Tag-Archive for ◊ gift ideas ◊

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• Wednesday, April 08th, 2020

At a time when we are all spending more time indoors, it makes sense to bring in some new plants and make our environment cosier, or ‘hygge’ as they say in Scandinavia.

So here are the top 5 house plants that I find the easiest to grow if you are prone to neglecting them.

1. Peace Lily
It’s the plant that tells you that you forgot to water it by dropping its leaves.  And the peace lily quickly recovers once you water it.  I’ve had one for 20 years and it’s still going strong and it produces white flowers regularly.

2. Mother-in-law’s tongue
It does not produce any flower but it’s a very structural plant which goes well in a modern intérieur.  The mother-in-law’s tongue releases oxygen at night (unlike any other plant which usually absorbs it at night and therefore are unsuitable for your bedroom).

3. Red-edged Dracaena also called Dragon tree
This is probably my favourite plant, which as seen on the picture in my living room, grows a bit like a tree and can get quite tall.  My dragon tree is variegated with red lines and it’s had a tough time but it recovers well.  This is not a flowering plant.
NASA conducted a study a few years back which shows that this plant is particularly good at purifying the air in your house (filtering toxins in the air).  Whilst there may be some debate about the real impact that a few little plants can have on improving your air quality, from the point of view of cosiness/aesthetics I find them to be an essential accessory in your house.

4.  Money plant
They are the green plants that you sometimes see at the entrance of your local Chinese takeaway, forgotten and bent against a wall.
It doesn’t’ matter if you don’t water your money plants, although ever plant deserves a bit of TLC occasionally!

5.  Spider plant
This one requires a bit more care, i.e. regular watering in order to thrive and in return you benefit from a profusion of arching leaves which make it a great hanging plant.

6.  What about the Orchid?
Well, I don’t think that orchids are easy to grow, but if your friend has given you a Phalaenopsis then it’s best to locate it in your bathroom as they prefer humid places and indirect light.

Finally, cacti and succulent plants are also a good choice since they usually require little watering.

Author:
• Friday, July 10th, 2009

Always on the look out for great new gift ideas I discovered an original garden gift which may be suitable to a gardening friend: a Garden Design Course.

I guess it’s quite natural that in my circle of friends many of them are keen gardeners. And most of them are rather well equipped with tools and plants, so when it comes to birthdays, choosing gifts is not an always an easy task. more…

Author:
• Friday, June 05th, 2009

I just came across a nice chilli growing kit on the web and thought that it would be a great gift idea for Father’s day.

Home Grown Chilli

Home Grown Chilli

Many gardeners will be delighted with a practical gift whatever the occasion. And it doesn’t have to be expensive either: plants, accessories or seeds can make great gift ideas.
Father’s Day is only 2 weeks away on 21st June in the UK so it’s worth a look.

This chilli growing kit in a gift box contains everything that is needed to grow chillies including pots and a selection of chilli seeds. And one advantage of this kit is that it is presented in a box, making it handy to give as a present.

Sometimes dads don’t need anything in particular, just a little love and attention.