These hearty and easy-to-grow plants can be grown outdoors in the garden or indoors in small pots. Remember that these plants grow best with lots of sunlight – but not direct sun. Like most flowering plants, primrose need soft and damp soil to grow. You need to be careful when you’re watering these, because too much water could potentially cause root rot. Primrose plants like cooler temperatures, so make sure that your plant remains in a spot that’s slightly chilly and humid. If your plant starts to show signs of wilting, you will need to prune the petals to make room for new and healthier blooms to grow.

Most people grow primrose flowers for their beauty and fragrance, but there are many other uses as well. Some people use it in various foods and drinks including salads, teas, and cakes. Some people also use this flower for medicinal purposes. When you’re searching for information on the primrose plant, be careful not to confuse it with evening primrose (genus Oenothera) which is another kind of flowering plant that naturally grows in North America.

If you don’t already have a menagerie of houseplants that share your living space year-round, now’s as good a time as any to pick up one or three. Your local garden store (or, if you must, Home Depot) will be selling a ton, since that’s about all they can sell in the plant department at this time of year. I’d recommend one (or all) of the following:

• A fern, or other hanging plant. These are great to suspend over your kitchen table, in a hallway, or anywhere else you might want to add a bit of green to your home. Best way to water them? Place an ice cube into the pot every day or two. The ice will melt slowly, allowing the water to absorb into the dirt without having excess drip onto the floor (or whatever else lies underneath). As an added bonus, you can hang your fern outside once the weather improves. (My grandfather did that, and the fern lived a good 20 years, and hung five feet long by the end of it).
• A cactus, obviously, wouldn’t be hard to keep alive. They like sunlight, so keep them near a window, but they, unsurprisingly, don’t need much water. I keep mine on my bathroom counter. With all the steam in there, the cactus hardly ever needs a drink.
• I keep an aloe plant right next to my cactus. It’s the same family, needs a similarly low amount of water, and as an added bonus, I have a ready supply of aloe if I ever burn myself.
• Any small tree or shrub can help pick up a living space, if you have a big enough pot. Small trees are standard, but why not try something else? Maybe even a berry bush in your kitchen.

Whatever you decide to grow indoors, make sure you feed it regularly with your preferred plant food, you keep it in the sun, and you don’t forget to water it if needed.

Tulips
Tulips tend to cost less than roses, yet they still have the grace and sentiment of a red rose bouquet. Tulips, unlike roses, can be given in pots, making them a Valentine’s Day gift that will last for months or years to come. They come in the deep red color as well as other Valentine-friendly colors including white, cream, pink, and purple.

Gerbera Daisies
These bright flowers look cheerful when arranged together with several different bold shades of pink, red, and white. They are also a versatile flower to give, appropriate for anyone from a significant other to a co-worker.

One or Two Roses
If you’re intent on red roses or another pricey flower, consider buying just one or two and giving them in a nice, but inexpensive, vase. Adding some handmade embellishments to the arrangement and attaching a heart-felt card will show you care, even if your budget is tight this year.

Stargazer Lilies
The most popular lily variety is the Stargazer. This flower has an attractive fragrance and comes in the perfect shades of white and pink to be used as a Valentine’s Day gift. Since they have a nice height and live long in vases, they are an excellent alternative to roses.

Discounted Specials
Now is the time to plan ahead to get the best price on flowers for Valentine’s Day. Ask your florist if they have any specials for the holiday and shop around for the best deals if you have a budget to stick to. Using the Internet and your local phone book will save you time with this step and allow you to get the best deal.

Decide what variety of carnation you want to grow.

The carnation plant, which is scientifically referred to dianthus caryophyllus, actually comes in three varieties including perennials, annuals, and biennials. Each one of these types gives way to sub-types and hybrids, most of which are recognized for their shade. Cinderella carnations are reddish-pink, grand slam carnations are a deep red, and parado mint carnations are green.

Start planting in the early season.

For a prosperous season, it’s best to start early. Once you have the carnation seeds, you need to designate a small space in your garden and start planting. Place the seeds in the soil, spacing them apart at least 12″ (or more). Cover them up with about a quarter of an inch of moist soil.

Monitor their growth and health.

Like most plants, you’re going to need to monitor the pH level and water levels. It’s important to note that you need to water your plants carefully and never over-water them. Carnations can  be divided and replanted after twenty-five days or so.  Another thing to note about tending to these flowers is that they are supceptable to a wide range of problems including fungal disease, bacterial diseases, and parasites. Choosing the right remedy depends on the problem itself.

