Mindful Mother’s Day: Using Sustainable Flower Arrangements to Practice Gratitude

With the debate about climate change, global warming, and the world’s need to lower its carbon footprint gracing the headlines every other day, one thing is for sure. More and more people are realizing the importance of choosing eco-friendly products in their daily lives, and gift-giving is not an exception!

Now, as Mother’s Day fast approaches, many are looking into gifts that will make moms in their lives feel extra special and appreciated on the second Sunday of May. And, very few gifts are as thoughtful as a beautiful, fragrant floral arrangement. Not only will this be a delight to her, but it’s also good for her mental health as flowers tend to bring a certain calm in a person’s home.

For any eco-conscious individual, a sustainable flower arrangement is a perfect way to show mom that you really care about her, as well as the environment.

From professionally designed bouquets that you can purchase online, to DIY options that you can easily craft at home, there are several ways to show your gratitude to mom on her special day. Read on to learn some crucial tips on using mindful, sustainable flower arrangements to bring a smile to her face this coming Mother’s Day.

Choose Sustainable Flowers for a Mindful Mother’s Day 

One of the best ways to celebrate Mother’s Day mindfully is to send flowers as a Mother’s day surprise, all fresh, beautiful, and fragrant. To make her day extra special, make sure to seek out eco-conscious floral arrangements specially designed with mommy’s needs in mind.

Look for an online flower shop that stocks a wide collection of Mother’s Day blooms that you can choose from depending on your mom’s preferences in terms of colors, flower types, volume, and so forth. Alternatively, you can pay a visit to the local farmers’ market or small businesses if there are any nearby.

Whichever place you choose to buy from, just make sure the blooms are produced by farmers who use organic fertilizers, or eco-friendly companies that take steps to reduce their environmental impact during production.

Another great option is looking out for seasonal varieties of flowers made available at certain months. This can be a great way to ensure reduced carbon emissions from transportation, as well as from resources related to storage.

Arranging Your Own Flowers Mindfully

If you’re feeling extra creative, you could also DIY an incredible floral arrangement for mom to show her just how special she is to you. When arranging your flowers, however, it is important to take the time to be mindful, truly appreciating the beauty of each individual blossom, as well as the stems and foliage (more on this later).

Start by choosing locally-grown or sustainably-sourced blooms that make you (and the recipient) feel connected to your environment. As seen on a YouTube video of mindful flower arranging by univer_Sally, it doesn’t have to be extra sophisticated.

Simply reflect on the fragility of life as you assemble the bouquet, carefully balancing colors and textures for a rich aesthetic display.

Fill any empty spaces with small accent pieces like greenery or pops of intense color to create dimension in your arrangement. Ultimately, let yourself go with natural creativity and enjoy the process. 

Once done, surprise mom on her special day with the hand-crafted arrangement in a basket – perhaps by placing it somewhere in her living room where she’ll immediately notice it! 

Celebrating Mom in Style – 3 DIY Flower Arranging Ideas 

With some practice and a small boost of creativity, even novice flower lovers can make their mom feel special this Mother’s Day with thoughtful sustainable bouquets. For inspiration, here are three simple yet gorgeous DIY flower-arranging ideas that you can create at home with ease!

  • Try your hand at a nature-style “garden-a la carte” bouquet: Gather wildflowers and smaller blooms to create an enchanting mini meadow garden that breathes life into any corner or countertop space. For added whimsy, consider pairing Baby’s Breath for texture and petite poppies for color contrast!
  • Alternatively, you can opt for the classic vase design but update it by mirroring ornamental shapes such as teardrops or squares along its interior sides. Think of it as a unique mommy-shape surprise each time she looks into her stylish arrangement!
  • Finally, if you have a few extra days off, why not invest them wisely and set up an in-home cutting garden for your mom? It’s a great way to freshen her décor while showing her just how much you care!

Crafting an Eco-Friendly Arrangement with Compostable Materials 

Aside from sourcing sustainable flowers, you can also reuse materials around the house to craft stunning DIY floral arrangements for mommy. Seek out items such as cotton ribbon, raffia, paper craft scraps, or twigs as decoration alternatives to plastics or other artificial packaging material for structuring and displaying your creation in style!

