Mother's Day Gift Ideas from Bliss

It's time to spoil her again so we've compiled a little collection of gift ideas that might suit your special Mama. From homewares to bags, jewellery and gorgeous vases, we're pretty sure you'll score loads of brownie points by shopping with us!

Bulb shaped earthenware vases from Have You Met Miss Jones with unique reactive glaze finish. Great as a bud vase or grouped with the other vases in the range. Mint, pink or blue - $29.95 each.

LEFT: Stunning embroidered cushions from Canvas starting at $44.95. Ottoman $189.95. Grey & Yellow Ikat Throw $155. RIGHT: Patterned Noodle Bowls. Large $11.95, Small $7.95

Wooden Beaded Necklaces from $24.95

Yellow Floret Jug $64.95, Yellow Celery Vase $59.95, Bronze 'Sheen' Vases $21.95 each, Yellow Ranunculus $11.95 each, Zimbabwe Diamond Vase $139.95, Emerald Circle Frame $34.95, Pastel Multi-Frame $229.

Fabulous new cosmetic bags from Louenhide. Small Blue 'Audrey' $24.95, Large Pink 'Audrey' $29.95. Small Pink 'Hepburn' (top back) $39.95, Large Camel 'Hepburn' $49.95. Mrs Darcy hand-poured Soy Candles $39.95.

LEFT: Madison Jar scented candles from Ecoya $39.95.  RIGHT: 'Jester' diamond foil Creamer $24.95, Sugar Bowl $22.95, Wooden Salad Servers $29.95, Copper Zig Zag vase $49.95.

Flying Pigs $29.95, Printed Pots from $49.95, White Floral Emboss Pots from $9.95, Chevron Votives $29.95.

25-50% Off Pots and Water Features - While Stocks Last!

It's Sale Time at Bliss. Time to spruce up the garden? We've got you covered.

Come and see what we have before it all goes!

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Plant of the Month - Rhododendron

This week we took delivery of a stunning batch of fresh Rhododendrons. They have such gorgeous blooms! Rhodo's are suited perfectly to Canberra's climate and flower over a long period in Spring. There are over 1000 species, coming from all over the world, including one from Australia.

Rhodo's like a slightly acidic and well-drained soil, which is easily achieved when adding manure or compost to the soil. One small pest to watch out for is thrip in late spring. A simple way to get rid of them if you do find them is with Pyrethrum spray.

They are surprisingly hardy so great for the non-green thumbs out there. And just because we love them so much we're taking 25% off so they're now only $22.45 each! (from $29.95)

Plant of the Month - Correa 'Canberra Bells'

Did you know Canberra had an official plant to commemorate our 100th birthday this year? Well, now you do!

Canberra Bells is a beautiful Correa which features two-tone, red and cream bell-shaped flowers that are Autumn flowering. Of course this coincides nicely with Canberra Day each year. The Correa is an Australian native and is indigenous our region. It's dry tolerant and frost hardy so will survive all seasons in the ACT. The Canberra Bells variety was developed specifically to commemorate our centenary by experienced local native plant breeders, Peter and Jennifer Ollerenshaw.

Like Canberra itself, the plant is born out of Federation: one of its parent plants is appropriately called Federation Belle, while the other is Correa Mannii. The common name Canberra Bells was the most popular choice among more than 250 suggestions received from Canberrans and gardening enthusiasts across Australia. Canberra Bells can already be found growing in excellent company, with plants set to thrive at Government House, the Australian National Botanic Gardens and the National Arboretum.

So why not plant a little piece of the Centenary in your own garden!

Perfect for Pots - Sago Palm

The Sago Palm (Cycas Revoluta) is native to Japan and is not a palm at all but a cycad. It's a very striking plant with it's symmetrical circle growth and lush dark green leaves and certainly looks great in a pot. It doesn't need a lot of water or fertilizer just a large pot or deep soil with good mulching.

Maintenance is quick and easy as it only needs the lower yellowing leaves removed. They are largely pest resistant if kept outside but if kept inside they are prone to mealy bugs and spider mite.

The good news for us Canberrans though is that they are tolerant of frosts up to -10c (there's a Cycad planted at Bliss which gets the full frost, come and see it!).