All gardeners know how special relationships with their plants can be. With container gardening, that rapport is sometimes even more intimate. The simple act of potting a plant and watching it grow on a patio, windowsill or in the living room is a wondrous experience and a daily reminder of nature’s beauty. So what better way to share this joy with a friend or family member than by giving plants as gifts?

A pot of annuals in a sturdy container lasts much longer than any bouquet – and lets you pass along the bounty of your garden to others.

Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard

A simple potted plant, like this happy shamrock, is sure to bring the recipient plenty of houseplant luck – especially if you include the care instructions along with the gift.

Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Image Point

A beautiful container gift of blooming plants can offer a friend a whole new gardening passion.

Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Tim Butler

Remember, plants need to breathe – don’t wrap up your growing gift until you’re ready to give it.

Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Kyle Chesser

An ivy topiary lends a lush formality wherever it’s placed.

Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard

Just about any occasion is appropriate for a growing gift. Best of all, a container plant is a lasting present, whether it’s an enhancement to an existing garden or the start of a new one. Perhaps the most special container gift is one culled from your own garden, with cuttings, starters and even seeds set in a specially chosen pot. If you’re combining plants, make sure to select one dominant specimen and surround it with a pleasing combination of colors, textures and shapes. (The nicest arrangements include plants with the same hues or a blend of two complementary colors.)

Dwarf trees or tall blooming perennials often serve as a great focal point, delivering a vertical element, as well as a basic background color and texture for seasonal flowers and trailing plants. Place your dominant plant in the center or, if it’s likely the container gift won’t be viewed from all sides, near the back of the planter.

When picking your plants as gifts, also consider the care needs of each selection. Choosing ones with similar soil, watering and fertilizer requirements – and even growth habits – is better for the overall health of the plants, as well as makes maintenance tasks infinitely simpler for your recipient. Finally, make sure your chosen container is large enough to handle the root systems and ultimate mature size of your selections.

Need some ideas to get you started on giving plants? Try creating some of these great growing gifts for your friends and family:

• Starter set. (This container gift is great for children, as well as novice gardeners looking to gain experience and green-thumb confidence.) Package together the gardening essentials: an attractive container, seeds or starter plants (perhaps from your own garden), soil mix and nutrients – maybe even a trowel and gloves. If you give annuals, be sure to mention their single-season cycle and one-time-use nature.
• Hanging basket. Dramatic and impressive, a hanging basket flowing with annual and perennial climbers, trailers and bushy foliage makes an eye-catching and long-lasting growing gift. To save the recipient from a trip to the hardware store, include the requisite hooks, chains and fasteners along with your present.
• Personalized container. Decorate or glaze a terra-cotta pot with personal messages or informative and entertaining gardening tips. Or transform a unique or nontraditional planter that fits a friend’s personality, garden or home décor, and fill it with a perennial for a container gift with lasting value.
• Terrarium. Giving plants as gifts is easy with a beautiful terrarium. A forgotten indoor treasure, the terrarium is easy to care for and appropriate for almost any environment, providing a bit of nature in a small package. Use an unusual fishbowl or other unique, clear glassware to house the plants.
• Potted herbs. For cooks and indoor gardeners with a nice kitchen windowsill or greenhouse window, a shallow box or clay dish of three to four different herbs makes an aromatic and functional growing gift.
• “Salad bowl.” Container gardens may not yield as many vegetables as an open garden, but a little dish garden filled with salad greens makes a fun and tasty gift.
• Seasonal plants. Many plants are associated with different seasons and holidays, including lilies in spring, mums in fall and miniature evergreens or forced bulbs in winter. The recipient can then transplant the growing gift to a larger pot or into the garden.

No matter what type of planting you offer, don’t forget to include a list of care instructions and helpful hints to keep the container gift healthy and thriving, especially as the plants mature and need additional care (like transplanting or pruning). A book about container gardening adds a nice finishing touch to your gift’s value, as does a little personal “IOU” to help care for the plants. Sharing your enthusiasm for gardening and spending time together is one of the best parts of giving plants as gifts – as well as a sure way to grow stronger roots in your friendship.