For me, daffodils signal the end of a long winter.  How this delicate flower can push through the last remaining bits of snow to show its golden petals is a miracle in and of itself.  Because I moved into my current home in the summer, I had no idea of the glorious spring showing of daffodils that would greet me the following year.  The woman who had lived in the home before me had planted bulbs in little pockets throughout the entire yard, so my first spring here I was greeted with literally dozens of different types of this flower, from huge showy blossoms to tiny, pale yellow blossoms.  I even have a variety that is white with orange accents. What a wonderful surprise!

Another signal that spring has arrived in Wisconsin – the fragrance of lilacs.  I first learned to love these delicate purple and white flowers as a child.  My beloved grandmother had lilac bushes lining the side of her house, and whenever I would visit her when the lilacs had first bloomed, the smell was heavenly.  As an adult, I place several large vases full of lilacs around my house to honor my grandmother’s memory.

And who could forget the dandelion?  I actually welcome the first bright yellow blossoms from this so-called weed.  I am sure if I owned a mansion or a golf course, I would hate these plants, but since I live in little grove of trees, I actually welcome dandelions.  Do you remember the game where you place the dandelion under the uplifted chin of a friend to see the reflection  - then you would color the skin with the yellow pigment? (Or was that just something Wisconsin kids did?)

Finally, tulips.  These flowers, both regal and playful, can really lift the spirits after the cold days of winter. In our town we have a poetry garden at a local college that has thousands of different types of tulip varieties.  Each spring I would take my three children to drink in springtime in this gorgeous setting.  And now, even in the dead of winter, when my kids return from college for the holidays, we drive by this same garden – in anticipation of the warmth we know will come.

Growing these plants indoors takes a little extra care, but the work can be well worth it. This houseplant can last decades and grow to six feet tall or higher if well cared for. A few things should be kept in mind for best results.

When growing tropical hibiscus indoors, special attention to light is necessary. Keep your plant in a south facing window if possible, where it can get several hours of direct sunlight each day. If natural light is lacking, a grow light may be necessary, especially during winter months. You can also supplement light by taking your plant outdoors during warm weather.

Warmth is another necessity for this plant. If growing indoors, this should not be a problem as long as you do not leave the plant near a drafty window during cold months.

Like many other tropical houseplants, the tropical hibiscus needs water, but not too much. The soil should dry a bit between waterings, and the soil should not be soaking wet after a watering. It’s also recommended that warm water be used to water these plants, especially during winter.

Fertilizer is usually necessary if you’re looking for prolific blooms, especially during the months of March through October. A low-phosphorus liquid fertilizer works well if used about every two weeks.

To keep your plant from getting too big, pruning should be done in during the spring each year. To help the plant branch out and get more blooms, you can pinch growing tips as well.

Red Roses

Roses are a classic! Sentimental and romantic, red roses are a fragrant flower that adds a festive touch. If you really want to give a gift that’s in-season, give a bouquet that has greenery in the mix.  If you want to give a gift of roses that’s not associated with romance, you could give a blend of roses in a variety of colors like yellow, pink, and orange.

Lilies

The lily comes in a wide variety of types and colors; there is really something for everyone. A Stargazer Lily or Peruvian Lily bouquet is a great choice for giving to your close friends, while Calla Lilies are nice choice for your mother.

Sunflowers or Daisies

If you know someone who has the winter blues, you can brighten up their day with a fresh bouquet of sunflowers or daisies. These bright flowers come in vivid hues, and they are sure to add a little bit of extra sunshine to any room on Christmas day.

Flower Cakes

A flower cake is the perfect choice for a hostess gift. This is one cake you can’t eat, but it adds style to any kitchen table or counter. Most flower cakes are made with a foam base and feature a variety of fresh blooms that were artistically arranged to create a masterpiece that looks like a cake. A flower cake makes a fine alternative to the sugar-laden dessert.

