5 Best Plant of the Month Clubs for Budding Plant Parents (And Pros)

NICOLE DOSTER/TASTE OF HOME NICOLE DOSTER/TASTE OF HOME

Shop on BloomsyBox

Best Overall

BloomsyBox

Shop on BloomsyBox

There’s a lot to love about BloomsyBox’s plant subscription, which is our pick for best overall plant of the month club. It’s easy to start and cancel, it sends out a variety of carefully packed shipments and it offers free shipping. While best known for its flower subscription, BloomsyBox also offers its own gift of the month club for budding gardeners. While a bit on the pricey side, you get what you pay for with this luxe option.

“The plant came securely wrapped in super heavy-duty bubble wrap, similar to the kind you’d get to wrap a wine bottle when packing for a flight,” says Content Director Nicole Doster. “Since my plant was tall, there was also a stake to help it stay upright. The package had lots of indicators on which way was ‘up,’ which was nice as there was little soil spillage.”

Subscribers get the option to skip, pause or cancel at any time with this month-to-month club, and canceling is as easy as hitting a button on your account page. There’s no need to email, call or navigate confusing prompts if you go on vacation or decide that you have enough plants. Plus, each plant comes in its own decorative planter—something some of the other options lack.

In addition, each plant arrives with a QR code linked to detailed care instructions and a bit of background about the plant itself, making it ideal for plant newbies. Upon ordering the first shipment, subscribers can also choose their preferred delivery date. This is a clever option for folks who have busy schedules—you don’t want your new plant to wilt while waiting on your stoop.

“I was delighted by the choice of plant as it was low maintenance, only requiring water once a week, making it the perfect indoor plant for our sunny kitchen,” says Nicole. “The bromeliad is bright green and has a striking yellow and orange tropical bloom, which brightens up our indoor space.”

REINA GALHEA/TASTE OF HOME REINA GALHEA/TASTE OF HOME

Shop on The Sill

Best for Pet Owners

The Sill

Shop on The Sill

Contrary to popular belief, a plant of the month club can actually make a great gift for cat lovers. Just stick to a service that offers a pet-friendly subscription, like The Sill. In addition to its orchid and easy-care subscriptions, The Sill also has 3-, 6- or 12-month subscriptions that send a new pet-friendly plant each month. It’s the ideal option for those with curious felines or precocious pups.

Cat owner and Deputy Editor Reina Galhea received her plant inside a pretty ceramic pot. Subscribers can choose between white and gray pots for their plants. The whole thing came supported by a wooden dowel and was wrapped in plastic and sturdy bubble sheeting. Reina notes that it was so tightly filled with air that it felt like a river raft—and there was no damage whatsoever.

“My first plant was not only healthy and interesting to look at. It had the added flair of nyctinasty, which means it moves its leaves up and down throughout the day,” says Reina. “The plant was vibrant green and mauve on the undersides of the leaves.”

Reina also received a small info sheet with the plant’s name, a website and a QR code for care instructions. Unfortunately, the code was printed small and grainy, meaning her phone couldn’t scan it. That said, typing in the website worked wonderfully, and she was able to access the care instructions without too much fuss.

“As someone who’s had a plant or two in the past (and killed them all), I would have liked a bit more specificity in the watering instructions (e.g., how much to water the plant, not just how often),” notes Reina. “There are other materials on the company’s blog that answer that question, but a simple measurement in those instructions would go far.”

The Sill doesn’t send any duplicate plants throughout the year, meaning each multi-month subscription brings a new type of plant to your door. Subscriptions also don’t auto-renew, so there are no canceling hoops to jump through. Overall, this subscription is best for someone who’s looking to tiptoe into pet-friendly plant ownership with easy, practical greenery.

KATIE BANDURSKI/TASTE OF HOME KATIE BANDURSKI/TASTE OF HOME

Shop on Harry & David

Best for Bulbs

Harry & David’s Bulb of the Month Club

Shop on Harry & David

The plant of the month club available at Harry & David offers a slightly different experience than the average plant subscription. Instead of sending a sprout or full-fledged houseplant, the Harry & David Bulb of the Month Club sends an assortment of potted, planted flower bulbs that bloom after a few days of care.

“I received April’s tulip and hyacinth garden. It arrived, quite literally, as a pot of dirt. But after watering and a few days in a sunny spot, shoots started to emerge,” says Senior Editor Katie Bandurski, who tested the subscription. “With a little TLC, this arrangement came to life (rather than wilting and decaying like fresh flowers do). Plus, after the blooms are mature, I can plant them in my garden for enjoyment next year.”

The monthly shipments are already detailed on the order page, so it’s easy to see what you’ll get with each 3-, 6- or 12-month subscription. Possibilities range from September’s seven pre-planted paperwhites to the December shipment, which includes 13 bulbs: a rock ‘n’ roll amaryllis, white marvel tulips, white pearl hyacinths and balansae ornithogalum.

Each bulb assortment comes with its own custom care instructions. The first month’s shipment also arrives inside a decorative planter, though the others come with plastic planters. That means those serious about growing and displaying their flowers should invest in their own pretty pots.

This is a great service for those who prefer flowers to traditional leafy houseplants or who want to try their hand at growing from scratch. It also makes an excellent gift for green thumbs and those who want to beef up their home gardens.

MADI KOETTING/TASTE OF HOME MADI KOETTING/TASTE OF HOME

Shop on Lively Root

Best Easy Care

Lively Root

Shop on Lively Root

Those without an inherent green thumb can still become excellent plant parents with Livelyroot’s Easy Care Plant subscription. Subscriptions are available quarterly or semiannually, perfect for those just getting the hang of gardening. Subscribers can also choose to pay month-to-month or for a predetermined number of months. As with BloomsyBox, shipping is always free for subscribers.

