Mother’s Day Roots Honour Women Working for a Better World

In North America, MOTHER'S DAY was born from the dream of a devoted activist and mother named Anna Maria Jarvis, who first organized women into public health brigades, and then founded "Mother’s Friendship Day" to reconcile communities torn apart by the U.S. Civil War. A few years later, a new "Mothers' Day for Peace" began with a call for women to unite across national boundaries to end war. 

The emphasis today has shifted from the pacifism and reform movements to a general appreciation of mothers, but the true roots of Mother’s Day stem from honouring women working together for a better world.

Flowers have ancient connections as symbols of respect. In fact, the official ceremony that launched the current Mother’s Day industry, was a celebration organized by Anna Jarvis’s daughter on May 10, 1908, with 407 children presenting their mothers with white carnations and a heartfelt note, at the Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, West Virginia, which has become a permanent shrine to the birthplace of Mother’s Day.

Today, flowers continue to be a way to commemorate mothers for their contribution to all fields of life.  According to Ontario’s floral experts like greenhouse grower Brian Slaman, mixed bouquets are the most popular choice for Mom followed by carnations, daffodils, roses, tulips, freesia, chrysanthemums, Iris, lilies and foliage plants.

Jouke Sypkes, General Manager of Ontario Flowers Growers in Mississauga, Ontario, a daily wholesale flower auction owned and operated by its grower members, claims plants that can be  enjoyed both inside the home and later outside, are growing in popularity as gifts for Mom.

Jouke says he has seen  an increase in the amount of potted hydrangea and campanula being sold for Mother’s Day during the last few years.  “These kind of plants are great houseplants but once the blooms are done they can be transplanted  to the garden as  a perennial to be enjoyed for years to come, ” explains Jouke.  “Of course, if Mom is not into gardening, cut flowers may be a better choice and Ontario has lots of the home grown traditional favourites to choose from as well.”

Whatever flowers you pick to honour the mothers in your life, make the gift more meaningful with a hug, a phone call or at the very least, a heartfelt note!

Above - Greenhouse grower Jan VanZanten with daughter, inspecting hydrangea blooms. Below- Potted campanula in a metal container upgrade.