Celebrate Earth Day with Spring Projects, including Easy Indoor Container Gardens

April is Earth Month and Earth Day is April 22nd. In honor of spring and all that it brings, I'm sharing some fun and simple ways to honor the Earth, including easy container gardens, DIY bird feeders and a tasty drink using herbs you can grow yourself!

Upcycled Containers for Spring Gardening

One way to live a more sustainable life is by simply using what you have instead of buying more stuff. And a really fun way to do this is by upcycling some containers you already have for pretty container gardens. There's no limit to what types of containers you might use, depending on your style and aesthetic.  

One option that I really loved when I ran across it a few years ago was this wonderful idea from author & blogger Fern Richardson. In her book, Small Space Container Gardens, she shares lots of inspiration, including re-purposing this vintage flour sifter as a container for plants.

Another great kitchen item that can have a whole new use is a colander or strainer. I used a colander for some pansies, but I also saw this great idea for using a colander to create a salad garden. 

Another item I re-purposed as a garden container was an ironstone gravy boat, similar to the one shown below. I decided it was a great place for a small African violet plant since they need to be watered from below. Another good tip for African violets is to fill your watering can after you've finished watering and let it sit until the next time so the water is completely room temperature. These lovely flowers don't appreciate cold tap water! 

                           

And finally, one of my very favorite plants to grow: Mother In Law's Tongue. This and snake plant are two very closely related specimens (one has yellow edged leaves, one doesn't), but both are easy to grow and hard to kill. Not only are they funky to look at and add some visual interest to your home, they purify the air while you sleep, so it's a win win. 

DIY Bird Feeders to Make with Kids

Another fun idea I stumbled across was this DIY bird feeder from The Resourceful Mama. Spread peanut butter on a toilet paper tube (or cut up paper towel tube) and roll it in birdseed. Then hang it with some twine and wait for the birds to feast!

I love these kinds of easy projects that use items you probably already have laying around.

Fizzy Mint Lemonade = A Tasty Drink for Spring

Mint is one of the easiest herbs to grow. In fact, you might not even mean to grow it and once you start, it will pretty much take over. But it smells wonderful and has many practical uses, so I don't really mind.

My favorite drink for spring is a fizzy lemonade with a hint of mint. It's so easy to make, but so delicious.

My favorite lemonade is Hubert's but Simply Lemonade will work too. Then I add some type of sparkling water (plain or flavored). Finish off with a sprig of mint and cheers!