5 Favourite Mothers Day Flowers in your Garden

Mothering Sunday always falls in March, but due to Easter being a moveable feast, finding Mothers Day flowers that are flowering in your garden may sometimes be a tricky task. These five favourite flowers are a personal choice and are likely to be blooming in your garden at this time of year. And if they’re not growing in your garden, or your Mum’s garden, then the flowers and shrubs could be a good choice for a Mothers Day present.

These garden plants are a mix of spring flowering bulbs, small flowering perennials and flowering shrubs, so whatever the size of your mother’s garden there will be at least flower to fit in, even if it’s just a balcony pot! As for whether your mother likes a cottage garden style or a minimalist look; fragrance or Zen, there should be at least one to suit her taste.

Mothers Day flowers

Daffodils

Daffodils (Narcissus) are a popular spring flowering bulb; their cheerful yellow blooms brighten up our gardens and grass verges. One of the delights of choosing the right daffodil for your mother’s or for your own garden, is that you can find small narcissus to fit in a pot by a front door or on a balcony and a taller variety to naturalise under trees in a larger garden.

For an unusual small daffodil why not try Narcissus ‘rip van winkle’; its frilly yellow petals remind me of flower fairies in children’s picture books.

Of the taller daffodils, I also really like Narcissus ‘Barrett Browning’ which is an old favourite. A small orange cup, or centre, is surrounded by white petals.

Sweet Violets

These are one of my favourite small perennials. Sweet Violets, Viola oderata, with their delicate scent and flowers look their best presented in a pretty pot. And would be a popular present for many mothers.

A plant or two (or three) of these violets in a tall pot near the front door will delight your olfactory senses every time you walk past.

An incredibly popular plant in the nineteenth century, sweet violets deserve to be appreciated. A small patch of them growing near a well-trodden path in the garden will surprise you each time you walk past, wondering where the delicious scent is coming from. Flower colours range through white, lilac, pink and rich purple

Hellebore

Hellebores with their drooping flower heads positively tease you into bending down to cup their blooms in your hand so you can better appreciate the delicate veining on the petals.

Flowering at Christmas and through to Easter, there are a variety of species and cultivars to choose from. Flower colours include green as well as white, pink and purple; and the foliage likewise offers an assortment of shapes.

For example, the Corsican hellebore (Helleborus argutifolius) would look good in a modern setting with its architecturally interesting, large dissected leaves.

Although the larger species are happier in a border long term, hellebores will grow well in a container, so they are suitable for smaller gardens too.

Lonicera fragrantissima

Lonicera fragrantissima, the winter flowering honeysuckle, is a firm favourite of mine. A shrubby bush rather than a climber, this honeysuckle flowers throughout the winter months, and is still flowering in mid March.

Cut a spray of the blooms to bring inside and fully appreciate their scent. Planted near a path or gate you use in the winter is a good idea, but in smaller gardens you may like to plant summer flowering bulbs such as alliums in front to extend the seasonal interest. Prune back after flowering to keep its occasional lax habit in check.

Daphne bhoula

Another scented winter flowering shrub, like the winter honeysuckle it is evergreen, although Daphne bhoula has glossy leaves. A good choice for smaller gardens it has a neat upright shape. The scent on these Mothers Day flowers will certainly sing out, even if there’s snow and frost where you are.

The Daphne’s compact habit allows it to be grown in a tub if required, so you could move it to another part of the garden when not flowering. As it is an attractive evergreen shrub, Daphne bhoula makes a good choice for late winter and early spring scent if you have a patio garden or a balcony.

Mothers Day Flowers

As ever when it’s my personal choice, scent plays a large part in my suggested list of five favourite Mothers Day flowers.

Not only do I enjoy the scent, but early bees awake after hibernation and those that keep active all year round also reap the benefits of flowering plants in the garden. So you’ll know you’re doing your ‘bit’ for bees and other pollinating insects, as well as indulging in some floral pleasure. Remember to use peat free potting compost in the containers (see link below for why this is so important)

If garden plants are not a possible choice for your Mum, as she has no garden or is not able to get outside, that’s covered too. Both the Narcissus and Sweet Violets would both work well as indoor pot plants whilst they’re in bloom. And of course are small enough to sit on a table to be enjoyed at eye and nose height.

Enjoy!

If you would like help with creating or renovating your Mother’s garden as a beautiful, practical and long lasting gift, do get in touch. Plews is able to offer Gardening Lessons, Garden Design and Planting Designs or a Garden Consultancy Visit to suit yours and her needs. Please check out relevant pages on the website for more details

For further gardening tips and inspiration check out Plews Potting Shed blogs, including the selection below – and find us on Instagram and Facebook