PREPARE YOUR PLANTS

Save money by propagating plants from cuttings, nurturing them through cold weather in a mini greenhouse or another shelter. Invest in some hormone rooting powder to give them a good start. Try taking cuttings of penstemons, verbena, pelargoniums or petunias and shrubs such as hydrangeas, fuchsias or forsythia.

Glass jars of different sizes Surface primer Waterproof spray paints Black permanent marker pen Ribbon or twine

Potting compost Geraniums

1

PREPARE THE CONTAINERS

Gather a selection of empty glass food jars in different shapes and sizes. Large containers work best for this project, so unused Mason or preserving jars are perfect. Wash them out with warm soapy water and leave to dry thoroughly before you start painting.

2

Cover an area with sheets of old newspaper or a dustsheet to protect the floor. It’s best to work outdoors or in a well-ventilated space. Spray the outside of the jars with a surface primer to help the final coats of paint stick. Leave to dry. 3

Once the primer is dry, you can begin painting your jars. Place the jars upside down on a covered flat surface; again, working outside is advisable. Mist with a fine coat of spray paint in your chosen shade. Hold the can around 30cm from the surface, spraying in a steady back

PRIME THE SURFACES PAINT THE JARS

and forth motion, slightly overlapping with each stroke. Repeat for other jars in other shades. Leave to dry.

4

Once the paint on the jars is completely dry, you can start adding the letters, either as single initials or to spell out a message, arranging your jars in the order you’d like them to be. Use a permanent marker pen to draw your chosen letter on each jar. Allow to dry. 5

Fill your jars almost to the top with potting compost, using a small trowel to

ADD THE LETTERS PLANT UP THE JARS