Chrysanthemums

Chrysanthemums are traditionally given at Mother’s Day as they flower profusely during autumn and they contain the word mum!

I have found for some strange reason people tend to shy away from having Chrysanthemums in their garden. Maybe they are just too common?

Chrysanthemums are one of the easiest plants to grow and are perfect for green or brown fingered gardeners!

I find these brilliantly flowering plants are one of the best for gardens in the full sun.

They are so many varieties of chrysanthemums available today, one to suit every garden. The US National Chrysanthemum Society has derived that there are 13 different types of flower forms. Then there are the colours, I think every year they get more exquisite. There are single coloured and multi-coloured blooms ranging in colour from pure white to all shades of yellow, reds and purples.

Chrysanthemums are one of the easiest plants to grow and are perfect for green or brown fingered gardeners! Chrysanthemums have long lasting flowers and are relatively pest and disease free. This makes them perfect for everyone as this enables us to enjoy these plants hassle free for many years to come.

Potted chrysanthemums can flower for several weeks indoors but thrive best if placed in full sun. They can be grown in pots or in the garden. To keep them looking fantastic and to promote more flowers, remove all spent flowers and discoloured leaves and liquid fertilised fortnightly.

After flowering chrysanthemums should be cut back to about 15cm (6") high and given Organic Link fertiliser. They will usually flower again in about two months.

Chrysanthemums aren’t just the perfect idea to brighten up one's garden.

They can be used in cooking and teas. NASA Clean Air Study also found chrysanthemum plants can reduce indoor air pollution. Extracts of chrysanthemum plants have been shown to have a wide variety of potential medicinal properties, including anti-HIV-1, antibacterial and antimycotic.

Pyrethrum a well-known insecticide is also derived from chrysanthemums.

This Autumn don’t stress about finding a beautiful, versatile, easy care plant - just buy a Chrysanthemum!

An unconditional love

Spoilt for Choice at Trevallan for chrysanthemums

When I was quite young, I once watched a mum give the last two Tim Tams in a packet to her kids. At the time I thought the woman had gone completely mad - who gives away perfectly good Tim Tams ?

Years later, I came across this quote “A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.” As a mother myself, I now understand the crazy lady giving away her Tim Tams (though giving away Tim Tams is still a little crazy)!

As parents, we sometimes forget that we are children too and our mums will always be our mums!

Because we are always children in our mother’s eyes, they have the ability to drive us, as adults, a little insane at times.

Their insanity, so it seems, is not due to old age, it’s just their ability to never stop caring or loving us.

This Mother’s Day, look past your mum’s insane streak and don’t forget all the wonderful Tim Tams and pieces of pie she gave you, and probably is still giving you without you even realising!

Love this beautiful winter flowering plant

Don’t just give her a pot of flowers, give her something that she really wants – time with you.

As a mother of young children, my ideal Mother’s Day would probably be sleeping in a bed without sand, crumbs and/or tiny feet kicking me through the night, to enjoy my morning coffee, without the need to be a climbing frame, not having the Terraria computer game theme song stuck in my head or answering a 1000 questions before 5am, oh and of course a massage and a hair cut.

My mum, on the other hand, would probably appreciate a day of my kids shenanigans, sorry, I mean ah, a day of quality time with my children and myself.

So this Mother’s Day the only answer is - the kids are spending the day at mum’s house, I’ll be supervising! Win, win!

Lavender shades

Seriously though, in today’s world it seems we are spoilt for choice in the present department. Believe it or not, a few years ago, a pot of chrysanthemums was the only choice you had as a gift option for Mother’s Day.

This Mother's Day, Trevallan Lifestyle Centre is overflowing with living flowering gifts. Cyclamens, azaleas, pansies, orchids, kalanchoes, even flowering cactus and of course chrysanthemums, all are in bloom, look fantastic and are easy to care for – even brown thumb mums should enjoy!

With every present you give though, don’t forget to give a little of your time as well.

Our mothers just want the best for us – so ignore the so called mothering insanity and instead, give her a hug and kiss and let you know you love her.

Because while a mother’s love is unconditional, we as children need to reassure them that our love is unconditional too!