How to Make a Resurrection Garden

Last year I made my first Resurrection Garden and I loved it! I had so many compliments on it. The only problem was that it takes time for grass seed to germinate and it was cold last year and the seed did not cooperate.  So, I’m telling you in plenty of time…..Make this today!

I found myself scrambling around, the day before Easter, trying to figure out what to do. I had company coming and this was an important  part of my decor.  As it turned out, I had some sheet moss growing beside my house and used it instead of the grass….which did, by the way, eventually, germinate and grow.

This year, I vowed to do better.

Today’s the day to plant the seed if you want a nice bed of grass by Easter Sunday.

This is a fun project to do with children while you tell them the story of Jesus.

So, how to make a Resurrection Garden, you ask?  Simple.

Supplies include:  A shallow dish,  small pot for the cave, sticks and twine, some pebbles (optional.) A Stone. Palm tree like plant (optional), grass seed, soil. black paint, optional.

You’ll need a shallow dish, preferably with a drainage hole in the bottom. You can use a terra cotta saucer, if you like. I bought these dish garden pots at Walmart. Any kind of container will work. You may have a plastic dish garden pot. That’s perfect, too.

You’ll need potting soil. It doesn’t have to be fancy. If you want to get soil from your yard, fine. Or even from last year’s soil from a hanging basket will work. I used last year’s potting soil and some new for the top.

I went to my local  garden center and asked about grass seed. I used winter rye. In fact,  they gave me a small envelope of seed to use. I still have it from last year and have plenty to use for all three this year. 🙂

I started to use plastic pots again for the cave, but had such an issue with them not holding up under the soil last year that I decided on using a small terra cotta pot, for the cave, instead. Choose a pot according to how deep your container is to use for the cave.  A plastic drinking cup cut to the right height will work for a cave.  I’d use the hard plastic ones…like with Georgia Bulldogs on it…spray the insides and rim black and cut it about 4 inches tall….

This is a shallow plastic saucer. It works fine. The clay pot is much smaller than the one in the larger container…

Some people leave the pots un-painted. It’s up to you.  This is what it looks like inside your cave if you don’t paint it. Excuse my dirt.

I’m painting my small terra cotta pots, black so it looks more cave-like.   And the good thing is, you can save them, year to year. I used chalkboard spray paint. You may use regular craft paint and a brush to paint the pot. Any black or dark colored paint will do.

Lay the pot on its side in the dish. Mound up a hill with the potting soil around the pot to look like a cave. Place a ‘stone’ beside the opening of the cave.

Make sure the cave is lying on its side, flat.  Start building up soil around it. See how nice it looks painted?

I bought a small palm like plant to add extra pizzaz to the garden. I divided one plant to use some in each garden.  You know palm trees grow in the Holy Land….so this adds a little authenticity…;)  Remember Palm Sunday? It was just the week before.

Sow the seed on top and mist with water. Lightly add soil to the top of the seed and mist again.

Cut some short sticks and using twine make three crosses. You can use hot glue if you’d like. Place them in the soil.

Now, place your beautiful and meaningful Resurrection Garden in a warm spot and wait for mother nature to do her thing. Mist with water as needed. I mist daily.  You don’t want it wet, but not dry either….a perfect mixture of sun, water and soil.

I love the sun shining down on my garden …just like it’s  Resurrection Morning….

Now, I’ll just wait and pray the seeds germinate.  Patience is a virtue.

If for some reason the seed don’t germinate, you can always cover the hill with small pebbles or some store bought moss….or Easter basket grass….. 🙂 But I think it looks fine with just dirt…. 🙂

I found this plate at Goodwill …perfect.

I love that it says what the garden means…

Happy Resurrection Sunday!