You really can’t go wrong on Mother’s Day if you plan to shower Mom with flowers of some kind, but there are certainly a few ways to take that token of appreciation to the next level! Rather than buying something off the shelves at the garden center, why not put in a little extra effort and show your love with a beautiful DIY project? The last year has put things into perspective for many of us, and making memories with family should definitely be at the top of the list of priorities! This Mother’s Day, consider putting together your own custom flower pot alongside Mom in the garden. Check out these three simple and beautiful DIY Mother’s Day planters that will look like they were made by the pros.
How to Make Your Own Mother’s Day Planters
Mom can be involved as much or as little as she wants in this process. Either gather your materials ahead of time or make a day of it by heading to the garden center together. If Mom is a gardener already, then she should already have the basic tools needed for planting. So, just head out and pick up a few planters that fit with her home’s aesthetic, some potting soil, and then choose from one of the following three Mother’s Day planter design ideas (or make all of them!).
Bacopa, Petunia & Verbena
There are some general rules that can help you create a beautiful Mother’s Day planter while still having the ability to exercise a little creativity. These three beauties make for an interesting combination, thanks to their different bloom size and shape.
Verbena is a showy plant that flowers in a rainbow of colors. It is unique in that their habits make them fairly versatile, making them great options as fillers, spillers, or even, at times, thrillers. This is the classic container combination that includes a focal point at the center of your planter (your thriller), central plants that add volume to your container (fillers), and then plants that have a trailing habit, creating a cascading effect down your planter (spillers).
The roles of different plants are not always black and white, as many can often act as one or the other, and you can, at times, focus on just one. Focusing on different varieties of fillers, for example, can create a beautiful, almost tapestry-like effect. For this combination, we would suggest picking up some tall, upright lavender verbena to act as your ‘thriller.’
Tall, upright Petunias can act as an ideal ‘filler’ in this combination, offering a beautiful burst of color. Petunias, which come in just about every color in the rainbow, pair perfectly with the trailing effect of bacopa. As your ‘spiller,’ bacopa balances the arrangement with masses of white flowers, which are also often utilized as a groundcover in gardens. Simply allow it to cascade over the side of your Mother’s Day planter for the remainder of the season.
Do-it-yourself container gardening is the perfect way to spend some quality time with Mom this year.
Caladium and Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’
The combination of caladium and dichondra ‘Silver Falls’ is a simple yet elegant planter choice that would bring a subtle kind of attention to any front step or back patio. Caladiums, which are sometimes also referred to as ‘Elephant Ears’ or ‘Angel Ears,’ are striking tropical perennials with large, heart-shaped leaves. While some plants are grown for their flowers, this Mother’s Day planter is all about the foliage, and the caladium will be the star at the center of it all.
Their leaves come in everything from monochromatic light whites, to scarlet reds, intricately veined greens, to the prettiest, softest light pinks. When selecting plants for containers, it is ideal to have some variation in height, which is where the trailing beauty of ‘Silver Falls’ comes in! Also known as dichondra argentea, ‘Silver Falls’ can be grown as a low groundcover in the garden, but it makes for a beautiful addition to any container plant or hanging basket because of its gentle, trailing foliage. Together, they’re pure bliss. This is an ideal Mother’s Day container for areas that get partial sun.
Purple Fountain Grass, Sweet Potato Vine & Calibrachoa
If Mom is a fan of whimsical planters, she will love this simple yet beautiful container combination in her garden. All three of these participants are well-known as popular container plants, and it’s easy to see why. Purple fountain grass has a bit of a fairytale quality to it, living up to its name with gentle, curving spikes of purple-hued plumes that spray out of long, burgundy-colored leaves just like a fountain. It makes for an ideal focal point in mixed container planting.
Surrounding your purple fountain grass are another two popular choices for container planting, both of which are considered ‘spiller’ plants thanks to their dreamy, trailing tendrils. Ornamental sweet potato vines are similar to caladiums in that they are grown mostly for their foliage. They come in a beautiful range of colors—from nearly black to a kind of citrusy green tone, often referred to as chartreuse. They also have a few different leaf shapes to choose from.
Calibrachoa, more commonly called million bells, produces one-inch blossoms that are often mistaken for petunias. It also comes in a whole host of different colors, patterns, and even striking double-blooms. It can bloom continuously throughout the season, and by selecting, say, a lavender variety of calibrachoa, it would act as a perfect complement to the purple fountain grass. Opt for a more dramatic look by adding in a darker variety of sweet potato vine, or brighten things up by sticking with a more traditional light green variety.
Do-it-yourself container gardening is the perfect way to spend some quality time with Mom this year! She’ll surely be impressed by your sudden expert knowledge on how to help her add the perfect color and texture to her landscape this spring. If you’re on the hunt for tools, flowers, or containers for your Mother’s Day planters in Bismarck, stop by the garden center! We’ll be happy to get you prepped for the perfect day together. Or, if you’re just not quite up to taking on the design process yourself, give us a call to discuss how our experts can put together the perfect custom planter design for you.