so as you draw more flowers or what ever you will see it update in real time.

I know this is not gradient but I think with all the brushes available in Maya you will have no trouble getting what you want.

as i drew on the white canvas i watched it in the perspective panel update with the flowers i was drawing.

hope that helps.
you can use photo shop but i often ask people why they bother unless there is something there that Maya doesn't have. it is much easier to make seamless textures in Maya than photo shop, just press on the little green arrows in the canvas panel, which arrow depends on which way you want it seamless, both arrows and you have a complexly seamless texture, one arrow and it is seamless in the direction of that arrow (hope that makes sense)