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The Mother's Day countdown is on at Bunches HQ with the team busily preparing for the biggest day of the floral calendar on March 18th.

Together with our wonderful selection of Mother's Day bouquets, we also have a brand new range of extra treats to complete your gift. Why not surprise Mum with a loveable 'Best Mum' Teddy Bear clutching a pink daisy for £5.99, or spoil Grandma with a luxurious Shea Butter hand cream gift set for £4.50? Our best-selling 'Special Mum' candle is also back by popular demand with a gorgeous new scent for £3.99 - designed especially for Bunches customers!

The complete range of Mother's Day extra gifts can be viewed once you have added a bouquet to your basket. Don't forget to order by 4pm, Wednesday 14th March for delivery in time for Mothering Sunday!

Mother's Day is a celebration which honours mothers and motherhood. It is celebrated on various days around the world usually during the months of March, April and May although some countries do celebrate it in the second half of the year. Also in some countries the actual date of Mother's Day can change from year to year, in the UK for instance it is on the 4th Sunday in Lent. This year Mother's Day in the UK is the 18th of March.

The most traditional way of celebrating Mother's Day is by sending a gift of a card and some flowers. Carnations are perhaps the most traditional Mothers Day flowers usually in pink and white. Other flowers such as Roses, Chrysanthamums and Tulips are also quite popular for Mothers Day. Although any bright and cheerful spring flowers will no doubt delight any mother immensely.

A good example would be our Mum's Pride bouquet, which contains pink, white and purple flowers including Carnations, Roses and Tulips which along with our free box of milk chocolates make it a very special gift for your mum.

As part of our Creating Happiness campaign to spread the smiles, we're on the hunt for a 'Mum in a million' to win an indulgent treat this Mother's Day.

Whether it's your own Mother, Grandma, or you have a friend who is a special Mum, nominate them and one lucky lady will win the ultimate Mother's Day gift; Flowers for a Year, a Chocoholic Ultimate Gift Set from MokoChocolates.co.uk and a case of delicious cordials from our friends at Belvoir Fruit Farms. Five Mums will also win a Bunches Platinum Regency bouquet worth £40.99.

To nominate your Mum, simply tell us why she is so special by emailing muminamillion@bunches.co.uk or by posting on the Bunches Facebook wall before 15th March. Full terms and conditions can be found at www.bunches.co.uk/compterms

With less than four weeks until Mother's Day, our new range of floral treats is now live for your viewing pleasure! With flowers from £14.99 including free U.K delivery, you are sure to find the perfect gift to make Mum or Grandma smile whatever your budget! Take a peek at our Mother's Day page to see the complete collection of bouquets and houseplants.

Bunches is also supporting Tearfund this Mother's Day. The charity works in the world's poorest communiities by teaching reading, writing and agricultural skills, providing sustainable resources and allowing Mums to change their families lives for the better. To find out more, visit www.tearfund.org.

....than diamonds on my neck - Emma Goldman

Marilyn Monroe once famously sang that 'Diamonds are a girl's best friend.' While we girls at Bunches HQ love to agree with this rather perfect statement, we can't always expect diamonds and pearls on Valentine's Day from our better halves - although we always like to drop hints!

Sometimes declaring your love is more meaningful with a simple bouquet of flowers - perfection at its best. Red Roses are a traditional symbol of love and romance. Their heritage and history of sharing feelings for someone special is a tradition still lovingly accustomed today.

Our 12 elegant Upper Class red Roses are beautifully complemented with glossy green Ruscus leaves creating a simple but stunning romantic bouquet. Grown on a 'Fair Flowers Fair Plants' approved farm, they have been specially selected for their longer vase life than many other rose varieties - they also come with free chocolates when purchased online, a perfect addition to your Valentine's gift!

The ultimate declaration of love - a bouquet of 12 Red Roses is the perfect way to say 'I love you' and express admiration and passion to a loved one this Valentine's Day.

After 3 months of intense training, countless blisters, a couple of attempted dog attacks and thousands of extra calories consumed, I am now feeling a little more prepared for the challenge of running 26.2 miles! Sadly Dan has had to defer his place until next year after suffering a leg injury and instead my Brother-In-Law has been roped into running with me.

I have found motivation in listening to 90's dance music on long runs, treating myself to the occasional pecan pastry and imagining the immense feeling of euphoria when I cross the finishing line on April 22nd!

Every penny raised from the run will be used by the charity Links International to build much needed latrines in the village of Kande, Malawi, where the team from Bunches visited last year.

If you would like to make a donation, visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/JenandCraig. More information on Bunches' work with Links International can be found on our charity page.

Since Valentines day is approaching we thought it was a good idea to blog about the meaning of the various colours of flowers. The meanings can be influenced by the shape and number of petals, but for most people the colour is the most prominent aspect.

Blue Roses symbolises the impossible and presumably the unachievable. However the gold Rose is seemingly the opposite, symbolising the very pinnacle of achievement. White Roses are for love whereas red is for passion, obviously these two can go will together. Pink Roses represent gentleness and gratitude. Lilac symbolises love at first sight and finally Yellow is for friendship.

Interestingly the red and white Carnations mean exactly the same as the Roses. The other colours however do mean different things with Yellow actually meaning rejection and disappointment in someone and pink meaning always on my mind.

Don't forget that Bunches is on Facebook and Twitter. Both are a great way to keep up to date with everything Bunches related. They regularly contain information about Bunches products, promotions, competition and flower related news.

Finding a forgotten £5 note in last year's spring coat, getting to the bus stop just in time and a thoughtful act of kindness by a stranger - it's often the little things in life which make us smile!

Following the brilliant response to our 2011 Year of Smiles, we've launched the Bunches Creating Happiness campaign. To get it started, we would love to hear about those small acts of kindness by strangers which have brightened your day and created happiness. No matter how large or small the gesture, let us know!

Simply email flowers@bunches.co.uk with the subject line 'Acts of Kindness'. There will be lots more happening over the next few months to spread a little happiness, so watch this space to find out more!

Did you know there are certain flowers representing each month of the year? Each flower has a different meaning and have traditionally been given as a gift for someone's birthday. Carnation's are the birth flower of January, which we think fits the bill perfectly with their meaning of love, fascination and distinction. Carnations are really long-lasting and a great way to express feelings - perfect for brightening someone's home throughout the month and banishing those January blues!

And now January is well and truly upon us; post Christmas blues, freezing temperatures, long nights and the lack of daylight beginning to take its toll, here at Bunches HQ we feel it's time to create some happiness! So why not treat someone special (or even yourself!) to our 24 Classic Carnations or choose from a wide range of beautiful bouquets, each one containing long stemmed Carnations in their arrangement.

Happy January!