House Plant Friday/Saturday–Fat Free Valentines

This post is a day late because I’ve been out shopping for last minute Valentine gift ideas for those of us that just don’t want to be alone in the house with a jumbo size box of chocolates.

I do really love Valentine’s day but not for the reasons you might think.  I love it because I like the colors of V-day--red, purple, pink & white and hearts are one of my favorite quilt shapes.  I also love  it because it falls in the dead of winter, after all the joy and celebration of Christmas and New Year’s has been packed away with the holiday decorations and we face another six weeks of  long dark nights, cold, ice, and snow. 

I’m not adverse to letting a little chocolate pass my lips from time to time.  Actually a lot of chocolate has passed these lips and currently resides on these hips, but I’m not a “chocaholic” either so I thought I’d try to come up with some “romantic” alternatives to the traditional V-Day gifts of cut flowers and candy.  I shopped my local garden center and a few big box stores, you can use my ideas as is or as a jumping off point.

The suggestions below are for both giving and receiving by all of us who would like to be outside digging in the dirt, if only we could just get past the top 3 feet of snow!

Everlasting Love--  How about a Seed starting kit and grow light? This may not seem very romantic but trust me on this one. Tuck in some pretty packets of perennial seeds, add a pair of Atlas gardening gloves in a pretty color (I like lavender),  wrap in a gift bag or pretty paper, tie with a big bow and add a note that says you want to give them a bouquet that will last forever just like your love  and then watch the fireworks go off in the romance department.  Note:  You might want to think about choosing a different color for the gloves if this is for your hubby or boyfriend.  

An Exotic Date The NH Orchid Society is holding their annual show this weekend at the Radisson Hotel in Nashua, NH—what could be more romantic than a date with your special someone that includes lunch out and a day surrounded by beautiful, rare and exotic blooms.  You can give him/her a card with the same sentiments.   If you don’t live within driving distance, check the internet for other orchid societies in your region and when their shows are being held.  You can tuck a rain check in a card if the show is after V-Day and they’ll think you gave this a lot of thought.

“Herbal Romance”   If your sweetie likes to garden and/or cook then how about gifting them with a few pots of fresh herbs for his/her kitchen windowsill—so appreciated this time of year.  The most often used are: rosemary, basil, oregano and thyme  You can find them at your local garden center, like I did.   If you want to jazz it up a notch above colored tin foil and a bow, add a nice ceramic pot and a a valentine potholder or dish towel from Target with a cute note that says: “Let’s Cook Something Up Together”!

“Wild” Date  If you’re not quite at the stage for a serious commitment or extravagant gift.  How about a a beautiful packet of wildflower seeds tucked into an equally beautiful card that says “I’m wild about you and I’m looking forward to watching our relationship grow and  blossom”.  You can add a note that you want to plant the seeds together on the first nice day in the spring, complete with a romantic picnic lunch that you’ll provide.

My “Furry Valentine”—the little quilt inspectors, quilt sitters and sewing companions.   Want to get something for your kitty?  How about kitty greens?   It’s actually wheat grass that’s good for indoor cats and gives them an alternative to eating our houseplants.  Wheat grass provides some minerals and nutrients and helps to eliminate furballs.   My garden center had both  plants and seeds for sale but you can also find them at pet stores too.  I chose the seeds so I could grow a few extra pots for the “furry” neighbors and also because the cat on the packet looked a bit like Ernie.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Gail