Herb Plant Gifts

Fresh basil makes a delicious gift.

Potted herbs make tasty and innovative gifts. While a floral arrangement lasts only a few days, an herb plant will delight the recipient for months or years. Tailor the herbal gift to the recipient's interests and flavor preferences. Herb plants makes ideal gifts for both rural and city dwellers, as they can thrive indoors and outdoors, under the right conditions. Popular herb plants include thyme, oregano, basil, sage, chive, parsley and mint, among many others.

Personalized Plant Pot

Delight a friend with an herb in a hand-painted plant pot. Choose an inexpensive terracotta or ceramic pot and decorate it using craft paints. Use stencils to create customized designs, such as cats or hearts, along with the recipient's name or a special message. You can also glue flat-backed glass beads to the pot to create a mosaic pattern. A beach lover will appreciate a pot decorated with seashells. Fill the pot with an herb plant such as basil or lavender prior to presenting the gift.

Mini Herb Garden

Inspire a loved one to create delicious new dishes with an indoor or outdoor herb garden. Plant several different types of herbs in a large terracotta or ceramic pot; mark each one so the recipient can identify them. Choose tasty culinary herbs such as basil, Rosemary, thyme, cilantro and sage. Include a handmade cookbook featuring recipes for each herb. Recipients can grow the herb plants in a sunny spot in their home or on a deck or patio.

Herb Topiary

Surprise a garden lover with an artistic-looking live herb topiary. A traditional topiary is a shrub trimmed to resemble an animal or other whimsical design. Trim a large woody herb, such as lavender or Rosemary into a creative sculpture. Present the herb topiary in a decorative plant pot.

Herbal Tea Gift

Delight a friend with large container filled with live herb plants that can be used to make hot tea. Include a mix of herbs such as chamomile, lavender, bee balm, lemongrass, lemon verbena, cat nip and rose petal thyme. Complete the gift with a tea-for-one pot, honey and a tea strainer.

Healing Herb Mix

Many herbs are known for their healing properties and are used to create salves and tinctures. If a loved one is into alternative medicine, give her the gift of medicinal herbs. Fill a container with herb plants such as angelica, bee balm, St. John's Wort, peppermint and Valerian. Include a book detailing what properties each herb possesses.

References

• Lingle's Herbs: Herb Recipe
• Front Range Living: Topiary: When Artifice Becomes Art