Bouquet of ideas for Mother’s Day

“People want something that makes an impact,” Campbell said. “They want a lot of bright colors. That really makes people happy. And we do everything local so we can find what types of flowers moms want and help convey that emotion.”

Popular items at her store include potted orchids, plant baskets, multicolored daisies and terrariums with assorted succulent cactus varieties.

“Succulent is a really great plant,” Campbell said. “They’re very hearty. They’re flowery plants and they look great in terrariums.”

The store, like others in town, also sells items to go along with its flower arrangements, such as cards, scarves and gifts.

“We have everything from jewelry to chocolate,” Campbell said. “And you can get something simple and sweet for as low as $15, or something like our Big and Beautiful arrangement for $75.”

Popular items at Flowers Washougal include tropical flowers with bright yellow, pink, orange and purple colorations, and Mother’s Day baskets and tulips, which are hitting the end of their growing season, said Erik Witcraft, the store’s general manager and lead designer.

“My mom loves red, so I usually bring home red tulips or daisies for Mother’s Day,” Witcraft said. “We also sell local wine and chocolate here, which are very popular.”

His store isn’t open on Sunday because “that’s the high holy day for moms, and we have a few moms working for us,” Witcraft said. “We didn’t want them to have to work on their day.”

The store loves walk-in customers and doesn’t take online orders because, Witcraft said, it takes away from the customer service experience.

“One thing we really pride ourselves on, we aren’t linked to a major corporation or service,” Witcraft said. “We want to treat all our customers as special.”

The store’s hanging baskets and other arrangements tend to run between $45 and $75, he said.

Garside Florist’s most popular Mother’s Day items are outdoor hanging plant baskets, Snyder said.

“They’re great,” Snyder said. “They bloom all summer usually.”

Tulips are also very popular at his shop, he said.

“They’re kind of winding down, but Mother’s Day is the last hurrah,” Snyder said. “They let us do some really bright, vibrant bouquets. Colored roses — lavender, pink, yellow and two-tone — are also really in demand for Mother’s Day.”

The store has several bouquets available for $25 and up, and also has loose bunches of flowers without a vase for $10.95 and up, he said.

What to do for Mother’s Day?

After breakfast in bed or a lovely brunch, there’s plenty of ways to delight mom with the best gift of all, spending time together.

Selfie photo shoot

Make memories or silly faces with a photo shoot. There are plenty of photogenic spots around Clark County, so pick a few places to strike a pose and take a selfie with your mom. Take photos over coffee at your favorite cafe, or try Lacamas Lake trails with its beautiful setting, or the balcony at the Vancouver Community Library, which offers great benches for posing and a view. For bonus points, bring a prop or two, like a big sun hat, a bottle of bubbles or fancy crafty mustaches.

Wildlife Safari

Explore a local park or your own backyard while on a bug safari. To begin, you can print out an insect check list from www.bugfacts.net, which has the most commonly found bugs in North America. If you can, bring a magnifying glass for up-close bug examination. Head to Burnt Bridge Creek Trail, Water Resources Education Center, or Salmon Creek Regional Park to discover not only bugs, but possibly lizards, frogs and newts. Not into bugs? You also can go birding at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, which offers a wildlife checklist online, www.fws.gov/refuge/Ridgefield. The seasonal Kiwa Trail just opened for the season, offering a 1.5-mile loop through the wetlands and ash forests on the River ‘S’ Unit. There is a $3 admission fee per car.

Indulge in small ways

While a day at the spa is a wonderful treat for any mom, if you’re a bit last minute or low on funds, create the same experience at home. There are hundreds of homemade recipes for facial masks, using ingredients from your kitchen. A banana facial mask just needs three ingredients. Mash up a ripe banana into a smooth paste, then mix in ¼ cup plain yogurt and 2 tablespoons of honey. Apply to your face and neck gently, for 10 to 20 minutes before rinsing. Cucumber slices for your eyes are optional.

Spring hike

For the more adventurous, give a field of wildflowers for Mother’s Day. Dog Mountain offers stunning views of the Columbia River Gorge and is filled with a sea of colorful flowers in the spring. It is a rigorous 6-mile round-trip hike with a 2,800-foot elevation gain, and can be crowded with hikers on the same mission. The trailhead is 9 miles east of Carson, just beyond Milepost 53 on state Highway 14. A Northwest Forest Pass is required, but the day passes are just $5.

Plant some flowers

There are two big plant sales happening this weekend: the Camas Plant and Garden Fair and the Master Gardener Foundation Mother’s Day Plant Sale. The 18th annual fair in downtown Camas runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 9 and includes a bevy of plants, flowers and hanging baskets, along with a kids zone, a petting zoo and live music. Proceeds also benefit educational scholarships for local women. www.cwplantfair.org

The master gardeners’ big sale also features fruit, vegetables and herb plants, ornamental trees and garden art at the lovely 78th Street Heritage Farm, 1919 N.E. 78th St., Vancouver. Proceeds help the foundation continue to support horticulture education. www.mgfcc.com