Mong Kok Flower Market bustles with Mother’s Day gratitude despite pricier blooms

Amid busy hands moving across the Mong Kok Flower Market to celebrate selfless motherhood on Mother's Day, some flower shop owners are reporting the pinch of climbing import costs. 

Citing the rising oil prices, a flower shop owner stated that the import costs from the Netherlands, Colombia, and Kenya have been driven up. For instance, Dutch carnations now cost HK$11, up from HK$8, and hydrangeas have jumped from HK$80 to HK$100.  

She stated that they have since raised the price and reduced foreign imports by about 10 percent, turning to mainland flowers instead.

However, she admitted that foreign flowers last longer, whereas mainland blooms may have a shorter shelf life by a few days.

Under the influence of the rising trend of Hongkongers "heading north," she observed fewer walk-in customers showed up this year, yet overall orders remained similar to previous years. 

While many customers opted for mid-sized bouquets around HK$600, she reported that some ordered eight to 12 bunches at once for direct delivery to restaurants, where one customer even ordered 99 stems for his mother. 

"It is the thought that's counts"

Meanwhile, for some dedicated buyers, mothers' smiles outweighed the rising price tags. 

Amidst the bustling crowds, one shopper bought her mother's favourite carnations, along with a ring, and planned a dinner to express gratitude for her years of care. 

Another shopper, who is also a mother, shared plans to bring her own mother to a buffet celebration. Instead of a traditional bouquet, she picked a potted plant. "It's more meaningful as we can keep growing it," she said with a smile. 

She added that her mother values the ritual of celebration, so the family makes sure to mark the day every year. 

As her birthday was yesterday, her husband noted that the family had already celebrated both occasions together — with their son planning to treat his mom to ice cream later. 

"It's the thought that counts, ice cream or even just one simple flower is more than enough," she laughed.

A husband married for 42 years, revealed he has never missed a Mother's Day bouquet. "It's a bit pricier this year," he admitted, but still found it acceptable and will celebrate tonight with his wife, children, and grandchildren at a Central restaurant. 

For those with smaller budgets, a boy presented a homemade card, decorated with hearts and a drawing of his mother's beloved handbag, making his mom beam with joy.

 

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