But what if you want to approach your floral gift-giving in a new and inspired way this year? We suggest that you leave the carnations and bouquets behind and opt for vibrant flowers potted in containers or given as a gift to be planted in the garden (be sure to help with the digging). Seeds, perennials, and dramatic annuals are also unique approaches to giving flowers as a Mother’s Day gift.
There are several holidays that give us the opportunity to show our love and appreciation for important people in our lives. The flowers listed below are all great options to give as gifts to anyone you’d like to show your gratitude to. We’ve carefully curated our favorite five flowers to give to mothers, teachers, nurses, and military service members.
May Day – May 1st
National Teacher Day – First Tuesday of the Month
National Nurses Day – May 6th
Mother’s Day – Second Sunday of the Month
National Armed Forces Day – Third Saturday of the Month
Memorial Day – Last Monday of the Month
Photo by ©Doreen Wynja
If you’re looking for some spectacular ready-grown flowers to show your appreciation this month, consider compact, seedless varieties like SunBelievable™ Sunflower. These sunny annuals look bright and cheery in a container and can be planted into the landscape to offer a pop of color. They’re a fabulous gift option for saying “thank you” to moms, teachers, nurses, military, and party hosts. Plus, they bloom all season long, so keep them in mind as gifts all the way through the fall!
Photo by ©Doreen Wynja
Giving this superb variety of peony as a flower for Mother’s Day (or other May holidays) will not only impress but will also prove to be a gift that keeps on giving. Itoh Peonies are vigorous perennials that return every season, so the recipient can enjoy their gorgeous blooms for years to come. Plus, they make excellent cut flowers and don’t require staking like other herbaceous peonies.
Photo by ©Doreen Wynja
A favorite cold-hardy Hibiscus species, Rose of Sharon, can be truly stunning in the garden. They can grow up to 6’ tall and 4’ wide, so they are a spectacular choice as a focal point at the back of the garden or near an entryway. Choose a vigorous, long-blooming variety like Chateau™ de Chambord Rose of Sharon to get the best long-term performance.
Photo by Brandon Friend-Solis
One of our favorite lavender varieties is the showy Javelin Forte™ Spanish Lavender (Zones 7-9). It flowers earlier than other lavenders, making it a perfect flower for Mother’s Day. Spanish lavender varieties feature a unique top with tall bracts that look like little ribbons flying from the top of the flower. We love Javelin Forte™ for its high number of flowers on the lengthy peduncle, high heat and drought tolerance, and evergreen foliage. Plus, bees love these flowers and appreciate the abundance of nectar that they provide.
Photo by ©Doreen Wynja
The fragrant, double blooms of First Love® Gardenia, for instance, not only offer the potential of creating a jaw-dropping gift display, but also the opportunity to create a sincere and loving note based on the sweet plant variety name. This particular variety is the first of its kind to bloom in early spring and is a compact variety that makes a simply stunning container specimen.
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