If you are invited for Thanksgiving dinner and wish to present the host with a horticulturally oriented gift, here are a few suggestions:
- An orchid plant is always safe. Look for one that still has a number of unopen buds, as well as plentiful flowers, and hopefully no dead blooms or nearly dead ones. A fresh orchid plant will usually last about three months, which is terrific value for the money.
- It is a bit late in the year to present a plant that needs to be planted out in the recipient's garden. So, go for plants that will flourish indoors, like the aforementioned orchid.
- Cut flowers are another option, and the ones that last the longest in a vase are chrysanthemums, alstroemerias, and carnations. If you decide to take cut flowers as a host gift, however, always present them in a vase that does not need to be returned by the recipient to the donor. Most of us have some of these at home or can find a friend or family member who would happily relinquish one of the cheap vases that one tends to accumulate.
- The reason for taking cut flowers in a vase is that the host will be far too busy with the dinner to take time to arrange a bouquet before you all eat. To transport the flowers, tip the water out and lie the vase of flowers on the seat of your car. Even the busiest host can stop to add water. But, arrange the flowers yourself so you pay just for the cut flowers, not the arranging.
