Blossom this Mother’s Day

Every year there is always a panic leading up to Mother’s Day. What did I get Mum last year? Can I still make it to the shops in time? We know our mums mean a lot to us but finding the right gift to show that can be difficult. Whether you want that homely touch, or have a tight budget, a DIY flower arrangement is a heart-warming present designed with love.

Create a beautiful last-minute gift (the more last-minute the better!) by following these steps:

Find your vase

Start off by finding a glass jar, mug or bottle to hold the flowers. Think about using an old jam or coffee jar, or a glass milk or coke bottle. Make sure to clean it out well before you give it to mum. The ideal jar will be tall to allow more space for stems and water, and have a thin neck but any will do!
Add a ribbon of your choice just below the rim of your vase and tie into a tight bow.

Head outdoors

Soak up the sun and look around the garden for some colourful flowers and green foliage (or kindly ask your neighbours if you can raid their yard!). Try sticking to a theme for your flowers. You could pick only native flora, like bottlebrushes, banksias or eucalypti, or choose a colour scheme and fill your bouquet with seasonal flowers, such as chrysanthemums, tulips and roses.

Don’t forget to cut the stems long enough for the flowers and foliage to stand tall in your vase. You’re always better to cut them too long than too short!

How many will you need? This depends on the size of your vase. Again, you want too many rather than not enough.

Prepare your flora

Trim off the extra pieces on your stem, such as thorns and low-lying leaves (you don’t want any leaves in the vase). Clean up the bottom of the steams too by cutting them at a 45 degree angle. To avoid making mess, place a plastic bag or newspaper underneath the flowers while trimming.

Start arranging

Fill your vase up ¾ with water. Place the tallest and largest foliage and flowers at the centre of the arrangement, then start building outwards. Continue adding layers of greenery and blooms, trimming the stems shorter for each row. Avoid placing the flowers on top of each other by fanning them out and criss-crossing the stems over each other. For any extra gaps, add more foliage.

It’s as simple as that! Mother’s Day is on Sunday 13 May this year so start planning. We’re wishing all the mums out there a wonderful Mother’s Day, we hope you are absolutely spoilt rotten because you deserve it!