Let’s face it - anything looks better in a coconut shell. Put some juice and a straw in a coconut, and voilà, you have that tropical feeling already! The same applies with planting. Place a sunshiny spring plant into a coconut shell and you instantly create a fun, tropical springtime decoration.

Coconut shells are hardy objects, so they work well as pot plants - perfect for the beautiful South African spring weather.

This is such a fun (and tasty) project to do with the kiddies. Let them nibble on the coconut insides while you let the shell dry out. Get them involved in digging the fruit out and getting their hands dirty with the planting. They will have a ball!

What you will need:

• A coconut (preferably with a pointy end and a flat end on the opposite side)
• Weed barrier cloth
• Potting mix
• An old cup or spoon
• A seedling (we used marigolds)
• Glue
• White decorative stones

Steps of the activity:

• Prior to the activity, mom or dad can nail 3 holes into the flat end of the coconut, to drain the milk and act as a drainage point for the planter. On this same end, take a screwdriver to poke a hole directly in the middle of the flat end, to fit the pointy bit a little later on. Carefully saw the opposite end of the coconut off (using a clamp and a saw) and keep the top aside (to make a stand for the planter later).
• Get the kiddies to scrape the flesh of the coconut out and allow the coconut to dry out.
• Once the coconut is sufficiently dried out, put some weed barrier cloth inside the coconut - just enough to reach the top end of it.

• Spoon some potting mix inside the weed barrier cloth, leaving a bit of space for the seedling and then plant the seedling. Once you are happy that the seedling is in the right position, fill the remaining space with soil and pat it flat.
• Take the end of the coconut which has been cut off, and glue the pointy side of it into the hole that you made in the bottom of the coconut. Let this dry.
• Decorate around your plant with the white stones.