Mother! Mammy! Mum! Ma! It doesn't matter what you call yours, we've all got one! And let's be honest, most of us would be lost without them. From the free babysitting and Sunday dinners, to the shoulder to cry on and sound words of advice, loving our Mammies is a truly Irish thing! Even when they drive us nuts!!! So with this is mind, we've put together some tips and gift ideas for Mothers Day, Sunday March the 11th.

My own Mam is a keen gardener so she nearly always gets a plant for Mothers Day. The trick is trying to find something that she doesn't already have!!! As her garden is also well established, I try to plant it up in a nice ceramic pot so she won't have to worry about finding a spot for it in the garden! If your Mother is a green fingered lady too, call in to see us anytime before Mothers Day and we can advise you on which plant to choose! Gift idea:  give your Mother a "gardening voucher" which she can cash in to get you to do any weeding or tidying up before the summer!

Most of us crave a home cooked meal from our Mammies! They do it best after all! So, how about a good quality leather bound notebook for Mum to jot down all your favourite recipes to keep forever? Gift idea: Give your Mother a lovely wooden trug of fresh herbs for her windowsill. Parsley, thyme, basil and rosemary are firm favourites in most kitchens. Find our version, The Kitchen Garden, in our Mothers Day Collection.

As always, Flowers are something we Mams rarely buy for ourselves, they are a real luxury! So we will have a fabulous selection of Bouquets and Arrangements in seasonal colours for the Mothers Day weekend! Gift Idea: Peruse our Mothers Day collection online for inspiration or call us in store on (01)4900112 and we can advise you on our most beautiful blooms in stock!

If your Mum already has everything she needs, perfume, flowers, scented candles, all the usual gifts, why not offer to paint a room for her? Clear out the garage / shed? Take on a job that your Mum has been avoiding for whatever reason and get it done! She will be only delighted!!! We mammies love a helping hand, but seldom ask so don't wait to be asked, just jump in and offer ;)

For those of you who unfortunately don't have your Mother with you anymore, Mothers' Day can be a tough time. But even though they are not here, you can still remember them and all the lovely things you did together and for each other. Perhaps take a page from a good friend of mine's book, celebrate the day by visiting a place you enjoyed together or treat yourself to something nice! And most importantly, surround yourself with family and good friends, there's nothing better for the soul!

There are so many lovely things we can do with our Mothers on ANY weekend! Our advice is, try not to wait for the occasion weekends! Treat your Mum whenever you can, they deserve it! It's the little things that make us most happy. Happy Mothers Day to you all! 

We get a lot of customers dropping in every week looking for advice on how to best care for their house plants! The simple truth is less is more! 

Most house plants such as Kentia Palm, Dracena, Yucca and Ficus, come with care instructions including best position, how much water to give etc. However, over the years here we have found through experience that these rules of care have worked best for us!

*Top Tip*

Stop Killing Your Plants with Kindness!!!

We are all guilty of it, over watering. The biggest cause of plant death in my opinion. We see it time and time again, plants sitting in water that has gathered in the bottom of the container, rotting the roots and saturating the soil. The majority of indoor plants thrive in dry soil with sporadic watering! Good drainage in the bottom of the pot will help also. They are not exposed to the elements such as the sun & wind like their outdoor counterparts and so, do not need to be constantly watered. Our advice? pick a day, first of the month lets say, and water your indoor plants on this day only! They'll thank you for it. 

*Top Tip*

Give them a wash!

Plants as we all know, breath through their leaves right? So it makes sense to keep the foliage clean! We too would find it hard to breath if we were covered in a layer of dust! Our advice? Take advantage of this mild weather and bring your houseplants outside for a water fight! Put the gentle sprinkle on your hose and give them all a good wash down. Avoid soaking the soil and let them dry in the shade so as not to discolor the leaves. In the colder months, a wipe with a clean damp cloth once a month, will do the same job.

*Top Tip*

Right Plant, Right Place!

When you buy a houseplant, chances are its been grown and kept in optimal conditions so don't be surprised if it gets a shock when you bring it home. Some leaf drop with the likes of Ficus is to be expected as they do not like to be moved. So pick the right plant for the right spot and leave it there! Our advice? As a general rule, plants with lighter foliage do well in a light position and darker foliages do better in less well lit areas. For full sun positions such as conservatories, seek some advice from your local florist for the right plants! That's what we are here for!

*Top Tip*

Don't be afraid to prune!

It is totally natural to find brown or yellow leaves or bare branches over time on most indoor plants. Don't be afraid to remove these, as they are most likely to never recover! In fact, pruning the dead weight encourages new growth. Similarly, if you plant is getting too big for its boots so to speak, keep him in check with some strategic pruning. Our Advice? Prune out some of the older growth to make room for the new! Remove any dead flowers as they finish. Don't prune back too hard though without advice, as you could kill the plant!

*Top Tip*

Do NOT water your indoor plants with tea/coffee! It attracts flies and pesky greenfly!

Hope this was helpful to some of you and remember we are here to answer any queries you have anytime. Just drop us and email (info@oasisflorists.ie),give us a ring (01)4900112 or pop in and see us for a chat or advice when you need to! And remember to keep an eye on social media for special offers and updates on new and interesting plants and flowers in store weekly!