Create Memorable Gifts with Herbs
There are tons of fun, creative ways to give someone homegrown joy.
Everyone knows that herbs are a small way to add a big impact to dishes, but a way to create memorable gifts as well? It's true! Herbs make feel-good gifts for everyone on your list—from the plant lovers in your friend group to the culinary inclined. There are tons of fun, crafty ways to offer up these homegrown treats. Whether you give someone a beautiful potted herb for their kitchen decor or grow your own herbs to create jars of dried spices, loved ones will appreciate the many ways they can use and enjoy these unique gifts. Let's cover some of the most popular ways to turn herbs into gifts.
Gift Living Herbs
Know someone special who loves to cook? Give your favorite home chef the gift of inspiration with potted herbs. They’ll have even more fun in the kitchen spicing up recipes with fresh-off-the-vine flavor. Potted herbs provide layers of joy, from enhancing interior design with lush greenery to stimulating exciting new dish ideas. Plus, there are all kinds of herbs for every type of cook. Potted oregano makes a sweet gift for moms who are always looking to add homegrown love to their sauces. Potted rosemary has long symbolized lasting love and makes a great gift for newlyweds. A potted mint plant is a perfect gift for the casual mixologist whose bar kit is already complete with every accessory. All fresh herbs will make it easy for recipients to impress guests while enjoying the ongoing gift of caring for plants.
Gift a Bouquet of Aromatics
DIY dried herb bouquets are as fun to make as they are to receive. These useful gifts can be taken apart to sprinkle into recipes or hung up in the kitchen as decor. Choose to harvest a variety of plant sprigs and create your own herb mix bouquet, or tie together a handful of your favorite scented herbs. However you style them, herb bouquets are easy enough to make for all your friends. To start, take a sharp pair of Pruning Shears and cut off 4 to 5 inches of herb stems. Collect a handful of stems and pinch them together at the base near your cut. Using your choice of decorative twine or ribbon, tie the ends together in a bow. Just like that, it’s ready to gift!
Decorate Gifts and Table Settings with Herbs
Why stop with the bow? The prettiest presents have a personal touch. Add a couple sprigs of rosemary to your holiday gift wrapping for a cheery accent that’s almost too cute to open. Or, if you’re more of a gift bag person, consider adding stems of lavender with a ribbon to the bag’s handle. It’s a beautiful way to create a natural aesthetic and offer one more gift when you hand off your present.
If you want a gift that’s fashionable enough to skip the wrapping, you can create centerpieces that feature your herbs. Rosemary has long stems and needle-like leaves that add height and texture to floral displays. Lavender brings an element of color that won’t overwhelm the eye. Even sage can be used in centerpiece arrangements to offer soft color and feel. Add a variety of herbs, flowers, and foliage of different colors and sizes until your centerpiece feels balanced, full, and complete.
Gift Homemade Herb Spices
If love is the secret ingredient that makes the homemade cooking taste so much better, imagine what cooking with your own homegrown herbs can do. Creating spices from your dried herbs makes it easy to share the love with friends.
Simply use pruning shears to collect herb stems, tie them together at the end, and allow them to dry for a couple of weeks in a dark area. Once the leaves are completely dry to the touch, use an herb-harvesting dish to collect the small leaves. This tool helps you to skip the task of pulling off individual leaves by instead pulling a stem through a small hole in the dish. The hole strips the stem of the leaves, which fall conveniently into the harvest bowl. Then, just pour the dried leaves into a jar and label it for gifting. For an especially magical moment, collect vintage glass bottles to store the dried herb leaves in.
