Petals of love: Three million blooms for mums this Mother’s Day

Hermina Bevilacqua has handwritten countless Mother’s Day messages on behalf of customers during her decades as a florist.

“When I’m reading all the messages, I feel privileged,” said Bevilacqua.

So, what do they say? “‘You’re truly amazing. Thank you for everything you do for our family’.”

Hermina and Joe Bevilacqua, owners of Camberwell Florist, with Mother’s Day bouquets of natives and roses. Credit: Paul Jeffers

Australians are predicted to spend about $1 billion on Mother’s Day presents this year, with flowers far and away the top pick.

Wholesale flower traders at the National Flower Centre expect to sell more than 3 million flowers, predominantly chrysanthemums, roses, tulips and oriental lilies.

Mother’s Day is like Christmas for the flower industry. “There’s certainly a lot more work at this time of the year because demand is tenfold,” said Michael van der Zwet, who grows hydrangeas and anthuriums with his family in Phillip Island.

Mother’s Day is the busiest time of the year for flower growers and florists.Credit: Paul Jeffers

Preparations start early, with growers starting to plant bulbs for the big day from January.

Anna Jabour, chief executive of Flower Industry Australia, says locally grown flowers have been harvested in the past week and sent off to wholesalers in time for florists to work their magic.

“Australian-grown flowers don’t sit in freezers for a week,” she said.

Locally grown roses and tulips, plus rose lilies, were the top picks at Bevilacqua’s store, Camberwell Florist in Melbourne’s east. Bevilacqua is also a fan of natives, which have become increasingly popular. “Natives are sustainable, they last longer – I think they’re a beautiful option for Mother’s Day,” she said.

Inflation and high-interest rates have crimped demand for luxuries such as flowers recently, according to research at IBISWorld. Supermarkets are offering imported flowers at lower prices, it said, encouraging florists to promote more sustainable, local flowers.

The National Flower Centre said Victoria produced about 40 per cent of the national market for cut flowers. Victorian flowers are mainly grown in the Dandenongs, Red Hill, Geelong and the Macedon Ranges.

Camberwell Florist customer Maree Mursell picks up Mother’s Day flowers for her daughters-in-law and own mother.Credit: Paul Jeffers

Jabour said many people were unaware that a large proportion of flowers sold in shops were imported from China, Ecuador, Malaysia and Kenya. Australia does not have country-of-origin labelling for flowers.

She said florists always offered cut-price bouquets for people watching their wallet. “Florists have bunches that are $15. They always have affordable bunches,” she said.

The day before Mother’s Day, Camberwell Florist regular Maree Mursell is picking up flowers for her daughters-in-law – “because they are wonderful mothers” – and her own mother, who is almost 100.

“I just think you don’t get flowers a lot of the year, and they’re always very special.”

Mother’s Day is the biggest week for flower sales at Woolworths – double Valentines’s Day – and the supermarket giant expects to sell a record half-a-million flowers.

Rival supermarket Coles said it expected record flower sales for Mother’s Day, up 20 per cent on last year. It said the most popular floral arrangement would be the Beautiful Bouquet, a mix of chrysanthemums and roses.

TIPS TO HELP FLOWERS LAST LONGER

• Keep flowers out of direct sunlight
• Cut stems on an angle - this creates a wider base for more water and nutrient uptake
• Add flower food to the water - this mixture of sugar, citric acid and bleach helps feed the flowers and keep the water clear.
• Regularly change water - once every two days is ideal.
• Re-cut stems (on an angle) every 4-5 days.

Source: The National Flower Centre

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