Plant a Flower Day is almost here, so what will you do to celebrate on March 12? Why not ring in the new season by planning some festivities for this holiday?
Don’t worry about breaking out the wallet. From getting involved in your community to reading up on medicinal herbal lore, you can rejoice in the wonder of flowers for free. All you need is access to Mother Nature, and you’re set!
To help you decide, here are 7 fun ways to celebrate Plant a Flower Day.
1. Draw Bees to Your Garden
In recent years, bee populations are declining, which is concerning for environmentalists and foodies alike. These little critters might appear frightening, but they pollinate a considerable percentage of the human food supply.
To help them survive, you can plant flowers specifically chosen to draw more little buzzing friends to your garden. Ideally, you want to plant a variety of flower shapes, from tubular to flat-faced designs. It’s beneficial to plant a host of spring, summer and fall blooms so that the honey-makers always have somewhere to gather nectar.
2. Attract Butterflies
If you have little ones who run shrieking in terror at the sight of a bumblebee, try attracting butterflies to your garden instead. You can plant milkweed if you want to attract monarchs. It’s the only food these majestic creatures eat. Lavender is also known to attract butterflies, and you can use it to make tea and many other delicious recipes!
3. Get Involved with Your Community
If you dwell in a basement apartment that lacks even a sunny windowsill, that’s okay! You can celebrate Plant a Flower Day by getting involved in your community.
Check out a spring flower show or an arboretum. You can learn about the different types of blossoms and select a bloom to take home with you that thrives in low-light conditions.
4. Build a Greenhouse
Did you know that you can find free greenhouse plans online? You don’t need to make yours huge, and the cost of building a greenhouse is relatively cheap. Consider creating a small version with castaway wood pallets, which can often be claimed for free at your local hardware store. That way, if you have a ton of seedlings to start, you can do so outdoors but still protect them from unpredictable spring weather.
5. Learn to Compost
Are you still running to the nursery for compost every spring? Reduce the amount of waste your household produces by making a compost bin. You can create a small version out of nearly any container.
Make sure to learn what you can and can’t place inside. In general, vegetable byproducts like dried leaves work well.
6. Study the Language of Flowers
Do you remember Ophelia in your high school “Hamlet” days? When she went mad, she presented the court with flowers symbolizing different emotions. She was right. When you can’t express challenging feelings, you can say what you need to with blooms! For example, a pink carnation means you’ll never forget someone, however, a striped carnation rejects unwanted advances.
7. Make Some Herbal Tea
Few methods relax you quite like sitting down with a hot cup of tea. Make yourself a blend of chamomile and lavender tea and sip it in your garden while you admire the spring sunshine. Both flowers have gently calmative properties. Plus, they taste lightly sweet and utterly divine.
Celebrate Plant a Flower Day
Are you ready to welcome the season of spring with these ideas? Remember, you don’t need to spend any money at all to celebrate a memorable Plant a Flower Day!