DIY Network

Buy a Big Red Gift in a Green Way

Master gardener Maureen Gilmer, host of Weekend Gardening, suggests floral gifts this holiday season.

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	The White Flower Farm designers have created a truly striking gift of a hurricane vase in an iron pedestal planted with striped amaryllis. (All photos courtesy of Maureen Gilmer)
	For the shabby-chic lover or if you're looking for a decidedly feminine gift, the amaryllis "Sweet Lillian" in a basket is the perfect choice.
	The amaryllis trio in embossed pots is the ideal choice for the well-off, have-it-already people on your list.
	Candy-stripe-petal amaryllis flower illustrates the stunning results of extensive new breeding.
	The traditional red amaryllis can be sent with a matching cachepot with a single phone call or e-mail.
	In recent years, breeding has brought many exotic-colored amaryllis into the market that rival orchids in their coloring.

Find out how easy it is to give green for Christmas

By Maureen Gilmer

Dec. 10, 2007 — How many times have you battled crowds and traffic to buy a Christmas gift?

Often you never find just the right item, or you pick something that never gets used. That's why so many folks are now choosing to shop online. Not only do you get a huge range of choices, but it's also a much greener, simpler choice.

Online catalogs don't demand a single sheet of paper, and that means no raw materials or trees are required. You save gasoline and reduce emissions, too. When you shop online for living plants, you salute the beauty of nature, while solving last-minute gift problems with a single e-mail or a phone call.

If you're still on the fence about what to buy out-of-town friends and family or even business associates, White Flower Farm (www.whiteflowerfarm.com) offers the perfect online solution. It offers one of the largest selection of amaryllis bulb gifts on the 'Net. These grand red flowers that bloom like spring in the midst of winter are a gift that — pardon the cliche — keeps on giving, because it's alive. The bulbs come decoratively potted and ready to grow in containers perfect for shelf or tabletop.

Be aware that browsing around this site can be so enchanting that you may fail at your task of gift-buying. It's important to remain focused on the task at hand and resist buying for yourself. Click on the Amaryllis section of the title bar and you'll find a pull-down menu of gift ideas. Solve a multitude of problems in one fell swoop with the "3 Gifts For 3 Addresses" option.

For those who have never ventured beyond the standard amaryllis, you'll be able to impress the gardener on your gift list with the less-common forms. Choose from these fiery Exotic Amaryllis Varieties to find the perfect choice for your haute modern design friends. These bold forms and colors are the perfect focal point for minimally decorated rooms.

Not everyone loves red flowers, so explore some of the more uniquely colored choices. Exquisitely hued Apple Blossom is a bold pink stripe with coral. It's also offered in a beautiful wrought-iron plant stand for a decidedly Victorian conservatory look.

White Aphrodite with its bright red petal margins and pink flush is exquisite up close, and makes the ideal office desk or credenza accent. And for that homeowner who likes really simple white decor, or a shabby chic fan, snow-white Calgary is a standout.

To bring the magic of winter amaryllis into the life of a non-gardener, choose those sold in glass containers. This allows the recipient to watch the plant grow above and below ground, revealing the miracle of life stored inside all bulbs. It's also a great learning opportunity for children who may be stuck indoors for winter but can still see life emerging a bit more every day.

Thanks to today's rapid shipping options, you can order from this site and many others to ensure delivery by the holidays. Few gifts are so welcome, particularly in the doldrums of January, when the bulbs bring bright color after the holiday decorations come down.

One of the great benefits of the Internet is how it has changed holiday shopping. You can shop while your Christmas cookies bake, or while the kids decorate them in the next room. The snow and rain and sleet can fall, and you don't have to brave the weather either. Thanks to UPS, FedEx and the US Postal Service, an army of Santas will deliver your carefully chosen gifts to those you love.

(Maureen Gilmer is a horticulturist and host of Weekend Gardening. E-mail her at mo@moplants.com. For more information, visit: www.moplants.com. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.)

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