Why not give your friend book tokens and let HER choose the books SHE wants to read?

Glen, good on ya for at least giving it a try! The first thing that came to my mind was a giant coffee table book with some really awesome, detailed illustrations.

Keep us posted on how it goes.

Karen

I've always enjoyed books about or by plant explorers or ethnobotanists. The Drunken Botanist by Amy Stewart is great (as is anything by her), The Plant Hunters...200 years of discovery or something like that by Musgrave, et al, Tales of a Shaman's Apprentice by Mark Plotkin, The Brother Gardeners by Andrea Wulf, are some that I have. I assume that anyone with an interest in plants already has Botany of Desire by Pollan.

Anyway, the categories of exploration (old and modern), plant seeking, and biographical studies of significant botanists might be a good way to go.

If you are sure a book would be appreciated, I'd second the gift certificate!

However, if you want a truly unique present, I think she would really like one of the x-ray art prints!

(Several companies, I just linked to one at random)

Here is a link that might be useful: x-ray art prints

@Karen That's an excellent idea, thank you. I found one called Australian Carnivorous Plants, one of her favourite kinds.

@rhizo_1 Those authors all look rather fascinating. She actually has none of those, which to me sounds like a perfect excuse for making a bookshelf to store her new library on. Thank you.

@meldy_nva Yet a third excellent idea. We've never been able to agree on decorations for our domicile, but x-ray prints are something I'll enjoy as much as her. Thank you, for ending years of tedious point and counterpoint.

@daituom Because giving a gift voucher to a pretty important person is thoughtless and lazy, and the simplest way to say I didn't care enough to look into her interests. It's like the difference between getting an e-card for St. Valentine's Day, versus a long, handwritten love letter on thick hemp paper, opening the envelope and being assaulted by the scent of the rose petals tumbling out. Or something like that. It's a terrible, painful, hypothetical cliche, but I know which one she'd rather get. Not to mention remember two weeks down the track. Besides all that, she can buy books she already knows about on her own.

Also, why did you capitalise HER and SHE? I can't tell whether you're trying to be snooty with me for presuming something, or trying to constructively point out that I'll fail at finding something she enjoys.

Meldy, thanks for letting me know what I want for Christmas. The pictures are gorgeous.

Oh,wow! I know I should keep quiet, but Glexn, a hallmark of The Garden Party is polite, non-confrontional conversation. I think you dropped the ball in your response to daituom.

The suggestions were meant to be helpful, I think!

I hope your lady friend has a Happy Birthday.

Hi Glen, if you want to introduce your lady friend to growing plants in space, check out the link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Aeroponics

mwheel, I will confess I too took offense at daituom's response. I think some kind of response from Glen was warranted. Especially since I saw a similar "crisp" comment by daituom posted on another thread. Snark is fine in the right context. But the GP is not that context.

Glen, I'm glad you got some good, workable suggestions.

Karen

The Wise Encyclopedia of Gardening is an old thick reference book for plants and the uses for those plants written by collaboration of various authors and chock full of unusual information about many many plants. There are other books in the same vein such as The Wise Encyclopedia of Cooking that also dates way back and tells how to choose, buy, cook and what other uses for many food products and where they come from. These nooks go hand in hand as much of what we eat grows as plants.

Love those art prints! Speaking of birthdays....me, myself, and I have one coming up! I might pick out a couple for my husband to give me, lol.

mjmercer ,I've never heard of a "crisp" comment before. But it seems fitting for the GP.

To me, crisp = snarky and condescending.

I'm not a fan of any of the above.

Karen