Celebrate a Special Mother-in-Law this October

Sunday, Oct. 26 marks Mother-in-Law Day, a special day to honor the woman who gave birth to your spouse and the grandmother of your children. This unofficial holiday offers a chance to get to know “mom” and show her the appreciation she deserves.

“Whether you’ve known her for years or you’re new to the family, every mother-in-law deserves recognition and thanks,” says Katie Dubow of Garden Media Group, a public relations firm specializing in the gardening and outdoor lifestyle industry.

Before choosing a gift, think about her interests and hobbies. Everyone loves a present that shows some thoughtfulness.

Not sure what her interests are? Surprise her with one of these sure-to-please gardening and houseplant ideas:

                                                         

Costa Farms® Sansevieria Houseplant ($9.99-$24.99)

If “mom” doesn’t have much of a green thumb, look no further than this durable houseplant. Coined Mother-in-Law’s Tongue, this Plant of Steel from Costa Farms has stiff, upright leaves rimmed in yellow or gold. Its striking appearance makes it perfect for both modern and contemporary styles – and anyone can keep it alive.

As an added bonus, it keeps “mom” healthy by naturally filtering the air and adding much needed moisture to a room. Visit www.costafarms.com to learn more.

Amaryllis bulb kit, Longfield Gardens ($16.95-$64.95)
These easy-to-grow flowers are a great surprise for any mother-in-law. No bulbs bloom with greater color or beauty throughout the dark winter months than amaryllis and paperwhites.

Longfield Gardens’ customizable gift sets, from vintage wooden wine crates filled with amaryllis to birch wrapped containers overflowing with paper whites, can be mixed and matched to suit “mom’s” style.

Amaryllis bloom six to eight weeks after planting.  Flowers will open wide to show off their striking coloration. Visit www.longfield-gardens.com to learn more.

NEW NativeCast’s DIY Container Kit ($20)
Mothers-in-law will love this DIY planter kit, especially since it’s a project she can do with grandkids.

And with NativeCasts’ NEW Hypertufa DIY kit, DIYers can mimic the texture, drainage and color of rock without any of the weight or fragility. All NativeCast DIY kits come with everything needed to cast a container that will be cherished for years to come. Everything needed to create a tabletop hypertufa planter is included.

Visit www.nativecast.com for more DIY shapes, décor accents or planters.

BrazelBerries® Raspberry Shortcake™ Shrub ($29.95)
The health conscious mother-in-law will love this thornless dwarf raspberry plant with full-size berries. The compact shape means a big garden space isn’t required. It grows great in containers so “mom” can harvest delicious sweet berries right from her patio. Plus, there are no thorns to get in the way.

For more details on locating an online retailer, visit www.Brazelberries.com.

Remembering “mom” on Mother-in-Law Day this October 26 is a sure way to keep her happy and help you grow in her love.

GMG's Friday Find: Organic, Eco-Chic Planters for Holiday Gift Giving

Presents!  We love to give them, and let's be honest, we love to receive them.  Looking for the perfect holiday gift for your gardening friends? NativeCast has the perfect gift for everyone on your shopping list. And best of all, each product is individually hand-cast and comes complete with its own story.

Ricky Giacco, founder and visionary of NativeCast, developed a unique green concrete made of recycled materials and locally sourced seashells, pine cones and needles.  This concrete is used to cast containers from organic shapes, like mushroom board and crab apple bark.

A Fun and Simple Do-It-Yourself Project from NativeCast

If you enjoy DIY projects, especially garden related, you're going to love NativeCast’s DIY Cast Your Own Kit. This DIY kit is a simple introduction to making your own container garden and is the perfect rainy day project for kids and adults.

This DIY project is quick and easy from start to finish. So if you don’t have the time or patience for most projects, this is the ideal one for you.

Each kit is comprised of NativeCast’s custom eco-concrete mix, a shaped mold box, organic potting mix and seeds. It includes step-by-step instructions on how to make your own container. If you’re a visual learner, NativeCast also has a great instructional video that can help you create a masterpiece of your own.

The Cast Your Own line has more shapes and sizes to choose from, like circles, squares, rectangles and even stars and hexagons.

How to build your own eco-concrete garden:

1. Wet the mold box
2.  Place the mix in a disposable container and add 2 ounces of water to the mix
3. Stir in water
4. Apply wet concrete to the interior surfaces of the mold box
5. Let concrete dry for 24 hours and then carefully tear or cut away mold box
6. Insert organic starter soil and plant seeds
7. Add water to soil, keep damp until seeds sprout

What do you think? Would you make this DIY garden planter?

NativeCast is known for unique and modern garden planters that are designed and handcast by Ricky Giacco in his Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania studio. Giacco works with recycled concrete and other materials native to the Mid-Atlantic, like shells, sand and pine needles. His planters are durable, surprisingly lightweight, and easy on the planet.

If DIY isn’t your thing, check out NativeCast's wide variety of eco-planters that modernize any living space.  

~Leah
Garden Media Group