Help me choose a plant for Greg...!!

[Mara]

Okay all you fab shopping PS gals....so for our anni tomorrow I am getting Greg a new Palm TX...but I also want to do something cheesy fun like send flowers to his office. However, since the anni is on a Friday, he won't be able to enjoy them over the wkd and so I was thinking of another idea that could be delivered (so he can be all embarassed getting a delivery and having to carry it back to his desk, even though he SECRETLY basks in all the female attention he will be getting)....

So my coworker was like what about a plant! I said PERFECT because he just moved into his new building and he has a fabulous window office overlooking the lake and waterfall etc and has been raving about how awesome his new office is all week. So now I am searching out a plant.

So here are some options, let me know which one you think would be good and why. I'm totally not sure what to send. Anyway I also want to throw in a teddy bear just because it's SO cheesy and he will be like 'damn I have to carry this through the office' and he will have to display it or something on the desk for when I come visit (yes I know I am evil).

These are all basically the same price, so it's more like what do I think he'd want to have in his office, what's appropriate for an office and what is 'cute'. The teddy bear gets added regardless.

Ficus Bush/Tree: 2x3' tall.

 

[Mara]

What I have dubbed the ''Manly Plant Garden''...

 

[Mara]

Or the cactus garden. This is my favorite because when we first started dating it was a huge joke that he couldn't keep anything alive etc and had no responsibilities. So I got him a cactus plant to take care of and was like if you kill this, you are hopeless! Well it lasted for 2 years and then (after he moved in with me!!) it somehow just up and died. No I didn't read anything into it.

But anyway, I love the idea of replacing the cactus with this, he really likes cacti and it's cool looking. HOWEVER, it IS an office and I don't want anyone to accidentally stab themselves on it or have him not want to put it out because it may be dangerous etc. If he has a cabinet it can go on top of there, but I can't just ASK him if he has a cabinet, because then he will get suspicious. So I thuoght maybe it could go on the corner of the desk or something near the window? aka away from people and fleshy digits.

Anyway, any one of these would be great, but I like the cactus. Thoughts? I want to order online tonite so they can deliver tomorrow. Help!

 

[sunkist]

What about some kind of a succulent? Or a Sansevieria?

 

[Mara]

i am using an online flower vendor and they only have about 10 different options...so those were my top three...they didn''t have a Sansevieria and they didn''t have a succulent either!

 

[sunkist]

or a bonsai!

 

[Mokey]

I would definitely go with the cactus. In my experience ficus are very fussy! They drop leaves and don''t like to be moved, etc. Great idea by the way! Evil....I love it!

 

[sunkist]

This one is called a "money tree"

These 2 are at proflowers.com

 

[sunkist]

Or a gardenia topiary! They smell divine!! (eta: proflowers.com)

 

[sunkist]

Date: 5/11/2006 5:54:34 PM
Author: Mara
What I have dubbed the ''Manly Plant Garden''...

That peace plant in the "manyly garden" does really well indoors. Also I do like the cactus!

 

[Mara]

sunkist, i actually LOVE the money tree from proflowers (i was just eyeballing it)....i think that is perfect BUT i think that they work on shipping rather than delivery? so would it still go to the front desk or does he have to wait for S/R to bring it to him etc? that''s kind of my only hangup. i definitely want it delivered tomorrow to him at work. HMMM.....

 

[aphisiglovessae]

I think my fiance would prefer the bonsai or the "manly plant garden" over everything else. He''s a gardening freak, so he''s pretty picky about plants. Surprisingly he likes the orchid I bought for his house (in my avatar), so he likes some girly stuff too.

I''m sure your hubby will love any of them, as long as they came from you.

 

[heart prongs]

I like the "manly garden"...I can''t believe it''s your second anniversary already...I won''t ask what you got, as I imagine it''s the ENORMOUS diamond sparkling on your hand. Do you guys have anything fun and exciting planned. Have a good one...kaarin

prongs

 

[sunkist]

ohhh I see. So you need a local flower service. that would be most reliable I''m sure.

 

[ChargerGrrl]

Given the "cacti history" here, I say go for it!
He'll find an appropriate place for it.

Hmm- cacti and a teddy bear, what a terrific combo!

 

[FireGoddess]

Cactus history aside, I actually love the manly plant garden or the money tree. Visual interest, not too hard to take care of...no hands to impale.

