Flowers, chocolates and jewellery might be the most commonly bought gifts for mums, but they're certainly not the only option. If, like me, you prefer to seek out less expected presents, this could be the list for you. I've included suggestions for keen gardeners, avid florists and armchair gardeners, based on my own experience and feedback from customers.
If you have a pretty box, basket or hamper to hand, it's a nice idea to combine a few items with a potted plant as a centrepiece. And if you're completely stumped or you've left it too late, a gift card that your mum can spend at her leisure is always welcome.
- Piccolo 'Falling in Love' Poppy Seeds, £3.50 - easy to sow and producing masses of delicate flowers in shades of red and pink with white, this pretty packet of seeds will fit neatly inside a greetings card.
- Nesti Dante Tuscan Wisteria and Lilac soap, £7 - manufactured in a solar-powered factory in Italy, Nesti Dante soaps are famed for their heavenly scent and longevity. Wisteria and lilac embody the fragrance of a garden in late spring.
- Speedweeder, Pink, £7 - One should always think twice about giving practical gifts, but this fuchsia-pink tool is a bit of fun, and effectively takes the strain out of weeding. What's not to love about that?
- Laura Stoddart Hydrangea Tea Towel, £12 - a brand new design from an illustrator you've probably seen at the Chelsea Flower Show. Far too pretty to be used for drying dishes, although it does the job wonderfully.
- Yard Etc. Wild Fig Hand Balm, £20 - Gardening hands are often dry, chapped hands. This rich hand balm will make your mum's skin soft and supple after a long day in the garden.
- Gold Leaf Dry Touch Gloves, £22 - Warm, comfortable, butter-soft leather gloves with a waterproof lining to keep your mum's hands dry and clean. Gold Leaf make the Rolls Royce of gardening gloves!
- Klean Kanteen Insulated Mug, £25 - This brilliant mug keeps drinks hot for up to four hours, allowing your mum to lose herself in the garden for a whole morning or afternoon without interruption.
- Niwaki Forged Snips, £32 - Indispensible for cutting and arranging flowers, deadheading, propagating and cutting string. I never go outside without mine. As a gift they'll earn you a lot of Brownie points!
- Dahlia Bowl & Flower Frog Bundle, £38 - now that floral foam has been called out for causing pollution, flower arrangers are rediscovering the simple joys of using metal frogs to display blooms in a shallow bowls or dishes.
- Niwaki Lightweight Secateurs £76 - we don't all have an iron grip: these secateurs are perfect for smaller hands and require less pressure to use. Their compact design makes them ideal for deadheading and pruning where bigger secateurs might be clumsy.
Prices were correct at the time of posting (27.02.24) but may change in future.
