Need gift ideas! Ladies help!

[Salvi4Life]

I'm trying to get a woman's perpective on this. I want to buy my new gf an orchid but I want something special and different for her. I usually buy phals because I love em but I would like to know what was the best and most beautiful orchid any of you have recieved. Just looking for some ideas. She says she likes roses *gag* so I was thinking maybe red? orchids even tho I've never seen any. Please help! Thank you in advance

[Discus]

Flowers are such a personal choice that you need to figure out what your gf likes. In general, girls are not homogenous (like orchids!) and for them, finding something they are secretly after and/or shows a lot of thought wins brownie points.

For instance, many orchid fanciers think cattleya hybrids are the greatest thing around - I find most of them too showy and frilly and lacy and don't really like them at all (my gf agrees).

I imagine you need to find the perfect balance between something that looks good and is fairly easy to care for. Nicely scented is a bonus too. In that regard, some of the Zygopetalum hybrids are great.

I've often wondered why girls like cut flowers and other ephemeral gifts so much (dying plant sex organs are apparently very romantic...!) as opposed to something that will last; someone once said it's because it then gives you an excuse to go out and get more and show that you (still) care or something like that!

There are definitely red orchids out there; off the top of my head, there are red cattleyas (and hybrids), red(ish) Masdevallias, red phragmipediums (bessae and its hybrids) and of course, Disa uniflora, although I personally think they're impossible to keep.

Of course, if your gf really wants cut flowers, try and find something unusual in that regard; mine really likes tulips. I've always found roses hugely over-done, and I'm not sure about picking a plant that is covered in spines as a symbol of romance!

I'm sure some ladies will throw in their ideas too.

[Salvi4Life]

THANK YOU DISCUS!! Very interesting theory on the whole cut flowers thing. Lol taking some serious notes right now. Appreciate the response!!

[silken]

As Discus said, women have very individual tastes. My own thought is if she truly loves roses, then that's what she would love to get! But if it is more the fact that she loves red flowers, well, then by all means find an orchid. Burrageara Nelly Isler 'Swiss Beauty' is a very red flower. It's from the Oncid. family but likes temps cooler than some and to not dry out. So if you can manage that, it's another one to add to the list of reds. The trick is to find something in bloom at the time that you want to present it to her!

[Salvi4Life]

Thanks silken! Yea she's gotten roses from other people before so I'm trying to be different while trying to give her something unique to me as well. What I'm hoping for is that ends up being her favorite since she really doesn't really have a favorite flower.

[calypsoB]

I am sure sure she likes more than Roses. Here's the thing, if you buy here something you like she may at first think it is sweet then may get annoyed that you really bought something for you...think homer simpson and the bowling ball. It did have the desired effect....Getting something she really likes will win more brownie points than something you do....

[Leafmite]

I love roses because of the fragrance but many floral roses no longer have a fragrance (they wanted longer lasting so out went the fragrance.). I grow my own, now. And, in the off-season, I grow fragrant indoor plants such as jasmines, herbs, and orchids. A wonderfully fragrant orchid would be a great gift, especially a rose-scented one, as she likes roses. Or, if you can't find a pretty one of these in bloom, there are some other great orchids. I have brassavola Little Stars 'Yasugi Takaeki' and it really smells wonderful. The flowers last about a month and every night, when it gets dark, the room is perfumed with a lovely fragrance. Mounted, it presents well out of bloom, and is easy. Neos are small and cute, angraecum Magdalenae is scented during the day and more so at night and is very pretty and easy, with nice leaves. I like fragrant Cattleyas but they do have their disadvantages. Cattleyas often bloom only once a year and, out of bloom, really aren't very pretty. I'd personally go with something fragrant, blooms more than once a year, is easy, and that looks nice out of bloom. Good luck!
Leafmite

[Rowangreen]

Sounds like you might want to consider NOT getting her an orchid. Has she got outside space? If so, a rose bush would be an idea! Maybe a mini she can grow in a container so it's easily moveable if it needs to be in future *G*.

If you want to get her something really unusual, how about a pinguicula? Something I want to get *G* I've heard a lot of them flower a lot, and they are useful!

[quiltergal]

I have to agree that when giving a gift you should probably give the recipient something you think they want/like, not what you want/like. I've been on the receiving end of getting things my spouse would like to have for himself. It generally shows that you aren't really paying attention to who your significant other is as an individual.

That said, if you really want to give her a killer red orchid try a red miltoniopsis. They are gorgeous and smell fantastic.

[Bud]

I am not a lady, but I am a guy who likes to give flowers to the ladies.
If she likes roses...GIVE HER ROSES!
Giving her an orchid will give mixed messages...youre giving her the burden of growing it...and what if she just throws it away after the bloom??!!
with roses; she just thrashes it after all the flowers wither and die...what do you think she will do with orchids? wel...maybe if she loves plants then she might grow the orchids after all...but most ladies who are the beauty queen kind...wont ever bother growing anything...they move a lot and change address a lot...give then a pole dancing portable exercise machine