With Mother’s Day being one of the most important holidays of the year, here are some gift ideas. If your mom is a gardener, give her practical gifts. The Oxo Good Grips Outdoor Pour and Store Watering Can is just the thing. Holding 2.11 gallons (8 liters), this attractive sunny yellow can has a soft non-slip handle. The spout rotates for easy filling and storage. The detachable rose attachment distributes water evenly. The water level is clearly visible through the clear spout.

For moms who are container gardeners, the Oxo Good Grips Container Garden Set with a lifetime warranty is the best gift of all. The caddy and the five stainless steel tools have comfortable, non-slip handles. The roomy caddy has plenty of extra room for gloves and other items. The tools include a cultivator as well as a trowel with easy to read measurement markings. The multi-use transplanter is handy for removing plants from pots, and trimming root balls. With a handy finger loop for stability during use, the spring-loaded floral snips lock shut for safety.

Garden crafters can easily create personalized gifts for Mother’s Day. Here are books that will help. The American Quilter’s Society released “Stitched Raw Edge Applique” by machine quilt artists Sue Nickels and Pat Holly. The five projects feature appealing nature and floral themes. There are full-size pattern pieces, a list of materials and supplies, and illustrated step-by-step directions for completing each project. This simple, no-fuss fusing method is easy to learn and do.

“A Treasury of Scrap Quilts” by best selling quilting author Nancy J. Martin was published by Martingale/That Patchwork Place. This features 18 old and new pieced patterns for pillows, and quilts, many of which feature garden themes. This has full-size pattern pieces, illustrated step-by-step instructions for both machine and hand quilting along with a list of the materials you will need for the projects. In addition, there are alternate color schemes for the quilts.

Books make great Mother’s Day gifts. “The Painted Garden-a Year in Words and Watercolors” by designer/artist Mary Woodin was published by Running Press. This beautifully conceived hard cover is both instructional and inspiring. It features literary garden quotes from Wordsworth and other authors. Readers will learn what’s in bloom and what’s going on in the garden throughout the year.

For do-it-yourself type moms, “Kathy Peterson’s Great Outdoor Decorating Makeovers” from Watson-Guptill offers wonderful ideas for patios, porches, balconies, and other outdoor spaces. All of the beautiful projects costs $250 or less, using paint, fabric, and inexpensive items from thrift stores and the like. The full-color illustrations show before and after. The book features lots of projects and helpful sidebars with a host of inspirational, money-saving tips. The author is a renowned home decorating expert and author.

“Quilt Savvy-Gaudynski’s Machine Quilting Guidebook” by Diane Gaudysnki was published by the American Quilter’s Society. This paperback with a concealed spiral binding is the ultimate guide to machine quilting. It features many ideas for garden-related projects. Beautifully illustrated with close-ups in full color, this features inspiring examples of unmarked free-motion designs with leaves, plant fronds, and much more. She begins by explaining the different quilting styles and basics on machine quilting. Then, she devotes a chapter to each style, which includes trapunto. There are step-by-step instructions for each method with details on adjusting the stitch length and bobbin thread tension.

“Quilting Dot-to-Dot: Patterns for Today’s Machine Quilter” by Cheryl Barnes is part of the Golden Thread Series from the American Quilter’s Society. This presents 160 full-size patterns in a variety of styles, many of which feature garden motifs. This title has over fifty illustrations with repeats of the elements in the designs, many of which feature floral and plant themes. These patterns have easy to follow, clear stitching sequences with complete instructions on how to do the stitching. The author explains how to select and mark your pattern, and how to resize it if necessary. For beginners, there is a chapter devoted to machine quilting basics with practice sets.