DISCLAIMER: Today’s post is sponsored by Monrovia, but my love for their plants is all my own!
Every year this happens.
Multiple times a year.
Jeremy knows it is coming….my birthday, Easter, Mother’s Day, anniversary, just because….and sometimes (ok, ok, most of the times) he is at a loss. What does he buy me? The girl that doesn’t like him to spend a whole lotta money and sentimental things always mean oh-so-much-more. Well, I have one sure-fire-go-to-always-puts-a-smile-on-my-face gift. It’s this.
And yesterday Jeremy said that he had a surprise for me. He was driving me to the garden center at lunch time and we were going to add another Monrovia hydrangea to my collection.
It was to celebrate the new baby…not as a birth tree…but for me, kinda like a pregnancy present. Both Weston and LJ fell asleep so he stayed in the car while I ran in and got to shop in complete peace and quiet….which is frankly an unbelievable experience. My little sister even met us there and we haven’t laughed that hard about plant names in at LEAST three months 🙂
Sooo….I know that it is weird….to ask for plants….specifically flowering shrubs for holidays. I know that not everyone wants a plant…or thinks a bush is as exciting as jewelry or as luxurious as spa visits or as sexy as new shoes….but I am here to tell you that it is really the best gift ever and here are three reasons why….
#1 – Flowering shrubs produce flowers and memories for you YEAR after YEAR
I love flowers…I really do…they are gorgeous and they smell good and they make me smile….they are like Jeremy in that respect 🙂 And with flowering shrubs, I know that I get the reminder of Mother’s Day 2012 every time I see those blooms. It’s the perfect way to enjoy your curated garden. You can literally celebrate your holidays all over again with each bud.
#2 – Flowering shrubs don’t go out of style, stop fitting or decrease in value
Who here has gotten a gift and then two years later can’t wear it, doesn’t like it, or wishes they could exchange it for something different? C’mon. My hand is already in the air. That really doesn’t happen with beautiful quality flower-bearing plants. They get bigger and bloomer (that’s a word) and they fit just about everyone. And they absolutely never go out of style. They are a classic.
#3 – Flowering shrubs are a staple of exterior improvements
I kinda have a thing for improving our home. I am a big believer that you first do the exterior…then bathrooms…then kitchen….then everything else. You do the exterior first because it takes some time for those smaller plants to grow. And you want to buy the smaller plants because sometimes that is all that is available….and most times that is what is affordable. Not everyone can drop a couple hundred buckeroos on a fully grown plant. So if you want to improve your exterior, remember that the recipe for success is usually paint, hardware and plants.
Now that you are fully convinced that you want a flowering shrub, all you have to do is say “BRING ME ANOTHER SHRUBBERY!”. Works every time. Especially if you are already in a garden center. (name that movie)
No….actually you will want to pick something out that will thrive in your particular area, water availability and climate. So click here and punch in your zip code and all these great plant suggestions will pop up that will have a good time partying in your yard.
So when I was at the garden center I was specifically shopping for a Monrovia hydrangea but I wanted something a little different. I have several different varieties of hydrangeas in my garden already and I wanted to keep with that theme….different variety that had loads of blooms.
After all was said and done, I went with the Monrovia Enchantress Hydrangea. It is a reblooming hydrangea so all summer long, I should be getting sweet little reminders of my new little babe. Of course, I hopefully will also be HOLDING the baby…so that is a big reminder too 🙂 Monrovia is a brand name and they have plants that are available at garden centers and Lowe’s so there is probably some you can find in your area….but the best part about the brand is that they have lots of tips so if your chronic black thumb is acting up, they can help.
I brought it home and today I am sticking it in the ground with my Mother’s Day 2012 endless summer hydrangea, my Mother’s Day 2013 Nikko Blue hydrangea and my Dooley hydrangeas that I got last year for our anniversary. And now is the perfect time to plant here in Georgia…so hopefully I can find my shovel in the mess of my garage.
