Honoring moms and gardening go together like peas and carrots, peanut butter and jelly and, of course, rock ‘n’ roll. Let the celebration begin this weekend, hug your mom, let her know she’s the best, and after that enjoy a plant outing together.
Other countries around the world also designate a day to commemorate their mothers, often with a botanical gift. In Australia, mums are given to moms, while in Thailand mothers receive garlands of jasmine. The Japanese culture honor mothers with red carnation arrangements. My favorite are the French Mother’s Day cakes designed and decorated to look like a flower bouquet.
Mother’s Day gifts take all forms and are always appreciated with a greeting card, box of candy, time together or a phone call, one or all. Or, consider a special rose shrub or hanging floral basket, two of the many popular plant choices for moms.
Roses
Roses hold special memories and will create new ones as long-lived summer bloomers. Do not let the rose types confuse you when out shopping with mom. They are broadly based on their growing shape, size and how often they bloom. Shrub roses, old garden roses and miniature roses are super easy to grow with little care except some spring pruning of old canes and fertilizer a few times during the growing season.
Many, but not all, roses are fragrant. Scents vary from heavenly (that’s what grandma’s house smelled like during summer) to subtle honey-vanilla breezes. Peggy Williams, local consulting rosarian with the Denver Rose Society, suggests “using your own ‘rose nose’ to describe the scent by smelling rose blooms that are just opening in the morning, when their scent is the strongest.”
“Single-petaled roses are loved by pollinators, so look for Morden Sunrise, Rosa Glauca (Red Leaf rose) and Dainty Bess, easily found in independent garden centers along the Front Range,” according to Peggy. And as for their thorns? “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses,” an anonymous person once wrote.
For detailed rose growing, planting and care tips, check out the Denver Rose Society’s website and contact its certified consulting rosarians.
Hanging baskets
Hanging baskets at garden centers in glorious full bloom are difficult to resist no matter the price tag. They will tempt you and mom, spilling flower charisma at every turn above and around you and down every aisle. You might as well open your wallet wide and enjoy mom’s delight as she dreams of joyfully looking at her floriferous basket bouquet all summer, remembering the fun time you had picking it out among the sea of baskets.
The hard part comes after you place the hanging basket on a hook or plant stand back at mom’s house. There are some tips to follow so the basket will continue to impress mom through the summer. (And if you slack on these, the basket may not make it through the season.)
Location is No. 1 on the care list. Make sure mom takes good notes if she’s in charge of ongoing care.
While choosing the basket at the garden center, the sunlight conditions should match where it will be growing at mom’s house. The plant tag indicates whether it needs full sun (six or more hours of direct sun per day); part sun (four-six hours of direct sun); part shade (four-six hours of sun, mostly before early afternoon); and full shade (less than four hours of direct sun per day).
Water: Hanging baskets have limited space for plant roots so they dry out much more quickly than in-ground plants. They are even more susceptible to losing moisture from air and wind when suspended in the air. Smaller baskets dry out quicker than larger baskets.
Flower basket choices can affect watering needs, too. Wire baskets lined with coconut coir, moss or compressed paper will dry out the quickest. Plastic containers are not porous like coir material so do not dry out as quickly.
Get the “feel” of what a well-watered hanging basket is like. A lightweight container means it is dry, possibly over dry where the soil pulls inward away from the sides of the container and the plants visibly wilt. This could spell death if not watered soon. Place the container (if not too large) in a tub of tepid water for one to two hours to thoroughly rehydrate the soil and roots. During the heat of summer, the container may need watering in the morning and evening.
Fertilize the container weekly with a well-balanced 10-10-10 (or similar) liquid fertilizer. Slow-release granular types will last several weeks. Be careful with the iron in fertilizers; if dripped onto concrete it can stain. Read the package for all application rates.
Maintain: When plant growth looks spent (dead) or leggy, prune it back by a half or third. Plants will regrow quickly.
And if mom can’t remember, it’s OK to gently remind her so she enjoys your gift for months.
Resources
Denver Rose Society consulting rosarians: denverrosesociety.org
Hanging basket considerations extension.iastate.edu
Selecting and planting roses: extension.colostate.edu
Freelancer Betty Cahill writes about gardening in the Rocky Mountain region.
