Each year, Mother’s Day falls on the second Sunday in May. Over the years, we have evolved from honoring not only our own mothers, but also other relatives, friends, and neighbors who are mothers. If you’re looking for some simple but heartfelt gift ideas for the special mothers in your life, why not a bouquet of homegrown flowers?
Handmade gifts always seem more unique and thoughtful, and the best part is that kids can help you compose these bouquets. It’s good for them, too. According to Maria Montessori, helping a child to develop sensory and aesthetic sensibilities prepares them for moral awareness.
Use these simple floral arrangement tips, adjusting for your kids’ ages and abilities.
First, choose your flowers. Walk through the garden and cut a variety of flowers that appeal to you. You might discuss using a color theme, centered around a favorite color, or incorporating complementary colors which are opposite one another on the color wheel.
Now, settle down to compose your arrangement. Choose a clean vase or other container, fill it about halfway with water, and mix in plant food to keep your flowers fresh. Skillful floral arranging is more than just plopping flowers into a vase. First you need to remove all leaves on the stem that will fall below the water line in your chosen vase.
Now, consider the height at which you prefer each flower to stand in the vase. Cut the stems at a 45-degree angle with sharp scissors, keeping in mind that you can always shorten a stem but you can’t make it longer.
Now, arrange flowers by size. Start by choosing the largest blooms and/or strongest stems, and place those in the vase first. This will provide a support structure for the rest of your arrangement.
Continue to fill in your bouquet by adding medium-sized blooms, and then finally smaller, more wispy ones as an accent. Vary heights and colors of your cuttings, and experiment with moving them around until you’re satisfied with the final result. This activity provides a terrific opportunity for children to develop their own sense of style and express themselves.
Finally, present the finished bouquet and enjoy the smile you’ve brought to a happy mother’s face!
