Mother’s Day
Garden Clippings for May 13, 2017
Leaving your Mother’s Day gift shopping to the last minute is a smooth move, particularly when buying plants that need to be looking their prime on Mom’s special day.
Anything with colour is a safe bet for Mom. Greenhouses are full of hanging baskets that are shipped by the thousands to grocery stores, box stores and lumberyards. The baskets are pumped with fertilizer to look their very best in order to impress Mom.
If a hanging basket lands up in your buggy this Mother’s Day, keep an eye on the weather and bring it indoors if frost is expected. Consider accompanying the hanging basket with a package of slow release fertilizer to keep the flowers healthy.
Most commercially grown hanging baskets are grown in pots that are too small for their size, which saves on shipping costs. If you want the plants to look good all season, I would recommend repotting them into larger baskets or containers.
Pansies will be a hit this Mother’s Day because of the cool damp weather we’ve experienced this spring. Pansies are ridiculously bright and cheerful and will remain showy until mid-summer’s hot dry weather arrives. Pansies are super easy to grow in the garden or in containers.
For those who want to go beyond the standard fare of Geraniums and Petunias, think about higher performing plants such as Dipladenia, Hibiscus and Calla Lilies. Accompany the plants with a carefully chosen container and you will have a perfect presentation.
Mandevilla and Bouganvilla plants are impressive vines that are a little more unusual or exotic. For a taller growing plant to be planted in the garden or large container, consider a Banana plant, Penta or treeform Hibiscus.
Succulents are the latest gardening craze, thanks in large part to home decorating websites such as Pinterest and Houzz. Succulents are not big on flowers but rather have detailed textures and interesting foliage. Grow a small assortment of succulents in a shallow stone pot to display on a sunny patio table. Succulents won’t grow large and won’t need much water or attention.
For Moms with black thumbs who won’t appreciate anything horticultural, a piece of garden art might be a hit. Trending now is anything metal that can be hung on a fence or wooden shed. If it will eventually rust along the edges, that’s all the better.
Seasoned gardening enthusiasts will appreciate a gift of good quality hand tools. Top of list are Felco pruning tools imported from Switzerland and English Haws watering cans. They will set you back a good penny but will certainly last a few generations.
