If you plan on expressing your love for Mom with beautiful flowers this Mother's Day -- you had better have placed your order already.

Florists around the Island have been gearing up all week for a hectic 48 hours as locals scurry about trying to find the perfect floral tribute for Mother's Day 1999.

Lena Araujo of Demco Floral Services, on King Street, said she was all ready for the final surge of last-minute shoppers.

"We have lots of specials, in fact ten of them,'' she said. "We have an Afternoon Tea special which features a basket containing items like tea, jams and silk plants.

"Our Coffee Break special has a bouquet, a coffee mug and a special balloon.

We have all sorts of stuff.'' Ms Araujo said business had been going quite well during the week but expecting sheer pandemonium today and tomorrow.

"A lot of people buy a gift and then think, `oh I should also get some flowers','' she said. "Saturday will be very busy with last-minute shoppers.

"I got lots of flowers, so we should be well stocked,'' she predicted earlier in the week. "We have had no problem getting our shipments in, so, so far so good.'' But she admitted that no matter how much she prepared, there was a limit to what she could realistically supply.

"When we get around three-to-four hundred deliveries in one day, we just can't accept anymore -- we're stretched to our limit.'' If your mother lives overseas and you have not yet placed your order yet, basically you are out of luck and had better think of another way for showing Mom you love her.

Tomeko Steede at House of Flowers, in the Washington Mall, said overseas orders should have been placed no later than yesterday.

"For us it is the biggest occasion,'' she said. "It beats Valentine's Day and Christmas because you are giving not only to mothers, but step-mothers, grandmothers, mothers-to-be and single dads who play the role of mothers as well.'' But she said that Bermudians could pick-up orders up until Saturday, solely on a first-come first-serve basis.