So that is my go-to gift….hydrangeas…what is yours? What brings a smile to your face each holiday? And have you been gardening? We have gotten so much rain it is crazy but hopefully that means that we will have a great ‘greening’ up when the sun comes out. Have you been plant searching? I swear I get lost in that endless cycle of learning about different plants…it’s my version of Fifty Shades of Gray….it’s Fifty Shades of Green!
Oh that is such an awesome gift!! I will have to do a hint hint to the hubby now 😉
I am the same way! For our 4 year anniversary, my husband let me pick out two fruit trees for our yard – I can’t wait for 2 to 5 years from now to have delicious plums and peaches! 🙂
I love this idea! Now that my husband and I have found a home that we plan on staying in for a while, I have been wanting to add to our flowers. While it was professionally landscaped before we bought it I would love to add a few flowering bushes to add our personal touch. Plus I love fresh flowers! Total win win.
I am one happy lady in the floral department also. I will take flowers, or a piece of furniture to redo any day. Yeah, give me some dirt, work to plant it, or a ugly chair and I am floating in happiness. New shoes, meh… I got the endless summer hydrangeas a few years ago for Mothers day and adore them. They bloom all summer (go figure). I have never heard of the Monrovia Enchantress Hydrangea. Do they look and bloom different from the endless summer ones? I am in love with Hydrangeas, Peonies and roses. They can bulk up any planter, and bloom beautifully! I am getting antsy for it to warm up with all this flower talk!
Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberry.
I was just at my local garden center and bought a Monrovia non fruiting olive tree…I’m obsessed with olive trees! I may need to try hydrangeas again though!
I’m about to send this to my inlaws because my MIL always tells me she doesn’t know what to get me. Last year, I complimented my SIL’s bracelet (cute, but not my style) and my MIL got the same thing for me for my birthday. She has a hard time understanding that I would prefer tools, Home Depot gift cards, and plants to jewelry and was absolutely SHOCKED that I loved the shop light that was on my Christmas list. Plants are always on my list too because our yard needs serious help. There’s a lot of biodiversity… instead of grass… and we need to add several trees to the yard too. Also, hydrangeas are my favorite too!
I told my hubby I wanted a houseplant for Valentine’s Day instead of flowers. He looked at me like he was being tested and didn’t know the correct answer. Lol.
Haha! A good hubby always questions it 🙂
xo – kb
NIIIIIIICE!
xo – kb
Amen!
xo – kb
The blooms aren’t out yet (obvi the pic was taken yesterday! ha!) but I think that they are a little bit different shape (more delicate in my mind) and the stems look different so I am thinking that they probably mound differently. Time will tell!
xo – kb
Love plants for holidays!! How about a post with pictures when all those plants are a blooming. I would love to see an update pregnancy post. Your boys are beautiful!!!
I think the blooming post would be great! I’ll put it on my list 🙂
xo – kb
Hurray gardening post! Happy first day of spring! I can’t wait to get out there and try to turn my black thumb into a green one 🙂
Post pictures when she blooms for ya!
I just filled my cart up with 6 different types of purple flowers. Whoops, got carried away. I see there is a spot for a coupon code- are you offering one for their website at all?
I once asked to my guy to “fetch me a shrubbery!” at Home Depot while putting together planters and I don’t know if he wanted to claim he actually knew me and was so confused! He’s clearly missing out on some Monte Python amazingness and I need to fix that stat : ) Love the idea of plants for gifts!
Oh Katie, you are speaking my love language…Hydrangeas. My fave. All varietieas, all colors. I totally agree with starting with the exterior of the home first. Sadly, I had to leave all of our pretty hydrangeas when we sold our last house. BUT we are expecting baby #3 in September AND are set to move in our new home next month. Sounds like a great excuse to get some new shrubs to me. 🙂 The sellers of our new home were landscapers but guess what? NO FLOWERING SHRUBS. Everything is green. ????
I love getting pants for gifts, too. Since it’s about time to plant the garden I’m thinking I may be getting my birthday and Christmas presents early this year
Plants! Not pants! Although i wouldn’t complain if I got those, too
I ask for plants as gifts more than anything else!