 

[mingagreen]

Hi Mara, It is so funny I hooped ont he computer today to see what was new in the world of PS and saw your thread and had to respond, you helped me so much with my room and now I feel like I could help you!!!!
First of all congrats on 2 years. I am a former interior landscaper so this is right up my alley. I would say skip the ficus, very tempermental!! Do they have any Agleonemas on the site you are looking at?? And like someone else said the Peace lily does really well in offices. The dish garden is nice but I never have luck w/ them because they mix plants that require diffent light and water and things dies off, If I had to pick I would go witht he cacti.
What a great idea, and happy anniversary! Oh and your new rock is awesome!!

 

[sunkist]

Date: 5/11/2006 6:32:27 PM
Author: mingagreen
Hi Mara, It is so funny I hooped ont he computer today to see what was new in the world of PS and saw your thread and had to respond, you helped me so much with my room and now I feel like I could help you!!!!

First of all congrats on 2 years. I am a former interior landscaper so this is right up my alley. I would say skip the ficus, very tempermental!! Do they have any Agleonemas on the site you are looking at?? And like someone else said the Peace lily does really well in offices. The dish garden is nice but I never have luck w/ them because they mix plants that require diffent light and water and things dies off, If I had to pick I would go witht he cacti.

What a great idea, and happy anniversary! Oh and your new rock is awesome!!

Mingagreen, you''re an interior landscaper? I never heard of that before. How cool! I''m always interested in landscape architecture, I''m studying urban planning and design. But interior landscape is cool too!

 

[sunkist]

Or how about a palm to go with his Palm??

 

[MissGotRocks]

Get the money tree - if you still want to upgrade again he''s gonna need it! Two birds with one stone - ha!

 

[mingagreen]

I WAS a interior landscaper, now I am just a mom!! I still totally love plants though, it''s been 3 years since I have worked but I totally enjoyed it, I worked in Philadelphia and loved being in the city. Maybe someday I''ll get back into it.

I think palms are great but they need care, there are certain plants, like a sansevaria, mentioned before that are hard to kill!!

Here is a picture of an Agleonema

 

[Mara]

Okay so there was a snafu, I totally forgot it was Mother''s Day weekend, so none of the online places were really guaranteeing anything

...so I called up a local place near his office that does some great work, and ordered the terranium for him! The gal said it was great for an office and looks great in person. See image. Also, add a teddy bear. And they can deliver tomorrow before 4pm so that is perfect!!

Thanks for your help guys!! Even though I had to kind of go off on my own anyway. hehee.

 

[mingagreen]

Great idea Mara!!!

 

[FireGoddess]

That''s cool! The terrarium looks nice and it looks like there''s an african violet in there? I just give it some good light and water every so often and those things bloom for me like nobody''s business. Hope he doesn''t kill it. Love the teddy bear thing....hehehehe.

 

[movie zombie]

while the aquarium is lovely there is a problem: the ferns want to be misted while the african violet does not. perhaps it can be removed at a later date which might enhance the survival of both the ferns and the african violet.

movie zombe

 

[aphisiglovessae]

Really cute choice! However, Movie Zombie is right, ferns like water on their leaves whereas african violets hate it! Makes watering a little problematic. We have these wonderful african violet pots that contain lots of water in the outside pot, while the african violet is in the inside pot. It only absorbs the water it needs and straight through the roots. Fiance loves violets cuz it's his fraternity's flower, so we have lots of them.

 

[Mara]

hmmm, i've had various ferns in both shade gardens and indoors as houseplants and have never misted them and they did fine.

anyway this place that i purchased from may not put EXACTLY what is pictured in the actual item (that's just a website picture), but they also said they had done research to determine what could cohabit together well in the fishbowl/terrarium, so i trust them. they are also not some flybynight place on the corner but rather they thrive with custom out-of-the-box thinking and their custom stuff is stunning, i've always wanted to order from them!!

i actually wouldn't mind if they nixed the african violet as i don't really like them...but if it is in there and it turns out to be an issue, my grandma has a bunch in her kitchen window that she tends to, so i'm sure she wouldn't mind one more! we'll just play it by ear.

haha i just can't wait til he gets the order tomorrow and calls me!

 

[aphisiglovessae]

It''ll be so cute!! Let us know what he says.