I’m sitting here viewing the garden as I write this post.  The day is pleasant, breezy and the flowers are dancing in the gentle sunshine.  It feels perfect for thinking of our Mom’s.  I’m grateful for having this chance to reflect on my own Mom and my Mother-in-Law and the generosity they  displayed in my life.  

Anna Jarvis was the founder of the Mother’s Day holiday for our country.  She wanted to honor her mother, Ann Jarvis, who worked to improve the Union and Confederate encampments as far as making the conditions more livable for the people there.  She wanted to reunite the families which had been divided by the Civil War.  Mother’s Day became an official observance on May 9, 1914.  It quickly caught on and florists together with greeting card businesses began to offer products to their customers which caused Anna Jarvis to become disillusioned with the general application of her Mother’s Day observance.  She tried to get it removed from our official day’s of remembrance but actually I think this mother and daughter team have made a lasting imprint on our country.  

I think whether you rely on a commercial product, phone call, or DIY gift; mom’s are simply happy for the kind thoughtfulness of remembering her.  That said I have to say the handprint pictures, drawings, crayons cards and airplay bowls I have received over my life as a mom are endearing and lasting.  

Make it a project to do with Mom!

Gift Basket Ideas

So many delightful and quick projects to do for a gardening Mom. I love a gift basket.  Searching among all the small gifts included in the beautiful presentation is so much fun.  One year my husband packed a flower container with seeds, and a plant and a card along with everything.  One of the most useful tools he included was a Hori Hori knife.  Such a nice surprise! 

This would be such a cute idea if you sourced (purchased or repurposed) a container.  Then filled it with a bag of potting mix, a plant, some decorating supplies and a beautiful card.  One picture I saw somewhere showed that chalkboard paint had been used to cover an old bucket and the chalk was tied to the handle with garden twine.  We may make the twine a part of the basket stuffings so Mom will be able to tie up her plant.  Ohhh!  If you choose a pothos ivy perhaps the wooden support for the vining plant should be included in the basket as well.  

We could make this a basket. A real basket to be useful in gathering tomatoes and herbs for meals later on.  Let’s fill this with several garden hand tools like the knife I mentioned above, trowels, and more.  A nice touch could be adding gloves and a sun hat that rolls up.  Tuck in some sunscreen and maybe a few hand care products.  Finish the gift with a decorative ribbon and bow on the side and your card.  You will undoubtedly dress up your basket so it reflects your Mom’s taste. 

Garden Markers 

One year, I gathered some flat rocks, paints and markers and grandchildren.  We painted rocks for the garden and I enjoy using them to this day.  Very engaging project to share with Mom and can be scaled according you would like to spend.  

So many items can be decorated for using as plant markers.  If you are a repurposing enthusiast as I am save up jar lids, broken terracotta pot shards, or other small items that would be weatherproof and be careful of glass or sharp items.  I can envision covering small tidbits with paint and lettering using markers.  

There are substrates you could source fairly easily including popsicle sticks, paint stirring sticks, small terracotta pots, laminated seed packets and the sky is the limit here.  So cute to label plants and then if needed later you could relabel the markers for a new plant.  I was wondering how air dry clay may preform as a plant label if you painted it to protect it from the weather.  We may see if this would work.  

Another Idea is to adhere lettering tiles to a cute surface.  I am also excited to try glueing some letters around a cute terracotta pot.     

Mother’s Day Brunch 

Don’t forget to give your Mom a special treat and perhaps stage it in the garden (weather permitting). 

While I’m enjoying my view of the backyard garden I wish the Moms reading this a Happy Mother’s Day and for all gardeners pleasant gardening for the upcoming week.