Plants make great gifts for the horticulturally-inclined, but they don’t fare well in the mail. Now there’s a new way to combine a gift and a card that will address the whole bloomin’ gift-giving issue: PostCarden. Combination gift and greeting card, PostCarden is “a fun and simple pop-out card that transforms into a mini living garden.”

PostCarden’s creators, like many consumers, decided that greeting cards brought only “momentary enjoyment” to those who receive them. Once read, they are typically discarded. This product, in contrast, provides enjoyment for some time. It “encourages you to bond, live and grow the greeting on a day-by-day basis.”

The cards’ crop is edible cress, which will germinate and begin to grow within about three days of being unfolded and watered. The lifespan of the plant is estimated at two weeks or more; those with longer-living specimens can contact the company to become a contender for the record. “Cardens” are available year-round.

• PostCarden is produced by A Studio for Design, a London-based company; the cards are printed in Wales
• To date, delivery is only available within the European Union, due to government restrictions on importing seeds
• The cost of a card is about $11.50 US

PostCarden commissions the artists who design the illustrations, and the seeds and inner trays are provided by local companies. The cardens are designed to add interest and liven up any workspace or residence with a splash of green.

Three designs are currently available. The “Allotment” features a garden scene because, as PostCarden’s website points out, gardening is “great for the soul, and tending your own tiny patch will be rewarding and therapeutic.” The “City Garden” consists of a tiny town. The growing plants turn the bare urban landscape into lush foliage, creating green spaces. The “Botanical” card features a Victorian botanical garden, with plants growing under ornate arches.

Providing a memorable greeting, PostCarden is a company that looks to create greeting cards that go green, providing a growing oasis designed to stand out in a sea of paper. They hope that theirs is a product that will indeed grow on you.