While Livelyroot offers its own pet-friendly and uncommon plant subscriptions, we opted for their easy care club. This subscription gives the option to choose between small or medium plants, as well as delivery frequency. All shipments come with a printed care card containing watering instructions and details on lighting and temperatures.

“The plant arrived carefully packaged inside an upright cardboard box. The upright position of the box prevented the plant from being damaged in transit,” says Editor Madi Koetting, who tested the subscription. “The plant had no protective covering but looked fresh for sure. The pot and soil were wrapped in a fabric bag to prevent spillage in transit.”

While Madi was disappointed that her plants did not arrive in proper plant pots, this allows folks to repot them in their vessel of choice. It also lowers the overhead cost of this plant of the month club, which some may find appealing.

“I wasn’t sure what plant I was getting, so I was pleasantly surprised to find I received an Areca Palm. The plant has tall leaves that were slightly squished into the box. Once the plant was fully unpackaged, it appeared to be in satisfactory condition (no wilting leaves or broken parts),” says Madi. “I like how a plant club like this eases you into taking care of plants versus going shopping at a store, picking out three you like and eventually killing them because you don’t know how to care for them.”

EMILY WAY/TASTE OF HOME EMILY WAY/TASTE OF HOME

Shop on Gardenuity

Best for Gardeners

Gardenuity

Shop on Gardenuity

Smaller gardens like Aerogarden are popular among apartment dwellers. But for those who prefer keeping their compact culinary garden outdoors and topped up with herbs and vegetables, there’s a plant of the month club for that. Enter Gardenuity. This garden club comes with everything the novice planter needs, from plant sprouts and garden tools to planters and dirt.

Subscription options include herb gardens, culinary gardens, vegetable gardens and a monthly shipment of wax-dipped bulbs. We tried the herb garden, which arrived with tomatoes, oregano, rosemary, thyme, marjoram and basil. Upon receiving the (huge) box and beginning to unpack everything, I was a little overwhelmed with the number of things included. But the simple step-by-step instructions eased my mind.

All six plants were healthy and packaged well to prevent damage. They came in something resembling a cardboard drink carrier, which kept everything nicely separated. Included were two coir blocks, potting soil, nutrient serum, a dropper, a spray bottle waterer, a garden tote, support sticks and a screen to protect the plants. I was surprised at the completeness of the kit.

After reading through the instructions, I spent about a half hour getting my garden planted and ready. It was a lengthy process with lots of steps, but by the end, I had a large planting tote full of gorgeous greens. I love the use of the tote—it makes it easy to relocate the garden when necessary.

In addition, each subscription offers two seasonal vegetable and herb plant deliveries to keep the garden topped up. Subscribers also get a year of the Grow Pro app for free. It offers weather alerts, watering and feeding reminders, gardening guidance, plant care guides, harvest help, seasonal recipes and on-call support.

As someone who has always been too scared to try my hand at gardening, Gardenuity gave me all the tools and support I needed to grow my very first garden. Plus, the care instructions are super helpful. After a month, my plants are still thriving, and I have already harvested several herbs for home-cooked meals.

What To Look for When Buying a Plant of the Month Club

Shopping for a plant of the month club for yourself is like sending yourself a surprise gift each month. As with any gift of the month club, first decide whether you want to prepay for your monthly subscription. While some plant subscription boxes offer pay-as-you-go options, others require a multi-month commitment.

You’ll also want to think about the kinds of plants you’re hoping to receive. Gardenuity gears their services toward gardeners and those who wish to grow culinary-related plants like tomatoes and sage. Others, like The Sill, focus on houseplants and potted flowers. Additionally, think about your lifestyle. If you have curious pets, you should seek out a subscription that offers pet-friendly plants to keep them safe.

Likewise, consider your own experience. Some plant of the month clubs focus on easy, beginner-friendly plants, while others are better for experienced growers. Another important aspect is whether plants come with their own planters. If you’re an experienced plant parent with many extra pots and vessels, securing a plant club that sends out planters with its plants is less of a concern. However, those who are green thumb newbies may prefer an all-in-one subscription instead.

When gifting, consider these things in relation to your giftee. We also recommend prepaying for a set number of months to ensure there aren’t any issues with billing or delivery.

Why You Should Trust Us

The Taste of Home team dedicates itself to vetting and testing the products we recommend. Our expertise ranges from big purchases like the best food processors to smaller splurges like the best hop water. Our Product Testing Team has more than 25 combined years of experience in professional product selection and testing.

How We Found the Best Plant Subscription Boxes

To find the best plant of the month club options, we began by researching the most popular services. We focused on those with plenty of positive reviews and lots of fanfare. From there, we tested each service for at least one month, aside from those with a multi-month minimum subscription. After receiving each shipment, we tested for the following:

• Packaging: Did the plant arrive well packaged, free of any soil spillage and healthy?
• Care instructions: Are specific care instructions and plant information included?
• Longevity: How well does the plant hold up after a week? After two weeks?
• Value: Is this a good value for the price, or would it be better to pick up a plant from the store?

Other Plant Subscriptions We Tested

• 1-800-FLOWERS Plant Subscription: While they arrive in good shape, the plants have zero drainage holes. Plus, there’s no literature about what you’re receiving or how to care for them. After two weeks, the plant began suffocating and dying due to the insufficient planter with poor drainage. I like the concept, but the quality simply isn’t there.

• Succulent Box: While I love the flexibility of the subscription and ease of cancellation, I wasn’t super impressed with the overall quality. My succulent came wrapped in bubble wrap but tossed about, and there was soil all over the box. Additionally, for the price, it’s easy to find a comparable succulent at a local store. It’s a cute idea, but unfortunately, it didn’t translate well.

FAQ