In 1993, my mother was diagnosed with cancer. After surgery, while she was recovering in hospital, friends and family sent flowers. Thirty six bunches arrived.
They were sent with love, kindness and the very best intentions. But almost immediately, they created a problem. More than thirty arrived without vases, so there was a sudden scramble to find somewhere to put them all. Then came the bigger issue: my mother suffers from hay fever, which meant she could not have the flowers in her room at all.
In the end, everyone on the ward received flowers that day. They brought smiles to many faces, but tears to my mother's as the hay fever kicked in. It was a beautiful gesture, but it was also inconvenient, wasteful and unexpectedly stressful.
Sixteen years later, in 2009, a close family friend passed away and the same problem appeared again. Flowers arrived in great numbers. Each delivery brought a moment of appreciation, followed quickly by the practical question of where they could possibly go. Over the following days, the flowers had to be rearranged, managed and eventually thrown away as they withered.
We had endless conversations about the waste, the stress and the time those flowers had consumed. Flowers may be a traditional symbol of care, love and sympathy, but at scale the experience can become something very different.
The Problem With Flowers
The short-lived joy of flowers, followed by the need to dispose of them within a week or two, felt like a missed opportunity. In a world becoming more conscious of waste and sustainability, we began asking a simple question: could there be a better way to send care?
We talked about flowering plants such as anthuriums, where the flowers can last for months when they remain on the plant rather than being cut. That conversation sparked the beginning of an idea: instead of sending the cut flower, why not send the whole plant?
A Business Born Out of Frustration
As a family, we had often given plants for occasions such as bereavement because they lasted and felt like a more fitting tribute. But in 2009, it was surprisingly difficult to find a nursery grade plant online and have it delivered in New Zealand with a personal message. In a digital age, that problem seemed old-fashioned and absurd.
That frustration became the start of Give Plants, a 100% New Zealand business created to make it simple to send beautiful living plants as thoughtful gifts across the country.
What Was the Purpose of Give Plants?
The flower fiasco of 2009 led to the development of Give Plants, an online New Zealand business built around one clear purpose; to deliver garden centre quality plants directly from nursery to the recipient, beautifully packaged and ready to be gifted.
- Deliver a quality plant to the recipient in optimum condition.
- Include the customer’s personal message on a gift card.
- Provide real value by making the plant the feature of the gift.
- Use packaging that protects the plant in transit and can be recycled.
Solving the Plant Packaging Problem
Packaging was one of the biggest challenges. Sending a plant through a courier network is very different from handing someone a bouquet. The plant needs to arrive upright, protected and healthy, with the pot secure and the foliage intact.
It took months of experimenting and a lot of trial and error. The key was locking the pot in place, which in turn secured the rest of the plant. It lowered the centre of gravity and helped stop the plant tipping over in transit. After about a dozen iterations, we arrived at the design we use today, a packaging system that has been thoroughly tested by us and by others who licence it.
How We Came Up With the Name Give Plants
Naming a business is harder than it looks. You can get too close to the idea and lose sight of the bigger picture. We approached it from many angles, but eventually the thinking came down to two ideas: gifting and flora.
- Gifting - We kept coming back to the idea of giving, and to the old saying that it is better to give than receive.
- Flora - Flowers, trees and plants all sit within the wider world of flora. Plants felt broad, accessible and practical because not every recipient has room for a tree.
We explored far too many names and, as a result, still have far too many domain names today. Two strong contenders were Plant Gifts and Gift Plants, but in the end we settled on Give Plants, the simple act of giving plants.
Why the Idea Still Matters
Give Plants began with a simple observation, people send gifts because they care. But the gift itself should not create unnecessary stress, waste or inconvenience for the person receiving it. A living plant offers something different. It can mark a moment, honour a memory, brighten a home and continue growing long after flowers would have faded.
That is the heart of Give Plants. We are not trying to replace the emotion behind sending flowers. We are trying to offer a lasting, practical and more meaningful alternative for the moments when people want their gift to keep saying, “I care,” long after delivery day.
On a personal note, Mum had another operation this year. She is recovering well, but once again, flowers arrived. Not as many this time, thankfully, but it was a reminder that the same old problem still exists. People send flowers with love, but they are not always the easiest or most lasting gift for the person receiving them.
FAQ: The Story Behind Give Plants
Why was Give Plants started?
Give Plants was started after seeing how overwhelming, short lived and wasteful large numbers of flower deliveries could be during illness and bereavement. The idea was to create a more lasting and practical way to send care.
Why send a plant instead of flowers?
A plant lasts longer than cut flowers and can continue growing for months or years. It gives the recipient living flowers, meaningful and useful rather than a gift that fades within days.
Are plant gifts suitable for bereavement?
Yes. A plant can be a thoughtful bereavement gift because it offers comfort beyond the first few days and can become a living reminder of someone loved.
How are Give Plants gifts delivered safely?
Give Plants uses packaging designed to secure the pot, protect the plant and help it arrive upright and healthy through the courier network.
What makes Give Plants different from sending a bouquet?
Give Plants focuses on living gifts that keep growing after delivery, combining the thoughtfulness of a traditional gift with longer-lasting value, less waste and a more meaningful reminder of care.