Yes! With my birthday and Mother’s Day both in the spring, I always say I just want a trip to the nursery to buy my plants for the year (some annuals but a couple perennials to last) and a day to garden. It is GLORIOUS 🙂
‘A path! A path! A path!’
Good call on the gift that keeps giving!
On a similar but slightly different note, we gave our neighbor a flowering tree (ornamental pink cherries) in honor of her late husband. We also planted it for her. It’s like he’s giving her flowers each year on his anniversary. She liked it so much she bought and planted a matching tree.
I think a living tree or shrub keeps on giving and is a reminder of someone wonderful.
I love getting plants and tree’s too. I look at the blue spruce in my yard and remember my Dad planting them .My lilac tree from along ago Mothers Day. It’s like remembering good things. I love hydrangea’s too but my new passion has been Dalias very pretty. I can’t wait to plant this years Valentine tulips they came as a plant so I’ll be enjoying them for a number of years. It’ll be a while before any flowers here in Il. Shiver shiver!!!
It wasn’t a gift, but my hubby and I planted a mango seed (after we ate the mango) a year or two after we were married and it has now grown into a beautiful tree that our kids like to swing on. The other day we noticed it had flowered so we’re hoping its (finally) growing mangoes! There’s nothing like plants/trees to bring out the nostalgia.
Hmmm……a pregnancy present??
Is this just a late present, or is there something you’re trying to tell us?
My husband and I have been married for nearly 30 years. He always used to buy me flowers most weeks and on special occasions. I have finally convinced him not to buy flowers (I hate it that they die before your eyes) as I felt it was such a was of money. I’ll be happier just to go to a plant nursery and pick something that will continue to grow and give more than a couple of days display. I feel that is a better use of money.
For my anniversary one year I asked my husband for compost for our vegetable garden. Nothing says love like a truckload of rotting leaves and manure and a good sweaty workout spreading it out to celebrate marriage. Months later we did harvest tasty vegetables for romantic dinners at home. Much better than jewelry or cut flowers that die.
I LOVE hydrangeas and Monrovia plants and The Family Tree! That’s where my hubby takes me when I need cheering up or for just a fun surprise! Plant presents are the best!!
Such a great idea! I love plants as gifts, and to give a gifts, too! Last year, my mom got us a gift card to a local greenhouse as a gift, and I picked out some peony bushes. I cannot wait to see them in action!
I am pregnant! Didn’t you know?! I found out in January!
xo – kb
haha!
xo – kb
I LOVE getting and giving practical gifts but never thought about plants. What a great idea! Of course I love all your ideas so no surprise. Honestly all I’ve ever done is buy flowers to put in our flower pots on the porch each year so it will be fun to learn more and experiment with actual plants. Thanks!
I live on the northern shores of Lake Michigan & we’ve had a warming trend lately. Hello daylilies! They are already peeking their heads out…. in an area that has winter from October to May. I have 4 different colors. My favorite being the red & black. I got it when the greenhouse was clearing out plants at the end of the selling season. 99 cents & it keeps expanding every year.
Both my daughter and son (along with the spouses & grandbabies) know that for Mother’s Day….all I want is an Hydrangea Bush! For the past ten years….my back deck and sides of the house are now lined with them….different varieties and colors. Plants are one of the best gifts!
I would LOVE to get plants as a gift, except that I kill all flowering plants…I have yet to keep any alive! Hydrangeas are my ABSOLUTE favorite and I would be ecstatic to get a plant for an anniversary or Mother’s Day but it wouldn’t do me any good if by the next month or two it was already DEAD!! LOL! Glad you had a wonderful time picking a plant to celebrate your pregnancy!!
Hi a lovley gift. I totally identify with your love of flowing shrubs and have a climbing hydrangea in my garden here in West Sussex, UK. Another favourite I have come across in the last few years is an evergreen climbing jasmine – a Trachelospermum XX
I checked with the rep but haven’t heard back yet. I will post one if they come back with a discount.
xo – kb