Easter Gift Ideas please!

[JimmyJames]

I have the rather daunting prospect of meeting my new girlfriends father for the first time over Easter, and will be driving down to Cornwall on Friday.
He has told her that he would like a plant for his garden rather than a chocolate egg, and I have been left in charge of buying a plant!
Apparantly he has a lovely big garden, and I want to get him something that he will really appreciate.  I know its impossible to judge what he will like, but im looking for some inspiration!

Ideally I would want to avoid a shrub, and would really like to get a herbaceous perennial so that he can enjoy it in the summer.  I dont know a great deal about gardening, so I am at a loss!

Is it too early to be buying summer flowering plants, or will I find something in the garden centre?

If anyone has any ideas, they would be appreciated.

I particularly like the idea of something that will produce tall stalks with many flowers on them.  Maybe a Delphinium?

[JimmyJames]

[Georgie]

How about a Dicentra Spectabilis f.alba?  It's a four foot hardy perennial with lovely light green feathery foliage and beautiful arching stems of white flowers from spring onwards.  It would fit in anywhere and you should be able to pick one up now for about £2 in a good garden centre.

G x

[star]

Sounds fine to me. Pity he didnt hint at a colour or something. There's a lot to go at, Lillies of all kinds, they will go in a pot too if his garden is crammed. Fox tailed Lillies are unusual but expensive and fussy on thier positioning.

How about a voucher then he can choose himself, before I grew veg I had a flower and shrub garden. But I was fussy (and didn't always make the right choice either) but that was down to me :D



 

[Barnowl]

I think I would avoid anything that has any obvious monetary value there's the danger of seeming either too extravagant or too mean!

If you get a plant at least it'll show you tried  :)

[Rohaise]

What about a grape vine plant ?   ....and a bottle of wine to go with it .   Woolies have got all their packets of plants in now and I,M SURE I,ve seen grapevines on the shelves !  On my recent trip ,I bought a pkt of lily of the valley for £2.99 and was told it,s buy one get one free...so got myself a pkt of red baron onions thrown in !    Yes , I,d buy him a grape vine you might get one thrown in for yourself.
  :D  Rohaise

[Deb P]

I like the vine idea very much....my first thought were how about a small tree fern? They do smallish ones in B&Q (certified), should do well in Cornwall?

[betula]

How about a clematis?So many to choose from. :)

[Jeannine]

What about a rose with a name specific to the occasion, they are hundreds to choose from, there is bound to be something appropriate. I would go for one with an Easter name, Pascal or something like that.

XX Jeannine

Just remembered... a rose called Special Occasion

[JimmyJames]

Thanks for the ideas everyone!  I will be stopping off at the garden centre before setting off for Cornwall, and can now go armed with lots of ideas!

[Georgie]

Do let us know what you decide upon and how it is received.   :)

G x