Many mothers recieved beautiful live plants for Mother's Day this weekend - see tips for how to plant and grow the most popular gifts such as hydrangea, and azalea trees.
I got miniature roses, a popular rose type that many landscapers and gardeners use for flowering bed edgings, container plants or other landscape uses. Many other women got live, potted plants from loved ones this weekend and may be wondering what to do with them now to keep their keepsake flowers alive.
Hydrangea Plants
One plant that is increasingly popular as a gift are the perennial shrubs, Hydrangeas. These beautiful garden shrubs have ornamental flowers that are popular for long-lasting color, attractive foliage and winter seedheads that often stay ornamental throughout the winter months. Here are tips for maintaining hydrangea plants in the garden.
Miniature Roses
If you were given miniature roses like I did try planting them in an area of the garden with fertile, well-draining soil where they will get at least 6-8 hours of full sun. Water the roses well to help them get established and snip off any dead flowers after the blooming ends (this is called deadheading). If your roses are hardy over the winter in your gardening zone they will come back the next year, otherwise consider planting them in a container so you can bring them in to house over the winter.
Braided Azalea Trees or Reblooming Azaleas
Specially trained azaleas are a popular gift plant item since they are braided, or twined to create a unique type of plant standard. Here is an archived discussion about how to plant and keep braided azalea plants.
Lilies
Several types of lilies are commonly given for Mother's Day and other holiday occasions but most will do well grown in garden conditions similar to growing Easter Lilies.
One of the best things when we recieve a live plant as a gift is being able to continue enjoying the beautiful flowers year after year.
