Welcome Spring Basket with Live Grass by Artist Victoria O'Neill

When my children were younger we always celebrated the coming of spring by growing real grass inside assorted baskets recycled from thrift shops. Once the grass came up they each decorated their baskets with little colored bees and butterflies on wires and tucked paper bunnies into the grass.

The baskets stayed in the windowsills for a few weeks. I added goodies into them every now and then, such as little insect chocolates, small books, pack of cards, bubbles, little toys, felt chicks, etc.

Materials needed: baskets or another kind of container, tray etc, ¼ cup of wheat berries per average size basket (wheat berries can be found at any health food store, usually in the bulk foods section). potting soil, a plastic bag. Many baskets come with a plastic liner already inside. A spray bottle works best for watering.

It’s SO easy to grow the grass,

and the kids can do most of it by themselves.

Place a few smallish rocks on top of the plastic inside your basket for drainage. Add about 2 to 3 inches of potting soil. Then sprinkle wheatgrass seeds on top, covering the whole area. Then cover the seeds with a bit more soil. Moisten with a spray bottle of water. Cover lightly with a piece of newspaper, to keep it dark.

Water with the spray bottle for a few days, keeping everything moist.

Keep the basket covered with newspaper until the seeds begin to sprout. Then take off the newspaper and move the basket to a sunny windowsill and watch the grass grow. Water it everyday with the spray bottle. You’ll have an inch or so in a few days and then it takes off. Soon you will have a lush little field of tall, and edible, grass.

Decorate! You can download and print these directions and drawings for bunnies, bees and butterflies. Color and cut them out. Attach thin wire to the back of the butterflies and bees and tie onto the basket. Tuck bunnies into the grass.

Add other items that you like. The grass lasts for a few weeks. Ta Da!

Victoria O’Neill, a multiple mediums artist and owner of ArtyPantz Productions LLC has been sharing her creativity with people of all ages for many years. She is also the inventor of the WrapADoodle Swaddle Blanket made in Chester County PA.