MOTHER’S DAY
Florist’s cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum)
The pretty, upswept petals of cyclamen come in white and every
imaginable shade of pink, from softest pastels to deepest carmine.
Mum should position her indoor cyclamen in a bright spot away
from direct sunlight. As it prefers cool conditions, it might be happier
outside at night if the room is heated. Overwatering is a big killer,
so never sit plants in a saucer of water. Always allow mix to dry
out between drinks, and keep foliage dry. Twist off yellow leaves
and spent fl owers, rather than cutting. When foliage starts to die
down as the plant heads into summer dormancy, place it outside
in a cool, covered, shady spot, or in a cool room, and keep it barely
moist. Add liquid and slow-release fertiliser when new foliage
appearsinautumntoencourageflowering for a second season.
15–30cm 15–30cm indoorsChinese money plant
(Pilea peperomioides)
This easy-to-grow house plant has
green stems emanating from the crown,
each with a single, circular leaf that can
be up to 10cm in diameter, depending
on the diameter of the pot. It’s a great
plant for a bright window ledge, where
it needs to be turned regularly, as the
leaves move to face the light. Mums who
like propagating will love this plant, as it
develops plantlets alongside the original.
These ‘babies’ can be removed when
they’re a few centimetres tall by severing
the connection to the mother with a sharp
knife. Who knows... your mum might be
giftingyouoneofthesedownthetrack!
30cm 30cm indoorsChrysanthemum
(Chrysanthemum spp.)
Nothing is more appropriate for Mother’s
Day than a fuss-free chrysantheMUM
(the name says it all!). You can fi nd
plants with a few extravagantly huge
blooms on supported stems – many
of the buds are removed to facilitate
this – but my favourites are the smaller,
mass-fl owering varieties, including the
daisy, spider and pompon forms, which
are available in pink, white and autumn
tones. Your mum will be able to enjoy
her plant indoors on her special day,
then, after fl owering, it should be cut
back to about 12cm and fertilised to
encourage new growth. She can move
the pot outdoors or plant it out in a sunny
spot in the garden, and, with a little care,
yourgiftshouldbloomagainnext year.
30cm–1m 30cm–1m
full sun/semi-shade Fruit tree
If you’re careful to choose one that suits your climate,
a fruit tree makes a great, long-lasting gift. If space is
an issue, there are many dwarf and super-dwarf varieties
of deciduous and evergreen trees, most of which suit big
containers. Remember to check if your choice of tree needs
a pollinating partner. Make your mum feel really spoilt by
arriving with a spade, a bag of compost, liquid seaweed
and fertiliser, and plant the tree for her. There will be
further opportunities to show Mum how much you care at
Christmas and birthdays: the tree might need netting and
splash baits for fruit-fl y control, or sprays with trace elements,
anddeciduousformswillbenefitfromcoppersprayatleaffall.
from 1.5m from 1.5m full sun/semi-shadePHOTOS
ISTOCK, GAP PHOTOS/VISIONS PREMIUM