Great Mother's Day Gifts for under $30

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If you are looking for some to buy your favorite gardener a gift for Mother's Day, here's a selection of great gifts to consider. Most are under $30 but are luxurious enough to be classified as affordable indulgences.

Floral Fragrances From Caswell-Massey - One of the oldest apothecary shops in the US, Caswell-Masey has been selling fine personal care items since the 1750's. The company's scents tend to have a very old fashioned character. Their simplicity is rather refreshing. You can find rose, lily of the valley, gardenia and other floral scents for $30. Alternatively, you might consider giving your favorite gardener a set of 3 bars of Almond Cold Cream Hand Soaps for $18.

A Gardening Class - A wide spectrum of organizations offer local gardening classes on topics such as: how to start a vegetable garden, edible landscape gardening, growing roses, container gardening, etc. I like the idea of giving a class as a gift because your giving mom time alone to enjoy an experience. In the San Francisco Bay Area, most of the courses I found were $15-$30 range. For example, Common Ground in Palo Alto and Garden For the Environment in San Francisco, both offer a full range of very affordable classes. To find gardening classes in your area, just do an internet search for "Gardening Class" plus the name of your location. You should turn up a variety of options.

Felco Pruning Shears -a precision made pruner from Switzerland. The blade is as sharp as a scalpel and the handles are very comfortable. If you should wear through the blades, they are replaceable. About $40 at Amazon.com.

English Gardening Tools - Burgon & Ball has been manufacturing high quality tools in Sheffield, England since 1730. They manufacture a full line of gardening tools including many hand tools such as trowels, scoops, hand forks and widgers. Most of the small hand tools can be purchased for about $15. If you are in Palo Alto, California, Common Ground (559 College Ave) sells them at their retail store. If you are outside the area, you can purchase tools via Arbor and Vine's online site.

French Herb Window Garden - A gift set that contains 3 attractive blue glazed ceramic planters and seeds for three classic French cooking herbs: Marjoram, Lemon Basil and Parsley for the gardening cook. $25 from Windowbox.com.

Gardening Books - There are so many wonderful books out there, but I'll just suggest two. Smith & Hawkens 100 Heirloom Tomatoes for the American Garden is pure eye candy for veggie gardeners. Each of the 100 tomatoes is described in detail (taste, yield, shape, etc.) and accompanied by a beautiful 1 page photo. I really like the photos in this because they show tomatoes as they appear in nature with blemishes and all, so you know what your harvest will really look like. The book is available from Amazon for $13. You might also want to look at Grocery Gardening: Planting, Preparing and Preserving Fresh Food, a book that provides advice and information that covers a wide variety of topics and takes your from garden to table, including growing information and recipes. It also provides advice on how to choose the freshest vegetables if you are buying them at a store or farmers market. Available at Amazon for about $13.

An Elegant Floral Tea Cup - This is a something to make mom's daily cup of tea something to really savor. A beautiful bone china tea cup with a pattern showing old country roses or other floral patterns from Royal Doulton. The "Royal" in the name comes from the fact that the company holds what's known as a "Royal Warrant," meaning that they are preferred suppliers to members of the English royal family. The warrant is a mark of quality and distinction. Available for $29 from Royal Doulton.

Tilley Hat - The only hat with a cult following, the original Tilley was designed for adventure travelers who needed a hat that was durable, comfortable, and, if needed, could be washed and dried quickly. I've had a Tilley hat for years and love it. The company now offers a much wider line of hats and also clothes for travelers. If you buy a Tilley hat for gardening, get one with a wide brim to provide sun protection. You buy Tilley hats directly from the company at Tilley.com. A hat will set you back $60-$70.