Flowers and plants for a new home

A housewarming gift has a catch: almost everything people give is decor, and decor is exactly what the person hasn't decided on yet. A plant sidesteps the problem because it goes with any style.

Why a plant is the best housewarming gift

• It doesn't compete with the decor decisions the person hasn't made yet.
• It fills an empty space at a time when there's plenty of space and nothing else.
• It lasts for years and stays associated with the move.
• It has exactly the right meaning: something putting down roots in a new place.

Which ones to choose

Situation	What to give
You know nothing about the home	Pothos or snake plant. They live anywhere
They have a balcony or patio	A jasmine, a potted lemon tree, herbs
Small, dark apartment	ZZ plant or snake plant
They love plants	A monstera or a fiddle-leaf fig: they're the ones people ask for
It's an office or a store	Anthurium: it stands for hospitality and prosperity
They have no idea about plants	A cactus, and tell them not to water it

If you'd rather give flowers

They work too, especially on moving day: a bouquet in the middle of the boxes is one of the few nice things about that day. Choose something that needs no attention, in a floral foam base, because the vases are all packed.

What someone who's moving really appreciates

No beating around the bush: food. A bouquet with something to eat that night (when the kitchen isn't set up and nobody feels like doing anything) is probably the best housewarming gift there is. The plant is for the home; the food is for the person.

A note on timing

Don't send anything on moving day to the old place, or at seven in the morning to the new one. The best moment is the first week, when everything is inside and the place starts to take shape. That's when the gesture is enjoyed and doesn't get in the way.