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Monday, February 8, 2016

Seed packet Valentines



Plant seeds of joy for your garden-minded friends and family with Valentine cards made from seed packets. It's a playful, practical gift that will keep you on the recipient's mind throughout the growing season. The ones I made today are from easy-to-find seed varieties, which I plucked up 10 for a buck at the dollar store. Sure these valentines are corny, but isn't that what smiles are all about?


LETTUCE BE VALENTINES

Let's be SWEET HEARTS (plant: sweet basil)

You are the best thing in my COSMOS

We are MINT to be! (plant: spearmint)




I CARROT A LOT about you!




You can't be BEET


This next batch is a little more obscure, drawing more from words on the packet than the plant itself:


You are my ANNUAL CHOICE, Valentine! (plant: phlox)



I find you CHARMING, Guaranteed! (plant: viola)



Valentine, you are Hot & Spicy! (plant: jalapeño pepper)


As I've pored over seed catalogs I've noticed many plants that convey sentiment in their very names:

(quotations indicate cultivar names)
“Angel face” floribunda rose
Bleeding heart
“Daydream” tulip
“Everlasting” sweet pea
Forget-me-not
Honesty plant
Love-lies-bleeding
Love-in-a-mist
Kiss-me-over-the-garden-gate
Obedient plant (eh, maybe not!)
“Romance” narcissus
“Valentine” sunflower

Here are other seeds that could be great for Valentine cards:
“Black Valentine” beans
“Hearts of Gold” cantaloupe
“Hungarian Heart” tomato
"Marvel" lettuce
"Tendersweet" carrot
Instead of traditional trinkets, you could give a growing, botanical version:
Candytuft
“Diamond” eggplant
“Golden treasure” pepper
“Chocolate beauty” pepper
“Teddy bear” sunflower
“Lady Godiva” squash, anyone? (Nah, Godiva chocolates are probably better.)
Show that you appreciate your Valentine’s special qualities by pointing out:
“Good Mother (Stallard)” beans
“Provider” beans
“Country Gentleman” corn
Use your imagination, and let plants do the talking this Valentine’s Day. Take it from me, though. These may be incredible plants, but for the holiday’s sake steer clear of sending a message with "Envy" zinnia, “Lazy Housewife” beans or “Seneca Red Stalker” corn.

1 comment:

David said...

Jennifer, you are so creative. I would never have thought to use garden seed packets to inspire my Valentine's Day messages. Now that I see it, it's a duh moment. I don't have a sweet heart in my life and at my age don't really intend to have one. I figure two in my life time is enough. My 64 X 64 foot Terra Nova Gardens is the love of my life now. :-) It keeps me busy and out of trouble. I'm really looking forward to the warmer weather and garden projects for this year. There's always garden projects as well as gardening.

Have a great creative garden seed packet Valentine's Day.