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How to Give a Plant as a Gift Like a Pro

Give your friends and family the rewarding gift of plant parenthood with our top tips and tricks for gifting houseplants.

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You might be asking yourself: Why do plants make such great gifts?

1. Plants last. They’re a meaningful gift that continues to grow and provide beauty for many years to come. Unlike other gifts that eventually expire or are no longer in trend, live plants only get better with time.

2. Plants are inclusive—no need to worry about clothing sizes or food preferences. And your giftee does not have to be a seasoned plant aficionado to enjoy a plant. There are plenty of easy-care varieties that work for anyone’s home environment, from low-light tolerant to pet-friendly plants.

3. Plants boost our spirits and enhance our environments. When we get in touch with nature, we reduce mental fatigue and stress, and increase relaxation and self-esteem. Studies show even brief exposure to nature can elicit an unconscious calming effect.

A thoughtfully chosen plant as a gift is perfect for just about anyone. To set your gift recipient, and future plant parent, up for success—follow our tips for gifting plants below...

Tip 1: Send your gift early

The key to stress-free gift shopping is starting early. If a holiday, birthday, or special occasion is coming up—why not send your host or the individual you're celebrating their gift ahead of the occasion? A good thing can never come too soon! Pick their plant, add a chic ceramic planter, and write a cute little gift note during checkout. We’ll make sure their gift is delivered directly to their door.

Tip 2: Or order ahead of time to your home

If you prefer to give your plant gifts IRL, you can still order early to avoid any potential shipping delays and unnecessary stress. When your plant gifts arrive at your home, unpack them right away. Give them a little finessing (the shipping process is not always kind), a drink of water, and place them near a window so they receive natural light. When it’s time to gift them to your lucky giftees, you can reuse the shipping boxes they came in—or get creative with wrapping paper, bows, and more. The world of gift wrapping is your oyster.

Tip 3: Add your own flair

Ordering and receiving your plant gifts early gives you time to personalize the unwrapping experience for your gift recipients. Have fun with it! Add a ceramic plant message pop, print out plant care instructions, or even pot the plant from its grow pot directly into its planter.

While for some the mantra ‘plant care is self-care’ means the convenience of leaving their plant in its grow pot—for others, it can be therapeutic to get their hands dirty and reconnect with nature. If your giftee is the latter, pair their plant gift with a bag of organic potting soil, lava rocks (if the planter does not have a drainage hole), and printed potting instructions.

Tip 4: Go faux, dried, or preserved

We get it: some giftees simply have restrictions—be it low to no light, busy travel schedules, small children, or mischievous pets. Faux and preserved plants and dried floral bouquets give everyone the ability to bring greenery and joy into their space. Plants, in all forms, make people happy.

Get to Gifting

The best time is now to get a gift for any occasion. At The Sill, we make it easy to get a live plant as a gift for your friend, family, coworker, or that special someone.


Words By The Sill

Empowering all people to be plant people—a collection of articles from The Sill’s team of plant experts across a variety of plant care topics to inspire confidence in the next generation of plant parents. Welcome to Plant Parenthood™.

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