Buy Mom The Gift She Actually Wants this Mother's Day: Live Plants
Our favorite live plants for the mamas in your life
At GoBuyPlants, we have a lot more to offer than these seven plants, and if you feel like ordering something more unique, be sure to browse our entire collection here. What follows are some of our best-selling perennials that are ready to go into the garden now, and you really can’t go wrong with any one of them. She’ll love it, promise.
Roses are a classic garden staple that never go out of style. One of the first perennials to bloom, nothing says spring like the sweet scent of new roses. They come in a variety of colors and prefer full sun and well-draining soil.
The undisputed queen of all flowers, roses are nostalgic and signify love at its purest. At GoBuyPlants, we’re proud to offer more than 20 different varieties of roses, ranging in color from pale blush to cheerful apricot to rich magenta.
Roses are hardy plants, and despite a reputation for being a bit finicky, roses really aren’t too difficult to grow. First, choose a sunny location with well-draining soil for roses. Roses have average watering needs, so give them about an inch of water a week—rain may suffice, but you may need to supplement the watering during periods of drought. Roses are heavy feeders, so plan to fertilize with a balanced fertilizer regularly, ideally on a monthly basis.
For repeat flushes of spectacular blooms, prune hard in the early spring and cut back dead flowers in summer. This will encourage the plant to grow new shoots and bloom even more prolifically. Roses begin blooming in spring (May in most climates) and will bloom until the first fall frost.
Do your mom a favor and send her a pair of these Gardening Gloves so she won’t hurt her hands when she prunes her plants. Or, go above and beyond your siblings and offer to do the task for her!
Nothing says summer like blooming daylilies. While not native to North America, daylilies have naturalized to the climate, and many varieties grow wild in the eastern part of the continent. Hardy down to zone 3 and up to zone 9, daylilies tolerate extreme cold and extreme heat with grace.
Daylilies get their name from the simple fact that each bloom is open for one day only. Fortunately, each stem has several buds, so should you cut a stem, it will flower for a week or more in the vase.
Pick an appropriate planting area, and the plants will thrive for many years with minimal maintenance since daylilies prefer full sun and well-draining soil. Daylilies are relatively pest-free and don’t require fertilization or pruning, only root division every three to four years, so they’re perfect for a busy mom!
A staple in the classic cottage garden, hydrangeas are at once whimsical and nostalgic. Petite individual blooms make up gorgeous flower clusters that hold their color when dried.
Hydrangeas are happiest with partial sun, so these shrubs are an excellent candidate for those corners of the garden that see a little afternoon shade. While not the heaviest of feeders, hydrangeas thrive in fertile, well-draining soil, so amend the planting site with compost to improve the soil texture, hold water, and add nutrition.
With 36 varieties to choose from, it’s easy to find the perfect hydrangea for your loved one. White, pink, and blue flowers in round clusters or cones–the choice is all yours.
Hydrangeas are a versatile species, with some compact varieties reaching no more than two or three feet in height and other varieties stretching up to ten feet tall! Do your research on the varieties and pick one that will fill out the garden well, and plant it with plenty of space to reach its mature size.
Want something a little larger and with more longevity than the average perennial? Look no further than the crape myrtle. Native to Asia, crape myrtles have become naturalized in the South. Some varieties of crape myrtle are even called the “lilac of the south” for their dropping lavender blooms that have a similar aroma.
Depending on the variety, crape myrtles may grow to be between six and 20 feet tall with just as wide a spread.
Crape myrtles typically begin blooming mid to late spring, and some varieties will bloom for three months or more! And while we all love crape myrtle blooms, the flaky bark and fiery fall foliage are just as attractive in the off-season.
Plant crape myrtles in a location that receives full sun and allows the tree to reach its mature growth and spread. Crape myrtles are not drought tolerant and do require moist soil that drains well since the tree does not tolerate standing water. Crape myrtles do benefit from pruning, especially during the first few years.
Add a tropical flair to her garden with Rose of Sharon. A member of the mallow plant family and closely related to hollyhocks and hibiscus, Rose of Sharon is a fuss-free and easy-to-grow perennial known for its vibrant, fragrant blooms that range in color from blush to lavender to pink. Hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators love the nectar-rich flowers that open in midsummer and bloom until fall, much later than other perennial blooms.
For being a tropical plant, Rose of Sharon is pretty cold hardy, down to zone 5. Far from delicate, Rose of Sharon tolerates less-than-ideal growing conditions, including poor soil, drought, heat, and excessive humidity—making it a perfect candidate for Southern gardens.
Rose of Sharon likes to be fed with a balanced fertilizer yearly, but pruning is not required.
Flowers are beautiful, yes, but any garden would be remiss without a few hostas. One of the most popular foliage plants, hostas are known for their lush foliage that adds texture and vegetative interest to any landscape.
Hostas tolerate some shade, but for the variegated leaves to show their potential, it's recommended to give hostas some sun. In ideal growing conditions, hostas will send up lovely lavender flowers that pollinators can’t get enough of.
One of the most low-maintenance perennials, hostas need no additional care other than regular watering. These vigorous plants will thrive and spread when given the chance, so give hostas a little extra space when you plant them in their permanent home.
With their sharply serrated leaves, ferns add an exotic air to any landscape. Springtime fiddleheads will certainly put one in mind of forests from years past.
Very versatile and relatively hardy plants, ferns thrive in hardiness zones 5–8. Ferns are about as low-maintenance as they come, but the plants are sensitive to overly fertilized soil that holds water. Select a well-draining location with average soil that gets dappled sunlight for the most success.
These shade-tolerant plants are perfect for adding greenery to a shady corner of the garden. Of course, ferns make an excellent ground cover and always look fresh in hanging baskets. Shop our collection and choose between glossy green or bronzed foliage.
Candles are nice, and a bouquet of flowers is better, but get Mom the gift that she actually wants this Mother’s Day: live plants. At GoBuyPlants, we ship live plants nationwide, delivered right to your doorstep (or hers).
To make things even better—we’re currently running a rose sale—buy two, get one free! So don’t wait! Order a gift for mom today, and while you’re at it, why not pick out something for yourself, too? Shop our entire collection of Georgia-grown trees, shrubs, and perennials today.