A Beginner’s Guide To Choosing Mother’s Day Flowers

Flowers are one of those safe and quick Mother’s Day gifts. But to truly show how much you appreciate the first lady in your life, you need to carefully select the right bouquet. From colours and scents to symbolism and seasonality, there’s a lot to know when it comes to choosing the best flowers for Mother’s Day.

If you don’t know your rhododendrons from your roses, or your geraniums from your gardenias, don’t panic – our beginners guide has everything you need to ensure mum is bloomin’ thrilled this year…

Carnations

If you’re looking for flowers for Mother’s Day that will deliver the most visual impact, then you’re probably better suited to roses or tulips. But for a choice a little more unique, carnations can be very effective and symbolic. Though not as vibrant and ‘statement’, there are still a fine selection of colours to choose from. While white signifies pure love and good luck, and light red admiration, pink is the strongest choice of all, symbolising a mother’s love.

Colours: Light red, dark red, pink, white, yellow, purple

Meaning: Love, fascination and distinction

Chrysanthemums

Interestingly often also known as ‘mums’, chrysanthemums are a versatile flower. They represent optimism, joy and success in many cultures, particularly in Japan, and are one of the best flowers for Mother’s Day as they express these sentiments. They are the flower of choice for Mother’s Day around the world, particularly in Australia, however we should point out that they are sometimes used to represent death or mourning in many European countries outside of the UK. 

Colours: White, yellow, gold, pink, orange, bronze, maroon, violet, purple.

Meaning: Optimism and joy

Gardenias

The bright white of Gardenias has strong connections with feelings of purity, love, trust and hope. They are often chosen as a way of specifically expressing your appreciation and love for the recipient, making them the perfect token for Mother’s Day if you want her to feel extra special.

Colours: White

Meaning: Purity and love

Roses

A symbol of love, you can’t go wrong with Mother’s Day roses. While commonly known as a romantic flower choice, there’s much more to roses than meets the eye. While the red rose might hold the crown for romantic sentiment, the pink rose is one of best flowers for Mother’s Day, signifying gratitude, appreciation and admiration.

Colours: Red, white, yellow, orange, pink, purple

Meaning: Love and passion, gratitude and appreciation

Sunflowers

While not the most obvious choice for Mother’s Day flowers, the Sunflower has many forms of symbolism suitable for expressing love and kindness. From lasting happiness and strong relationships to good luck and positivity, the Sunflower takes many of its symbolic traits from its bold aesthetic. A perfect all rounder, the sunflower can carry the right message loud and proud.

Colours: Yellow

Meaning: Adoration, loyalty, durability

Tulips

One of the most popular flower choices, Tulips also have a close association with love. But much like roses, their colours have strong significance in meaning. From care and affection (pink) to unrequited love (yellow), forgiveness, (white) and passion (red), to send the right message on Mother’s Day, a pink tulip is the perfect choice.

Colours: White, yellow, purple, red, pink

Meaning: Perfect love

Freesia

Freesia’s are by no means the most common flowers to give on Mother’s Day, but that doesn’t mean they don’t carry any significance. With bouquets said to represent thoughtfulness, friendship and trust, they are the perfect Mother’s Day gift for those with a particularly special bond with their mother.

Colours: White, pink, red, yellow

Meaning: Innocence, friendship

Mother’s Day Bouquets

Want to know how to make a Mother’s Day bouquet? While many flowers are bold enough to form their own bouquet, others are great for complementing or distinguishing a bouquet full of many different varieties. For example, while roses and sunflowers may be given on their own, flowers like carnations, geraniums, lilies and daisies are great for bringing variation to a bouquet.

A simple rule of thumb when mixing different varieties of flowers within a bouquet is to keep your vibrant colours central, and surround with more subtle, complementing shades. Try to avoid too many colour clashes or alike shapes side by side. You want each flower to stand out and not get lost.

If making your own bouquet sounds tricky, our latest range of flowers in store are already carefully crafted ready to give if your time is tight!

Find the Best Flowers for Mother’s Day and More at Your Local SPAR

So now you know your carnations from your chrysanthemums and the meaning of every coloured tulip, you might just be ready to go and choose the perfect bouquet for Mother’s Day. Pop down to your local convenience store and pick up your flowers and find great deals on wine and chocolates to accompany them. Let SPAR help you make this year’s Mothering Sunday one she’ll always remember.