Instead of using plastic imitation grass in an Easter basket, why not give your child a natural Easter basket, filled with sprouted wheat berry grass?

Easter, as well as other traditional spring holidays, is a celebration of rebirth and renewal. With a natural grass basket, you can further honor the meaning of rejuvenation and hope inherent to the holiday. If you start at least one week in advance, you can have a lush, living blanket of grass in time for Easter Sunday.

Directions

• If you only have one week to grow the grass, soak spring wheat berries in warm water overnight. If you have two weeks before Easter, proceed to the next step; soaking the berries isn’t necessary.
• Find a glass pie pan, jar, or other container, to fit inside the Easter basket. Put at least 1 1/2 inches of potting soil into the bottom of the container and spread evenly. Scatter the soil generously with spring wheat berries and cover lightly with soil.
• Gently yet thoroughly water the seeded soil and place in a warm sunny location.
• Make certain the soil remains moist at all times during germination.

For added decoration, you might wrap the basket handle with ribbons, lace, delicate silk, or dried flowers. Spring bulbs like snowdrops planted along with the wheat grass will add blooming beauty to your basket.

Adapted from a 1993 Nova Natural Catalog.

The Nova Natural catalog offers natural Easter egg plant-based dyes of deep, rich, warm colors. The set include five colors—yellow, orange, red, green, blue and instructions with some tips, special coloring techniques and more. The dyes are very easy to use.