• When I was eight, my uncle got married around Christmas. My father was his best man, and I served as the ring-bearer. If you’ve never done it, the rings are sometimes (usually?) carried in on a little ceremonial pillow with a ribbon sewn to secure them. My father untied the ribbon a bit too early in the service, and being a fidgety eight-year-old, I moved, and dropped the rings. Since it was a Christmas wedding, the church was decorated with dozens of poinsettias. The ring fell somewhere in the midst of them. My father and I had to crawl around in our wedding tuxedos in a vain attempt to find the rings during a couple of poignant moments (a reading and a hymn, I think.) We didn’t find his wife’s ring until after the service; the minister didn’t get to bless it until the reception. The marriage lasted less than a year. There were reasons for that, but that’s another story.
• Decades later, as I was managing security for a college bar in Boston, we decorated for Christmas with, among other things, poinsettias set decoratively around the bar. One night close to the holiday, a drunk customer was trying to show off for his friends, and in an attempt to make them laugh, he grabbed one of our poinsettias and started munching on its leaves. Really. (This is, by the way, an efficient way to convince bar security that you should be escorted off the premises, quickly).

But wait… aren’t poinsettias poisonous? I’ve done just a touch of research between now and then, and I’ve discovered that some of the shock value of the second story isn’t warranted. I pulled a few quick sources cited in Wikipedia’s article; if you don’t believe me, you can read more here, here, and here. I still wouldn’t recommend eating them, but apparently the danger’s just a rumor.

Mistletoe, on the other hand, is definitely poisonous. One more story, courtesy of Wasabi Media CEO Michele Pesula Kuegler: a couple of years ago, around this time of year, in her capacity as Parched No More editor, she received a list of holiday drink recipes from a PR firm representing a liquor company. These recipe-laden press releases are fairly common, but one recipe in particular — which called for a mistletoe garnish to be swirled into the cocktail — caught her eye. “Wait,” she thought, “isn’t that…?”

Moments later, she received a second, frantic press release from the PR firm, confirming that mistletoe is, in fact, highly toxic, and that the recipe using it as a garnish should not be published under any circumstances.

There are hundreds to choose from, in a wide range of colors including lavender, red, pink, blue, and white along with multi-colored versions. The hairy leaves come in different shapes as well, depending on the cultivar. Although care of this plant is pretty simple, there are few growing tips to heed for best results.

The African violet’s natural environment is a moist African jungle, so humid conditions are necessary for this plant to thrive. Growers in dry climates can increase humidity in their homes with a humidifier. Placing a potted plant on pebbles in a deep container is another method for producing humidity. The pebbles should be used to keep the pot from getting direct contact with the water.

Moderate sunlight is also necessary. Direct sunlight will result in smaller, less attractive plants, while too little sunlight will keep flowers from blooming. Leaving an African Violent plant in front of a north or east window will usually provide the right amount of light throughout the year.

The best day temperature for African violets is 70° to 75°F while night temperatures should be between 65° and 70°F. Temperatures below 60°F can cause chilling, which causes withering. To prevent low temperatures for these plants at night, it may be necessary to remove them from window sills. Air conditioning is also recommended during hot summer days.

These beauties need loose and well-drained soils with high organic matter such as peat moss. For best results, soil mixtures need to be a little acidic with a pH between 6.0 and 6.5.

Watering is perhaps the most difficult aspect of African violet care. Too little or too much water are both a cause of injured roots; however, room temperature water applied to the surface of the soil so that it is regularly moist will do the job. Keep water off of the leaves, and only water when the top inch of soil feels dry.

Keeping your African violets in ideal conditions and watering moderately will help them thrive. This care will also allow them the chance to flower from spring to winter, offering your home beauty and color even when all flowers outside have died.

Pressed Flower Paper

Make your own pretty stationary by learning to create pressed flower paper. You start the project by gathering the products you need: fresh flowers, tissue paper or another kind of paper, and a press kit. You can follow the instructions recommended on the press kit, or you can use two pieces of wood to press the flowers or flower petals to the paper. Leave the press closed for about three days to make sure that the flowers dry thoroughly. You could also use heavy books.  This process works for flowers, leaves, seeds, and other small foliage.  You could use the press method to also create cards.

Flower Covered Accessories

Fresh flowers are made to adorn your favorite items, albeit for a short time. You could take a whole flower and wind the stem around a simple hair clip, headband, or a purse strap. Obviously it’s not something you can keep on the accessory, but it is something that you can create with just a few minutes, and it’s super chic.

Flower Craft Ensembles for the Table

When a simple vase that’s filled with fresh flowers isn’t enough, or you’re looking for something more creative, try making a new centerpiece that incorporates real flowers (fresh or dried). You could fill a clear bottle or bowl with cold water and let the flower heads float in there. You could also dry a bunch of flower pieces, seeds, pinecones, or anything that’s natural in the plant world and place them in a potpourri bowl. Add a few drops of scented oils for your own homemade potpourri delight.