Seven outside-of-the-box ideas for what to get mom for Mother’s Day

The countdown to Mother’s Day has begun.

Think about doing something for the special mother in your life that will show a little more imagination and perhaps make life more exciting and relaxing for Mom.

Go green

Plant an herb garden in small clay pots. Herbs that mature to at 12 inches tall can grow indoors near a sunny window in 6-inch pots. Try to look for dwarf varieties as well.

Plants that do best grown this way are basil, dwarf sage, parsley, oregano and thyme. Skip the seeds — they take too long and are hard to grow. Four or five little seedlings can provide sprigs of flavor in all seasons of the year for your special cook.

The best mix for herbs is a cactus-type soil. A liquid house plant fertilizer is good once or twice a month.

Don’t overwater.

Two gifts in one

Buy a bouquet of flamboyant flowers at the supermarket and arrange them inside a new watering can mom can use later on to take care of indoor and outdoor plants.

Look for plants that don’t grow easily in our yards in the desert such as tulips or daffodils or hydrangeas.

Low maintenance

Fill an intriguing clay pot with some of those trendy succulent plants that can come in all kinds of wild shapes.

Succulents are similar to cacti because they store water in their leaves. Be sure to plant them in an organic soil mix that’s good for cacti.

They like warm, dry climates but don’t always do well in hot desert sun, so sometimes they do better indoors than out in summer.

Personal touch

Instead of taking mom out to eat, cook dinner for her indoors or outdoors on the grill. Make sure to buy all ingredients in advance and do the dishes afterward.

Or serve breakfast in bed to Mom on an exciting tray that is also a gift.

Something she’s always wanted

If Mom is a gourmet chef and likes to try new recipes, buy her some new utensils like a potato ricer for making dumplings, a hand-cranked pasta machine for fettucine or a collection of mesh strainers in various sizes.

Check her chores

Take on a really big job that mom dislikes doing, such as washing the windows, cleaning the oven, cleaning out the refrigerator or cleaning out food cabinets and putting down new shelf liners.

One big gift

If you can splurge, buy new outdoor furniture, including a chaise lounge where mom can take a nap or a new patio umbrella so she can sit outside in the shade and read a book.

Or maybe buy an outdoor-rated TV so she can watch movies or the Arizona Diamondbacks under the stars.

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