Your mother is the person who inspired your love of nature in the first place. She took you hiking, bought you tree identification books and watched nature documentaries with you. So when it’s time to start planning celebrations for Mother’s Day on May 14 this year, she’s sure to enjoy any nature-related activities.

Keeping in mind that your mother is not as young as she used to be, your planned activities could be something simple like setting up a bird feeder or a flower arrangement class. If she’s as hale as ever, or if you’re planning activities with a friend or sister or cousin who’s a Mom, you could go with a camping trip or a day hike.

Nature-Related Activities for Mother's Day

1. Take a Hike
2. Set Up a Bird Feeder
3. Join in Nature Walks
4. Visit the Arboretum or Local Bird Sanctuary
5. Start an Indoor Garden
6. Plant Flowers Together
7. Visit the Local Farmers Market
8. Pick Strawberries
9. Throw a Garden Party
10. Visit a National Park
11. Flower Arrangement Class
12. Wine Tasting

Or a swim. Or a boat cruise. The idea is to get outdoors and enjoy the fresh air and beautiful scenery, and there are so many opportunities for that. It could be just a simple picnic in the park with close family or friends or a stroll along the waterfront.

Setting up a bird feeder for your mom on the porch or deck or near a window is a very simple and quick activity that will please any nature lover. It also helps the birds when the food supply begins to dwindle in the fall. For summer birdwatching, a hummingbird feeder with sugared water will reward her with the spectacle of these gorgeous creatures as they nest and raise families before flying away south in September.

A guided nature walk is always a good way to explore your natural surroundings and the local flora and fauna in the company of an expert. Whether you live near the seashore or the Great Lakes, there’s always plenty to learn and discover. If you have kids, bring them along for a day they’ll enjoy with their grandmother.

If your mom is older or not in good health, check out online nature-related events as well. AARP has a listing of local community nature-related events, which cover everything from astronomy to growing orchids.

This is like a less structured nature walk, where you guide yourselves and follow every tempting path to see where it leads. It’s educational, provides mild physical exercise, and puts you and your mom in a tranquil, beautiful world that will live in your hearts for a long time.

You can never have too many plants, and indoor plants have many health benefits apart from their beauty. They can filter and purify the air and can actually help de-stress. Also, they will help your mother connect with the natural world and green, living things.

Depending on how much space she has, you can pick easy-care plants like The Fresco, with golden pothos in a blue and white ceramic pot.

Gardening together can revive memories of your childhood when you and your siblings were turned loose on your own patches of garden with seeds and advice. It’s your turn to share the gift of growing things, with flowers strategically placed near the windows or vegetables that will keep mom stocked with produce all summer and beyond.

Planting a memory tree to mark the celebration is an especially significant activity since it will be enjoyed by future generations as well.

In this busy world, it’s not always easy to find time for simpler things like shopping at the local farmers market. These hardy folk work to bring you fresh produce and foods, and the taste is like no other. So you and your mom — and anyone else among friends and family — can spend a pleasant hour browsing the stalls, followed by an open-air lunch.

There’s almost nothing as appealing to a nature lover than the taste of fresh-picked fruit and produce. In May, you can pick early strawberries and cherries, and this handy online locator tool will help you find u-pick farms near you with a variety of fruit and produce.

This is an activity your mom will enjoy even if she can’t actually do the strenuous work of picking fruit. You can add your harvest to a picnic lunch for a lazy, sunny day. Some farms are also set up for visits, so you can walk around and say hello to the cows, horses, pigs, and any other critters.

The middle of May is the perfect time for a garden party, which can be as simple or as elaborate as you like. To make things easier, you can rope in a few friends to help out and make it a joint multi-family celebration. A potluck makes it even easier to pull it all together.

If you need a stylish centerpiece, peonies are the quintessential flowers for this time of the year, and a lush bouquet of The Grower’s Choice Peony, with ten fresh stems of blooms in classic colors like pink and white, will add an extra touch of grace to the celebration.

A memorable visit to a national park and sanctuary is a great way to celebrate since your mom, you, and your entire family love the world of nature and wildlife. Depending on your budget and the amount of time, you could plan a trip to famous national sites like Yellowstone or the Smoky Mountains or a day trip to a nearby state park.

This is a good choice for an activity that doesn’t take a lot of physical effort but will give your flower-loving mom great pleasure. Plus, you’ll both acquire new skills that you can continue to refine.

OK, so this may be a bit of a stretch, but wine is made from grapes, and grapes are part of nature, right? Besides, if you live in a wine-producing area, this could be a visit to the vineyards, where you can stroll among the grapes before settling down to a picnic lunch after the tasting. This is a fun day spent outdoors, and other family members may want to go along as well.

Planning nature-related activities for Mother’s Day is the best way of expressing gratitude to your mother for all she has done for you — and especially for introducing you to the world of nature.