Mother’s Day is a special day to recognize and celebrate the women in our lives who are mothers; our mothers and our grand-mothers; our mothers-in-law; our wives, our daughters and our sisters. They all share the bonds of motherhood, bringing us into the world, nurturing and guiding us, and quite frankly, exerting a comforting and civilizing effect on the world at large around us. They deserve a special day.

But what are the right flowers for Mother’s Day? If you want to send a pure and perfect bouquet or floral arrangement to show how much you love and appreciate her, what do you send? What knock-out flowers show your gratitude and adoration?

• Carnations are one of the most popular flowers for Mother’s Day, and practically perfect, as they send a message of love and gratitude. Other dianthus, such as pinks or Sweet Williams, carry the message of sweet, or heavenly, love.
• Roses symbolize love and beauty, with the best colors for Mother’s Day being white (meaning reverence), light pink (admiration), pink (grace, elegance and love) and dark pink (appreciation and joy).
• Variegated tulips mean “you have a beautiful soul“, a message any mother would love to hear, while yellow tulips mean “there is sunshine in your smile“.
• Chrysanthemums mean great happiness, or joy. White chrysanthemums mean true, loyal love (though in some European countries white mums are symbols of bereavement, and in some East Asian countries they mean sorrow and grief, so consider alternatives if the recipient of your gift is from another country.)
• Mixed bouquets are always a treat; pick bold shapes in majestic colors, like purple, to really make a statement. Mix it up with some complementary colors (pink, white or yellow, perhaps), and set the whole off with a pretty matching ribbon and a heartfelt card.

In the United States, and many other countries around the world, Mother’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday in May, while in the UK and Ireland it is celebrated on the fourth Sunday in Lent. Other countries celebrate Mother’s Day (or Parent’s Day) on various other days throughout the year, so be sure to check if you’re not sure (Wikipedia has a good calendar, if you need a reference.) Whenever, and however you celebrate, we wish you, and your mother, a joyful day of love.

Our favorite online florist sells some gorgeous Mother’s Day bouquets, and offers same day delivery in the US and Canada. They also deliver internationally, and take great care to ensure the flowers arrive fresh and vibrant. Just allow a couple of extra days.

Originally posted 2010-03-14 23:38:46.