We Love You Mom! How to Choose The Perfect Mother’s Day Bouquet

Mother’s day is around the corner and it’s prime time for gifting the special woman in your life a bouquet of flowers. But where do you begin? Should you buy roses? Tulips? An all-white arrangement? How do you make her swoon and avoid getting her standard flowers she’s expecting. We touched base with Andrea Ancel, Lead Floral Designer at FTD, to give us a bit of floral-knowledge just in time for Mother’s day. And, just in case you’re still undecided on which flowers to gift her, FTD and Hallmark Cards joined forces to offer 11 artisan-designed floral and plant collections. Take a look!

ESSENCE.com: When selecting flowers, how important is it to factor in the recipients personality?

Andrea Ancel: The most important thing to think about when you’re selecting a bouquet is how to make it personal. Flowers capture such emotion. Think about a time in your life when you’ve given or received flowers. How did that make you feel? Warm, special, happy? Flowers are sentimental, but when you can send an arrangement that shows you thoughtfully connected the recipient’s personality to your selection, it makes it even more personal and impactful.

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ESSENCE.com: Which type of flowers are best for mother’s day?

Ancel: It starts with color. What color does she love? What color is her favorite handbag? Start with her favorite color. From there, think about her favorite type of flowers. Does she plant roses or sunflowers in her garden? Does she adore daisies because that’s what her grandmother loved as a child? For example, if her personality is soft and feminine, you would want softer colors in the bouquet such as peach or lavender. Daisies come in pastel colors and you can mix it up with beautiful, soft orchids as well. If she is cheery, you’ll want hot pinks and oranges such as gerbera daisies, sunflowers, or fuchsia dianthus. Brightly colored carnations are great and add a ruffled touch. If she has a big personality, and lights up with room when she walks in, send flowers that have large blooms such as lilies or hydrangeas. Choose a bouquet or vase that makes a statement. Also, plants are becoming very popular because many can be repurposed and planted in her garden, some of my favorites are bougainvillea and succulents.

ESSENCE.com: Are there any types of flowers to avoid?

Ancel: Avoid flowers that might cause allergies. Stargazer lilies are the most common flowers that cause allergic reactions. Orchids, alstroemeria, hydrangea, tulips, iris and are very friendly flowers to send to those who might have allergies. Choose flowers that have a longer bloom time such as roses and remember to freshen the bouquet’s water daily and trim the stems at an angle about a quarter inch to keep it fresh. Work with a flower brand that you trust. FTD offers a “Good As Gold” seven-day satisfaction guarantee where our flowers floral arrangements will last at least seven days. Arrangements can arrive hand-delivered, same day by a local florist or in a beautiful gift box.