Poinsettias are a winter houseplant staple and come in a diverse array of beautiful colors and sizes, with many available here at Van Wilgen’s. With Christmas just around the corner, many of us are looking for gift ideas for family, friends, and coworkers. Poinsettias make the perfect gift for a business holiday party or as a festive decoration in the office and home! With our Poinsettia Wrapping Station, creating an amazingly festive gift is easy. Choose one of our diverse Poinsettia colors, and our team will help you choose a complementary wrap. For an extra twist, add one of our new holiday gift cards!

Keep your Poinsettia happy and healthy and ensure it lasts throughout the season with these easy tips!

Poinsettia Care Tips:

• Don’t let poinsettias get cold on the ride home from the store. Keep trips and exposure to the cold as short as possible.
• Let the soil dry before rewatering, and don’t drown your poinsettias! The pot itself will feel lighter and you may even notice the leaves of your plant starting to wilt when it’s time to water (similar to a peace lily). When you see this happening, give your poinsettia a thorough watering. It’ll do better with one long drink than multiple little ones.
• Thrive in a warm 68 to 72 degrees – limit exposure to the cold as well as drafts. No placing next to doors or open windows.
• Bright but not direct sunlight – 6 hours of indirect light per day. A sunny window is perfect!

Poinsettia varieties:

Classic Red

A deep, rich, red. An instant Christmas classic!

Classic White (Cream)

A creamy, pale white. Pairs well with classic red.

PINK

Classic poinsettia in a delicate rosy pink color!

Painted Blue

Blue spray paint on classic white, adds a unique flair.

TAPESTRY

Bright red bracts with yellow and green variegated foliage.

Jingle Bells

Huge dark red bracts splashed with cream!

Marbled

Marbled varieties can be a mix of pink, white, and red.

Princettia

A variety with bountiful and more compact bracts! Available in bright pink, pure white, and red.

Winter Rose

An older style that is growing in popularity again! Features red, wavy petals.

Which style is your favorite? We hope to see you soon!

The holiday countdown is on! If you’re on the prowl for easy grab-and-go gifts for your friends and family, we’ve got you covered! We’ve put together a few of our favorite last-minute gifts that are sure to be a hit with the gardeners in your life. Shopping has never been easier!

Poinsettia

A beautiful holiday classic, you can’t go wrong with a festive poinsettia to bring your loved ones some joy and cheer. To make things easy, you can pair your gift with one of our self-watering containers (pictured above). Click here for additional poinsettia care tips.

Houseplants

Of course, poinsettias aren’t your only houseplant choice for holiday gift-giving. With the weather turning cloudy and gray, there’s nothing better than receiving a fresh, colorful plant that can be enjoyed well past the holidays. For some inspiration, check out our festive houseplant round-up.

Gardening Tools

Whether the gardener in your life is a beginner or expert, you can’t go wrong with a collection of useful tools. Consider a trowel combined with a kneeling pad, some gloves, a watering can, and seeds to give your gardener everything they’ll need in the spring.

Sloggers

Do you know someone who gardens no matter the conditions? For the messy gardener in your life, slogger footwear is just the thing to tackle those dirty projects where a waterproof finish is a must.

Scented Soaps

As we love to tell everyone, gardening is messy! So what better way to clean up after those messy jobs than with some of our luxurious fragrant scented soaps and hand creams. These make great stocking stuffers!

Gift Cards

Still not sure what to get? For the gardener that seemingly has everything, you can’t go wrong with a Van Wilgen’s gift card. Pick one up in the store, over the phone, or online.

No other plant quite marks the holiday season like the poinsettia. With lots of varieties, colors, and sizes available there’s something for everyone. We’re a fan of these beauties because not only are they great for decorating, but they also make the perfect holiday gift!

To ensure your poinsettia lasts throughout the season, be sure to follow these easy tips to keep your plant happy and healthy.

Transport

First things first, don’t let poinsettias get cold on the ride home from the store. Keep trips and exposure to cold as short as possible.

Light & Temperature

Once home, these cheery plants thrive on six hours of indirect light a day. Just be sure to keep it away from doors or drafty windows which could shock the plant. Poinsettias are happiest in warmer spaces.

Water

You’ll want to let the soil dry out a little in-between waterings. The pot itself will feel lighter and you may even notice the leaves of your plant starting to wilt when it’s time to water (similar to a peace lily). When you see this happening, give your poinsettia a thorough watering. It’ll do better with one long drink than multiple little ones.

Still have questions? Just pay us a visit or give us a call. We’re always here to help!

April showers bring May flowers … and April brought us lots of showers.

May is the month of flowers in the greenhouse, and our greenhouse is bursting at the seams with more color this year than ever before!

As Mother’s Day approaches (Sunday, May 10th) it’s time to think big — just how big depends on you. Mother’s Day is a great day to spend with Mom walking around the greenhouse here at Van Wilgen’s where we have amazing combinations around every corner. Our woven rattan baskets are stunning this year, featuring new plant combinations along with new baskets. You have to check them out!

If you’re thinking bigger, let’s talk about making your own personal combo for Mom’s doorstep. Visit us in the custom container corner (in the front of our greenhouse) to create a combo that’s truly unique for her.

Flower combinations are a great way to have all your favorites in one pot. The best part? You don’t have to choose … you can have them all!

Christmas is just around the corner! If you’re still on the prowl for plants to decorate with or give as gifts, we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite festive houseplants just in time for this holiday season.

•Stephanotis (Jasmine) – this is an outstanding plant any time of the season. It has beautiful white star-shaped fragrant flowers against dark green vining leaves, which makes a great decoration this time of year and an even better gift. (Bright light)

•Frosty fern – This tiny but cute little fern gets its name because the new growth has a frosted tip appearance. It has quickly become the favorite plant this year among our shoppers. It’s just too cute. (Indirect light)

•Lemon cypress – This is one of my favorites. Who doesn’t like the scent of citrus around the holidays? This plant has a yellow/green color that stands out and adds the perfect bright pop of color you need and has the traditional Christmas tree shape. You can even add some small ornaments to make it extra festive. (Bright indirect light)

•Norfolk Island pine – A houseplant Christmas tree you can keep out all year long. This tree is a tropical plant so it can’t tolerate the colder temps we have here in CT. Have fun decorating your Norfolk pine, then enjoy it the rest of the year. (Bright light)

•Orchids – The ever-popular orchid! This exotic, colorful flowering houseplant favorite requires minimal care. Don’t be afraid it really is as easy as 1,2 3. (bright light)