Sending flowers is a lovely gesture, but at the back of my mind I'm always reminded how wasteful it is too.
Let's face it, within a week or two they're in the bin, so we decided to put together a list of our top ten alternatives to flowers which are a little more thoughtful and will last a whole lot longer too!
Most of us have sent or received a bunch of flowers, but is it really an eco-friendly option?
The majority of the worlds flowers are produced in industrial sized greenhouses in countries like the Netherlands, where pesticides are used to keep diseases at bay. Then there's the colossal amount of water used to grow them, and the transportation of the flowers which adds to their carbon footprint too.
Feeling a little wilted? Fear not, as we've done a little research to show you a few thoughtful, sustainable alternatives to flowers that will give you extra brownie points too.
1. Edible Flowers Seed Box, £16
Grow your own edible flowers which are literally good enough to eat. Contains three packs of seeds, plus instructions on how to use the flowers to jazz up your food. Handmade in Wales.
2. Pineapple Plant, £36
Brighten their day with a truly tropical pineapple plant. Look after him and he'll last a lot longer than a bunch of flowers, plus 25% of each sale goes to the charity Cancer Research UK.
3. Herbal Tea Grow Kit, £26
Grow your own fresh and fragrant herbal teas at home. Contains pots, seeds, compost discs, markers and instructions on how to grow them. The kit is biodegradable and peat and plastic free.
4. Climbing Rose, £30
Give a simply stunning climbing rose plant which will attract all kinds of wildlife to your garden including birds, butterflies and bees. For each plant sold, a £2.50 donation will be made to the Royal Society For The Protection Of Birds.
Transport yourself to the lush Welsh countryside, by growing your own Celtic herbs at home. Includes three packs of seeds and lots of information including how to grow them. Packaging is made with recycled, recyclable and plastic free materials.
6. Recycled Meadow Flowers Bag, £10
Made from recycled plastic bottles, this bag manufacturer has reused over 2.2 million plastic bottles. Proceeds go to the British Red Cross.
7. Grow A Cocktail Herb Garden, £26
Craft artisanal cocktails like a true conoisseur! Contains everything you need to grow Lemon Basil, Peppermint and Borage at home. It's peat and plastic free and 100% biodegradable too.
8. Dried Flowers With Love, £5
Send a little token of love for someone with this super cute dried flowers with love gift. It's a perfect little keepsake for a friend or loved one and will last a lifetime! Proceeds go to the charity Prevent Breast Cancer.
9. Winter Herbs Seed Box, £16
Perfect for any chef or foodie who wants to evelate their cooking game this winter. Contains three packs of herb seeds plus lots of information on how to use and grow them. Handmade in Wales.
10. Herbs For Bees Grow Kit, £26
Attract these vital pollinators to your garden. Contains herb seeds that have brightly coloured flowers and fragrances that make them especially enticing to bees. The kit is peat and plastic free, and is 100% biodegradable too.
Until next time!
Martin
Boostology.co.uk