Happy February! As I am typing this, we are in the middle of a winter storm, and it’s quite chilly outside. Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and while it is mostly just a commercial grab to sell red plastic trinkets and over-priced chocolate, if you are looking for a way to express your love to your garden-loving Valentine, here are a few ideas to cultivate your love and encourage it to grow.
While flowers are a somewhat obvious and overdone choice to bring a bit of spring cheer to an otherwise dreary month, there are ways to make their arrival more than just a last-minute wilted rose grab. You can contact a local florist to have them curate a beautiful bouquet of your Valentine’s favorite blooms or try your hand at creating one yourself. If you happen to find yourself near a Trader Joe’s, their flower selection is impressive at all times of the year, and it’s quick to build a bouquet from scratch. As a Valley native, I’m aware that Trader Joe’s is a daytrip away for most folks, but you might try your luck at other grocery stores or gardening shops.
Something else any garden-lover would find special is a specialized tool, such as a repotting mat for transplanting plants from one pot to another. It’s a messy business at the best of times, and having a special mat you can use to keep dirt as contained as possible would be much appreciated. Other tools, like a pretty set of snipper tools, or a knee cushion for weeding, would be appreciated gestures of love for someone who has seen more than a few garden seasons in their time. As I approach 40 this year, I am learning how important cushions and supports are for joints and muscles!
For someone who is what I would describe as an “indoor gardener,” a set of propagation tools would be a gesture of true love. They make really neat beaker-style systems for folks to put their plant babies in to encourage growth. I even saw a set of heart-shaped jars in a stand if you’re wanting to go on-theme. There are also things called “propagation buddies” that are designed to hold the plants up as they grow. I might suggest these to my Valentine after seeing a few online. If your Valentine has some vines they hope to expand, a propagation buddy would be a useful and thoughtful tool for them to utilize.
If the idea of physically gardening in all of this cold is unappealing to you or your Valentine, perhaps some fun garden-inspired gifts may be in order. You can find all kinds of funny and creative gardening and plant-themed socks to keep their tootsies nice and warm until spring. I have seen some really fun ones, like a pair that has “Yes, I really do need all these plants” written on the bottoms for one to read while they are relaxing with their feet up. Other fun ones I saw while researching for this article say “I have a bit of a plant problem” while covered in vines, and for those with a black thumb, a pair of socks with a grim reaper surrounded by wilted plants that says “plant killer” really cracked me up. There is also a never-ending selection of simply lovely socks with plants on them in all shapes and sizes. In addition to footwear, mugs and garden signs are a good idea to show you’re thinking of your Valentine and their interests.
Whatever you decide for Valentine’s Day, whether you celebrate it or not, I hope these suggestions are helpful for someone looking for an any-occasion gift for their garden-loving friend or partner. Sometimes it is fun to think outside the box and show those you love that you see what they love and acknowledge it too. Stay cozy!
