How to make an Easter Garden

I'll quickly mention the weather and then move on. Spring? well, it nearly happened for an afternoon at the end of February, but since then we've been plunged back into the grips of winter – the coldest March for 50 years. As the winds bringing the Arctic chill are nor-easterlies, that mean that here in East Anglia we're on the front line and although we haven't had as much snow fall, it is the bone numbing wind-chill that has prevented any progress in the vegetable and cut flower gardens.

It's unbelievable, but this weekend is Easter. And it was while I was longing to spend time enjoying spring flowers, that I remembered my favourite thing about Easter when I was very young . . . no, it wasn't the chocolate eggs or egg hunts or the Easter bunny . . . what I loved doing was helping my Gran constuct an Easter Garden in the village church.

Then I thought, why not make a mini version!
Here's how –


You will need: a tray, small rocks and some pebbles, some small low containers (jars and lids would do); sand or grit.

 Put the pebbles in the containers and fill them with water; arrange them and the rocks on your tray.

Collect some moss . . .

. . . and arrange it among the containers and rocks; make a path with the sand or grit, winding through the garden.

Now you need some twigs to make trees . . .

. . . find some with the leaves and blossom about to open and they will bloom for Easter.

Add some leaves, pushing the stalks among the pebbles in the containers, so they stay in place.

And now, add the flowers  – as I was doing this I remembered that the best thing about helping Gran make the Easter Garden, was visiting Aunt May's garden and being allowed to pick any of the beautiful Spring flowers that grew under the trees around her little wooden bungalow.

My Gran's Easter Garden was used to tell the Easter story and was complete with a rocky tomb and some lovely figures of the disciples, Mary Magdalene and Jesus, and (my favourite) a beautiful serene angel to sit inside the empty tomb on Easter Sunday morning. But, it would look beautiful with little foil covered eggs hiding among the flowers and an Easter Bunny.
 
A little gardening fix, while we wait for Spring to arrive . . .

Happy Easter! 

Celia

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