Blooms, Bonds, and Beauty: Celebrating Mother’s Day at Go Public Gardens

Every year, on May 9th, we mark Go Public Gardens Days, an inspiring initiative by the American Public Gardens Association that invites individuals, families, and communities to rediscover the vibrant, restorative spaces that public gardens offer. These sanctuaries of green, whether sprawling botanical gardens or peaceful urban arboreta, are more than just places of beauty. They are living classrooms, centers of conservation, and powerful symbols of humanity’s evolving relationship with the natural world.

There are over 600 public gardens in the U.S. that are members of the APGA, collectively drawing 85 million visitors annually. This demonstrates a growing recognition of gardens not just as aesthetic retreats but as vital community assets. Public green spaces help reduce stress by as much as 20–30%, according to studies by the University of Washington, and foster a sense of environmental stewardship.

This year, Go Public Gardens Days beautifully overlaps with Mother’s Day weekend, offering a timely and meaningful opportunity to reflect on the parallel roles that gardens and mothers play in our lives. Both are spaces and sources of life, care, and resilience. Both offer comfort, inspiration, and renewal. And both, in their own way, nurture the delicate balance between human life and the environment.

Just as mothers tend to their children, feeding, teaching, and sheltering, gardens nurture the land. They foster biodiversity, purify the air, protect pollinators, and cultivate awareness about sustainability. In many cultures, nature is often personified as a maternal figure: Mother Earth, Gaia, Pachamama, symbols of fertility, care, and wisdom. Public gardens embody this spirit, reminding us that the act of nurturing extends beyond the household and into our ecosystems.

Mother’s Day is a celebration of love, gratitude, and the sacrifices made by women across generations. In 2024, 84% of U.S. adults celebrated Mother’s Day, with average spending reaching $254 per person, and a growing number 26% choosing “gifts of experience” such as outings, garden visits, or wellness activitiesWhat better setting to honour this than a blooming garden, where growth, patience, and beauty unfold in every direction! Gardens reflect the emotional and spiritual labour of motherhood, quietly growing, sheltering, and offering joy to others.

Planning a Mother’s Day outing to a public garden becomes more than a scenic experience, it becomes a tribute to the values we often associate with motherhood: selflessness, resilience, and the power of care. Bringing families to gardens on this special weekend also fosters intergenerational learning. Children can see firsthand how plants grow, how ecosystems thrive, and how humans depend on nature’s balance. Parents and grandparents, in turn, can share stories and lessons tied to the land, planting memories that may one day blossom into lifelong respect for the environment. Children who spend time in nature are statistically more likely to develop pro-environmental attitudes, according to recent psychological research. And gardens that host educational programs report significantly higher community engagement, especially from families.

In a time of environmental uncertainty, both nature and mothers represent stabilizing forces. Mothers often lead efforts in creating sustainable homes and communities, advocating for clean air, healthy food, and safe spaces. Similarly, public gardens lead by example, offering programs in composting, native plant restoration, water conservation, and more. By visiting and supporting these green spaces, we reinforce the importance of stewardship, a value many mothers strive to instill in their children.  Urban green spaces have even been shown to reduce city temperatures by up to 4°C (7.2°F), playing a critical role in climate adaptation

As we celebrate Go Public Gardens Days and Mother’s Day together, we are reminded of the quiet strength found in both a blooming rose and a mother’s embrace. This year, give the gift of nature a walk-through blossom, a shared moment beneath the trees, or even the planting of something new. In doing so, we not only honor the mothers in our lives but also the mothering forces of nature that sustain us all.