When it comes to choosing containers, you have so many options. Get creative by picking up jars, tin cans, or wooden boxes that might be lying idle around the house and use them to make simple yet beautiful arrangements. 

Nonetheless, it’s best to ensure that the containers you opt for are either reusable or made using biodegradable materials. This will add an extra touch of eco-friendliness to your Mother’s Day gift this season!

Being Mindful and Eco-Conscious while Creating the Perfect Gift 

Making Mom feel special this Mother’s Day doesn’t just take skillful bouquet creations… taking time to be mindful and eco-conscious also goes a long way. When piecing together that seasonal floral masterpiece, it’s good to appreciate the importance of eco-conscious gifting, as well as the touches of love in our lives!

Take moments where you can pause, embrace your creative vision, and reflect on the beauty around you. Consider how motherhood is a gift like no other, and draw motivation from each stem or petal, making sure it’s artfully selected for your arrangement. This will ensure that both nature and Mommy dearest are deeply cherished through every element you use to create your amazing surprise gift.

Feed the Honeybees – Incorporate Pollinator Friendly Flowers 

For a more mindful way to show mom you appreciate her this Mother’s Day, take one extra step and incorporate pollinator-friendly flowers into your arrangements! Our buzzing little friends contribute greatly to the well-being of our planet, and why not remind Mom that in addition to loving herself, she should love nature too? 

These days, there are plenty of options available when it comes to choosing insect-friendly blooms. Try incorporating daisies, sunflowers, or lavenders, which attract bees naturally with their exquisite colors and aromas.

If you opt for a DIY arrangement, arrange your blooms according to their visual combination aesthetics, making sure they’re densely packed enough for pollinators to easily locate the flower’s nectar. And depending on how you want to present the flowers, you could also add small containers of freshwater around the bouquet to give thirsty bees access to a drink.

Spoil Mom While Keeping Waste Out of Landfills with Repurposed Containers 

Did you know that in the US alone, roughly 735,000 tons of garbage is produced daily, more than half of which goes directly to landfills?

The good thing is that by reusing and recycling, everyone can become part of reducing these alarming statistics. By using containers like mason jars, cans, or flower pots that you have lying around the house, you can create beautiful sustainable bouquets without breaking the bank while keeping waste out of landfills 

Think outside the box too – why not seek out unusual items such as vases, multi colored tin cans, or birdcages in need of some festive season love?

It’s all about getting creative when making something unique for mom this year. And, besides, repurposed containers are great starter pieces for inventive display.

If we take small steps throughout our daily routine, it’s easy to eventually make an enhanced eco-friendly lifestyle second nature. To get started, feel free to make this kinder earth part of your Mother’s Day pledge too!

FAQs

  1. How can I ensure my flower arrangement is eco-friendly?

To ensure your flower arrangement is eco-friendly, use only sustainably sourced flowers and compostable materials when creating the gift.

  1. What types of sustainable resources and materials can be used for the flowers?

Sustainable resources such as potted plants or wildflowers, as well as local growers which offer organic or seasonal blooms are great choices to use in an eco-friendly flower arrangement.

  1. Is there a way to upcycle or re-use containers for an arrangement?

Yes, soft drink cans, mason jars, old teacups, and other everyday items that can serve as beautiful alternative vases can contribute to making a more sustainable flower arrangement.

  1. Are there any special considerations when finding pollinator-friendly flowers?

When shopping for pollinator-friendly flowers, look out for flowering herbs like lavender and tulsi; woodsia clover, creeping thyme, and daisy fleabane are some good options too!

For Mother’s Day, however, some specifically great options include daisies, sunflowers, lavender, cosmos, lilies, and marigolds.

References

https://sustainhealth.fit/lifestyle/health-benefits-of-flowers/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuq7-wo23I4&t=4s

https://www.thespruce.com/cutting-gardens-grow-your-own-3967491

https://gardenerspath.com/plants/flowers/best-flowers-for-pollinators/

https://www.tomorrowsworldtoday.com/2021/09/06/the-problems-with-landfills-and-what-you-can-do-about-it/