Spring Family Fun Project

Spring is just around the corner. A garden basket filled with flowers and herbs is a fun way to bring the discovery of nature indoors. It makes a particularly special gift, to place on a kitchen windowsill.

Ingredients

A basket
A plastic plant dish
Potting soil
Sheet moss
Gravel
3-inch containers of plants or herbs
Small stakes or smooth rocks for labeling
Recipe cards

Directions

1. To begin, line a basket with a plastic plant dish, cake pan, or aluminum foil. Make sure the sides are lined as well.

2. Add a thin layer of gravel for drainage.

3. Choose plants in two or three-inch containers. Look for plants with a variety in height, color, and texture. It is fun to sprinkle in a few seeds as well. Remember to start small and leave room for the plants to grow.

4. If planting herbs, try lemon balm, basil, rosemary, oregano, dill, parsley, peppermint, or lavender. They are all easy to grow.

5. Leave the plants in their plastic nursery containers. Arrange them in the basket. Cover the surface with potting soil, and then a layer of sheet moss. Let some of the plantings spill over the edge of the basket. Keep it moist with a spritzer bottle and watch your garden grow.

6. Label the plants and add recipe cards that include the ingredients in your basket.

7. Let your children add their own special touches. On walks, collect rocks, pinecones, fossils, shells, honeycombs, or anything that appeals to your child's eye.

8. Try using some of your herbs in salad dressings, homemade vinegars, soups and marinades. You can also add fresh herbs to butter or mayonnaise, or as a garnish.

9. Fresh herbs will keep in the refrigerator for several days. A good way to freeze herbs is to chop them, place them in ice cube trays covered with water and freeze.

About the Authors: Rondi Hillstrom Davis and Janell Sewall Oakes are the co-authors of the award winning book Together: Creating Family Traditions. To check out their website that's jam packed with family ideas, visit www.togetherparenting.com