From lilacs to peonies, pretty flowers make the perfect Mother’s Day gift

By Trevor Cameron / The Golfing Gardener

I have been running garden centers for over 30 years now, and every year, without exception, the shopping spree starts with annuals, hanging baskets and colorful containers for Mom. Whether she prefers to grab something already planted that catches her eye or likes to pick out her own flowers and have you help her plant them, this is phase one of making Mom happy.

For shady sites, look for the ever-popular fuchsia or begonia baskets, or, for hot, sunny locales, try ivy geraniums, a mixed sun basket or some million bells (calibrachoa), which will always make her feel like a million bucks.

Want some extra brownie points? Get her some quality water-soluble fertilizer such as Sea Grow to keep her new annuals thriving and blooming strong throughout the summer and into fall.

Want some chocolate brownie points? Grab some chocolate cosmos, as I do for my wife. These are fun annuals that sport burgundy blooms and fill the air with the smell of chocolate all summer long. I mean, seriously, not many women dislike chocolate, right?

Almost all moms like annuals, hanging baskets and blooming planters, but there are plenty of other options she would surely appreciate, as well. Over the years, I have seen many other plants remain popular as gifts, not to mention garden products such as statuaries, benches, bird baths, wind spinners, glazed pottery and even fountains. The official flower of Mother’s Day is the carnation (dianthus sp.), a useful and long-blooming, fragrant perennial — they’re already blooming in the garden center.

Here are some more easy and enjoyable plants that are sure to please the moms in your life.

Lilacs: Almost all lilacs are in bloom now in various sizes and colors, offering intoxicating fragrance for sunny garden locations. To me, there are lilac trees and there are lilac shrubs. Traditional French lilacs (syringa vulgaris) grow large like a tree. There are also great dwarf, shrubbier selections to explore, such as Little Lady, Little Darling, Red Pixie and Dream Cloud. There are even lilacs that flower again in late summer to fall, such as the Bloomerang Series from Proven Winners.

Roses: Simply put, there is no longer-flowering shrub option for the sunny garden than a rose. Most of them are about to start blooming and, when fed and properly cared for, will continue to bloom throughout the summer until frost. You can pick out Mom’s favorite color and fragrance, as rose cultivars are both varied and plentiful. From David Austin Roses and hybrid teas to grandifloras, floribundas, climbers and even simple, lower maintenance shrub types, there are useful varieties for everyone. Why buy Mom a bouquet of roses when she can cut and enjoy her own all summer long?

Peonies: These heirloom perennials have graced our gardens for centuries, offering us flowers with bold color and often fragrance. Your options include herbaceous, cottage-type peonies and, my personal favorite, Itoh peonies. Itohs are simply spectacular, boasting large tree peony-like flowers and excellent foliage. Their flowers change colors as they age, and they display some cool seeds when they are done blooming. With Itohs, you can even find your mom a coveted, true yellow peony flower.

Hydrangeas: Hydrangeas offer supreme flower power in sun or shade, depending on the variety. They are just starting to bud, and most will bloom the entire summer until frost. Mom may like the larger, cone-shaped flowers in shades of white to pink to red, which are the pee gee type (paniculata grandiflora) that love sunny garden spots. Traditional rounded mophead or lacecap hydrangeas like a little more shade and will bloom mainly in shades of blue to purple in our acidic soils. Like the roses above, this is another no brainer when it comes to a long bloom season.

Dogwoods: Mom can certainly have any tree she likes, but if you are looking for a suggestion, consider a dogwood. These sturdy, late-spring bloomers are stunning in flower and offer nice fall color, as well. From classic pinks to bright whites, there are many with specific growth habits and blooms. Around here, you will see cornus florida, an species native to eastern North America, as well as disease-resistant hybrids such as the Rutgers Series and Korean dogwoods (Cornus kousa) that bloom a little later.

Mother’s Day represents the peak of the busy spring season at the garden center, but, more importantly, it gives all of us children, young and old, a chance to honor the most special person in our lives with some fabulous plants.

Free class

Sunnyside Nursery in Marysville will host “Hot Summer Vegetables” at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 18. For more information or to sign up, go to www.sunnysidenursery.net/classes.

Trevor Cameron is a certified professional horticulturist (CPH) and serves as general manager for Sunnyside Nursery in Marysville. He can be reached at sunnysidenursery@msn.com.