In your hunt for a beautiful and thoughtful gift for Mother's Day, have you considered being guided by the language of flowers? Consult the traditional meanings behind flowers to add an extra resonance to your gifts, and show mum you didn't just grab whatever bouquet was available at the supermarket!
If you're not familiar with the Victorian lore behind flowers, and have no idea whether you should be getting mum red roses or white lillies, never fear! (The answer is neither…) Here are our curated recommendations to help you ensure Mum feels seen and appreciated this Mother's Day.
Give mum proteas &
Women of a Certain Courage
Bron Bateman
The big and bold protea flower appropriately represents courage and daring, making it a perfect accompaniment for this collection of stories about courageous women! Women of a Certain Courage is a heartfelt and uplifting collection that will have you both crying and laughing, making it a beautiful Mother's Day gift, especially if you want to celebrate the bravery of your own incredible mum.
Give mum irises &
The Joy Luck Club
Amy Tan
If you want to show your appreciation for your own mum's wisdom and guidance, go with the thoughtful combo of iris flowers and Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club. Irises are not just stirking, but also represent wisdom, making them a great addition to this story of the value of a mother's insight. The Joy Luck Club, recently released as a Vintage Classic with a stunning new cover, is a moving story about mothers and daughters, about immigration and starting life in a new country, and about the wisdom parents can share.
Give mum white verbena &
The Bittersweet Bakery Cafe
Catherine Greer
The blossom-like blooms of white verbena traditionally represent honesty, making it a perfect pairing with Catherine Greer's novel about embracing the brutal truth. An uplifting story of community and friendship, with a generous dose of humour too, this is an engrossing read – and is particularly perfect for any mums going through their own romantic tribulations.
Give mum daffodils &
Three Days in June
Anne Tyler
Daffodils, the classic heralds of spring, are a symbol of new beginnings and celebrations, making them exceptionally apt to go with Anne Tyler's novel about a middle aged divorcee on the eve of her daughter's wedding. If your mum has ever enjoyed a Nancy Myers movie, Three Days in June is a solid bet for a book she'll devour. And a sunny bouquet of daffodils will drive home the hopeful message, and brighten up mum's day.
Give mum red carnations &
Woo Woo
Ella Baxter
If your mum is the type to enjoy a wonderfully weird story, with elements of a psychological thriller, an art-scene satire and a surreal fever-dream, then she is the perfect reader for Melbourne based writer Ella Baxter's unique novel, Woo Woo. Red carnations are a great flower to give with this book, because they symbolise love and admiration – perfect sentiments for Mother's Day – as well as pride and passion – emotions at the heart of the protagonist's wild journey through Woo Woo.
Give mum yellow roses &
Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon
Mizuki Tsujimura, translated by Yuki Tejima
Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon is a story of compassion and connection, about living people trying to find closure through one final conversation with the dead, and about the enigmatic go-between whose life's work is to facilitate these meetings. To go with this unique story of kindness and humanity, you can't go past a yellow rose. Yellow roses are often a symbol of care and gladness, so get a bunch as a sweet tribute to your parent's care.
Give mum buttercups &
The Complete Novels of Jane Austen
Ranunculus, commonly and more prettily known as buttercups, are beautiful, bright flowers that traditionally symbolise radiant charm. How could you go past a bouquet that's not only pretty but extremely flattering to the lucky recipient?
You could pair ranunculus with any novel with charming characters, but the pick of the bunch should be this beautiful collector's edition of Jane Austen's novels. Immerse mum in the sparkly wit and timeless allure of Austen's works, along with flowers to remind her that she could easily measure up to Elizabeth Bennet.
Give mum delphiniums &
All The Other Mothers Hate Me
Sarah Harman
All The Other Mothers Hate Me is a drily witty exploration of motherhood, fitting in and criminal investigations. Following a girlband icon turned broke single mother, and her determined search for her a son's missing classmate, this is a unique crime novel with lots of personality and a big heart. So what better flower to give alongside it than a beautiful bunch of delphiniums, which traditionally symbolise fun and big heartedness?
If trying to source a bouquet of a specific, symbolically resonate flower sounds exhausting, then never fear! There's a middle ground between that and supermarket gerberas. Simply head to Readings Carlton on Saturday 10 or Sunday 11 May and you can get a stunning, sustainably sourced bouquet from The Beautiful Bunch, at the same time as grabbing a book for mum. Specific symbolic resonance aside, they're sure to be a great addition to any Mother's Day gift!
