overwater and let them dry out slightly between watering. 

 

• Orchids are exotic, tropical and almost seem to personify love and beauty. In fact, in the language of flowers (Floriography) orchids are said to represent love and beauty. The flowers come in a huge range of colours, from pure white to rosy pink and they last for months. They are actually a lot easier to grow than many people think. You just need to do a little bit of research, make sure to follow a proper watering schedule, and place it in indirect bright light away from drafts or heating vents. Click here for information on how to care for your orchid.

 

• Succulents are the perfect little gift. I think of pink and silver rosettes of echeverias like “ground-roses” that last for years. Being succulents, they are very forgiving of everything except overwatering. Place them in a sunny spot and enjoy for years.

 

• Monstera are another plant with a heart-shaped leaf and the most amazing tropical vibe. They are well known for their habit of having either holes in their leaves (Swiss cheese plant) or deeply cut lobes. They will tolerate lower light conditions but thrive with medium bright indirect light. Make sure to water them well and then let them dry out slightly in-between. Easy to grow!

• Bromeliads are tropical, colourful and easy to care for, they are architectural plants that make you stop and look. The sturdy, thick leaves grow in a rosette and the colourful flower rises up from the centre. Place them in bright indirect light, and make sure not to overwater your bromeliad. A good tip is to make sure there is some water in the central cup of the rosette as this is the way it would naturally collect water. But it’s not necessary, you can just water like normal making sure to let it drain well and dry out slightly in-between. Fun fact: pineapples are bromeliads.

• Kalanchoe (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana) are succulent plants with deep green glossy leaves and are a mass of vibrant, long-lasting flowers in colours ranging from white, yellow, orange, apricot, pink and red. So, if you have someone with colour preference other than typical Valentine’s standards then perhaps this is good choice. Because they are a succulent, they need bright light and good drainage. Make sure to let them dry out in-between watering and never let them sit in water.
   

• African violets showcase a dark green, low growing rosette of velvety leaves and frilly flowers in shades of purple, pink and white. They thrive in medium to bright indirect light and when watering avoid getting water on the velvety leaves (this can cause spots).

 

These are just a few suggestions to get you started on your Valentine's Day gifting adventure. Don't forget, GARDENWORKS Gift Cards are always a fantastic way to send love any time of the year!