Mother’s Day and Gardening Go Hand in Hand

Here in Montana, and most northern climates as well, our winters tend to drag far into spring.  It’s not uncommon to get a freeze with a significant amount of snow even toward the end of April.  That means while much of the country is planting their gardens in March, we have to wait until May.

While there has been frost as late as June, it’s a pretty safe bet that about the second week of May there won’t be any other temperatures into the low 30’s.  And what major holiday falls the second week of May?  That’s right: Mother’s Day.  It’s a great reminder that on this special day for moms that we can also get our gardens in the ground.

Let’s dive into that a bit more, but first, here’s a little bit about Mother’s Day that you may not have known.

A Brief History of the Mother’s Day Holiday

The Mother’s Day holiday as we know it is a fairly recent creation.  But the idea of honoring those who gave us birth and raised us throughout the years dates back many millennia.  The oldest records that we have are from the ancient Greeks and Romans who set aside time every year to hold festivals to honor their mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele; these two were considered to be the mother of all gods.

During the middle ages in Britain the tradition of honoring one’s mom continued.  At this time the fourth Sunday of lent was set aside in what was known as Mothering Sunday.  It was a time when servants were given time off to travel back to their home towns and spend the day honoring and loving their moms.

Finally, in the late 1800’s, the holiday as we know it started to take form.  A lady by the name of Ann Reeves dedicated her career as a nurse and attended to the wounded civil war soldiers.  Her daughter, Anna Jarvis, watched with admiration as her mom cared for the wounded, and overheard her mom’s prayer one night where she petitioned God that someday a memorial day for mothers would be standard.

In 1905 Ann Reeves passed away, and in honor of her Anna Jarvis handed out white carnations (her mother’s favorite flower) every year following her death.  She also petitioned congress relentlessly to create a federal holiday called Mother’s Day; a day to honor the most important mom: our own.

In 1914 her dream came true when Woodrow Wilson signed a bill officially proclaiming the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day.  The idea was that the morning would be spent in church, and afterwards sons and daughters would write letters to their moms to tell them how much they loved them.  People would wear carnations: a red one in honor for living mothers, and a white one for mothers that had passed.

Planting Your Garden on Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day has some deep roots and some shallow roots.  It incorporates honoring our mothers, loving them, and cherishing what they have done to help raise us up.  The traditions involve flowers in memoriam of those who have passed and who are still living.  So what a better way to incorporate everything together than to get some flowers of our own into the ground?

Aspinwall Mountain Wear is all about being outdoors.  With clothing that shows you love to be outside, whether that’s trekking through the mountains, or putting flowers into the garden, you get to show that you’re all about the outdoor lifestyle.

A long sleeve shirt and a hat will help to keep the sun off.  And since this year it’s a bit cooler than usual, you may want to opt for the World’s Best Hoodie.  One for you, and one for your mother as you plant your garden space so that all summer long you get to admire the beauty of growing flowers, and toward the end of the summer you can literally reap the fruits of your labor.

Choose the Right Mother’s Day Gift from Aspinwall

We all have moms.  Without them, we wouldn’t be here.  Whether your mom is still in your life, or departed (one way or another) years ago, she’s a special lady that plays an important role in your life.  Raise your mimosa to her this Mother’s Day, and give the gift of love (and a t-shirt).