DIY African Mamma Planter A gift for mothers day
Here's the perfect gift for the eco-mom this Mother's Day! Give like a gardener with this stunning DIY planter made from an empty bottle, some South African flavour, a cute creeper, and a splash of creativity. Whether the mom in your life is an auntie, sister, cousin, or guardian – this home-made act of gratitude is sure to show them just how much you adore their presence in your life.
You will need:
- A clean, empty 2l milk/juice carton (remove any labels and glue, keep the lid).
- Waterproof paint.
- A permanent marker.
- Knife or scissors.
- An African-inspired cloth for the kopdoek/headband (larger piece) and neck (small piece).
- Rope for hanging.
- Potting soil (available at your GCA Garden Centre).
- A cute creeper (as hair) from your GCA Garden Centre. Go for a fun outing and check out which creepers are in season now.
Plant picks: Pilea glauca bowl, String of beads, Philodendron selloum and other Philodendron varieties, Guzmania varieties, Spider plant, and Pathos.
Making your Mamma
- Turn your carton upside down and conceptualise: the opening serves as the neck of your character, the handle becomes the nose, and the bottom end becomes the top of her head where the plant will go.
- Cut off the “head” quarter of the carton (not the lid end).
- Cut a few drainage holes/slits in the lid cap of your carton (her neck). Cut holes for the rope from which to hang your planter and then thread it through.
- Paint or draw on her lips above the neck, create her eyebrows just above the ending of the nose, and then her eyes, either opened or closed with luscious lashes, of course! You can play with the facial features of your mamma – perhaps add a nose ring or earnings, a little blush or eyeshadow. You could even make an African pappa or a few kids to accompany her.
Mother’s Day Macramé Plant Hangers
Nothing says ‘I love you’ more than a hand-crafted, Mother's Day gift. Brush up on your knotting skills because the sassy 70's décor is back, baby! Try making this DIY macramé plant hanger for your mamma and gift her something genuine, from the heart.
You will need:
- Four pieces of 2-meter cotton cord (3.1mm thick)
- 1" brass ring
- Two pieces of 30 cm rope
- Scissors
- Plant of your choice - we have used a Sweatheart Creeper (Philodendron scandens oxycardi)
- Pot plant container
Getting to know the Sweatheart Creeper
Sweatheart Creepers (Philodendron scandens oxycardi) can be identified by their unique heart-shaped leaves. They are fast-growing climbers and one of the most popular foliage plants used as room or conservatory decor. This plant is adaptable, tolerates low levels of light for long periods, and thrives in summer or winter room temperatures. Click here to find your local GCA Garden Centre for more indoor plants suitable for this project.
Step by step to making your macramé masterpiece:
Step 1.
Begin your DIY macramé plant hanger by cutting the pieces of the cottob macramé cord. You will need four, 2-meter cords and two, 30 cm long cords.
Step 2.
Fold the four, 2-meter cords in half and loop it through the bass ring.
Step 3.
Next, secure your cords in place by using the wrapped or ring knot. This is a simple knot that has a sophisticated, finished look. You will need your 30 cm piece of cord for this knot.
How to tie a wrapped, looped knot
- Place the short cord over the looped cords with the short tail to the left, the loop pointing down, and the long tail to the right.
- Wrap the long tail around the looped cords and around the loop of the short cord.
- Continue wrapping the long tail, pulling it tight and leaving the bottom loop of the short cord uncovered.
May in the Garden Let’s revel in our African sunshine and plant some of our spectacular indigenous seeds and bulbs this season!
Hang in there gardeners! Your beloved, outdoor sanctuaries will soon be open. While you wait for your post-pandemic indulgence at favourite GCA Garden Centre, let’s take this time to rejoice in this beautiful and envied continent of ours. May is Africa month with African Day on the 25th of May. We will also celebrate World Bee Day on 20th May, and then the International Day for Biodiversity on May 22nd. Moms are also in the spotlight this month for Mother’s day on Sunday 10th May, and Life is a Garden highly recommends you spoil her with a little green treat.
With so many festivities, let’s revel in our African sunshine and plant some of our spectacular indigenous seeds and bulbs this season!
Ideas for Mother’s Day gifts from the garden
For kids of all ages: Moms love flowers, especially the hand-picked kind. If you have any of the following good cut-flowers blooming in your garden, they would be perfect as your Mother’s Day gift bouquet:
Tall flowering Dianthus, Carnations, Snapdragons, Larkspur, Alstroemeria or Sunflowers. If you don’t have these in the garden, you could always buy a few plants from your local GCA Garden Centre. The plants and their flowers will last for a long time - even till next year and then they’ll be ready for picking again.
Hot Tip: Pittosporum branches, leather leaf ferns, Aspidistra leaves and a variety of other plants, like those in Autumn berry, such as. the Pyracantha, can be added to your bunch of flowers too.
For the big kids and dads: Our indigenous wild banana plants (Strelitzia nicolai) are trendy additions to the new leafy-look, ideal in high light areas indoors, or as pretty patio plants. This plant is a stunner and even more so when planted in a lovely pot.