The idea to create plantable greeting cards first came to us while clearing out a cluttered shelf. We found so many old and dusty greeting cards from birthdays, anniversaries, holidays and more than one Christmas past. Like so many people, we are terrible at throwing things away. Here at least we had the excuse that we tried to hold on to the memories and nice messages our loved ones had sent to us. In the end, the desire to have a clean shelf (and more space for the seemingly endless flow of new cards) proved stronger and most cards older than 6 months (a compromise) ended their journeys in the bin. We both felt that this was a waste. But what was the alternative? Letting those cards gather dust in some forgotten corner surely wasn’t much better.
So what could be the solution to this problem? Surely, to give these cards a new life and a new purpose. But how? How could we give people a way to actually use our cards after receiving them? Then the idea struck us when sending a card and flowers to a family member: why not combine these two? Send a greeting card and flowers in one. Many of our cards already had floral themes, so we only had to add some flower seeds to the cards and people would be able to grow their own flowers. The solution was found: greeting cards on seeded paper.
We chose paper containing a mix of wildflower seeds and we loved the results. Not only does it give the cards a beautiful natural and organic feel, but it also gives them a new purpose. Instead of throwing them in the bin, you can now plant your cards and see them grow into a beautiful mix of wildflowers. And what better use could there be for the messages sent to you by your loved ones than to make our world a little bit more beautiful.
So you received one of our plantable cards. How do you get your flowers?
- After you have enjoyed your card and read the message (or when you decide it’s finally time to declutter your shelves) simply soak the card in some water for about a day (or overnight).
- Transfer the card to a flower pot with all-purpose or flower compost to ensure your wildflowers get all the nutrients they need.
- Water them regularly and keep the pot in natural light as soon as you can see the seedlings to ensure they grow into beautiful flowers.
For the best results, we recommend planting your cards as soon as you receive them. Keep them out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources such as radiators before planting them. The quality of the water and compost, as well as light and temperature, can influence the final result. Unfortunately, as with any seeds, this can also mean that your seeds might take longer to sprout or might not sprout at all. In this case, the card will fully decompose and leave no waste.
Each card contains a different amount and variety of wild flowers, so no two cards will give you the same result. It is always exciting to see which flowers you might get. The wildflower seeds in our cards are native to the UK. We however still recommend planting the flowers in pots to prevent the spread of invasive species, especially when sending these cards to friends and family in other parts of the world.