Bringing Spring Indoors On Grey Days

Even before the weather turns, a few cuttings and some window-box seedlings can make a home feel ready for spring. Here is how to bring a bit of green life into flats, maisonettes and townhouses across the island.

Rescue your prunings instead of binning them

If there are trees or shrubs on a balcony or terrace that need a trim, do not throw the cuttings away. A pruned branch set in a glass of water becomes its own small display, and it is a practical way to tidy up leggy indoor plants too. Snip off sprawling or dead twigs from winter-weary houseplants and keep the healthiest pieces aside, since they can easily be given a second life once gathered together indoors.

FIXA drill template, orange, 512 mmx64 mm cmTRIXIG 20-piece bit and drill setTRIXIG 15-piece tool setTRIXIG tape measure, 3 mTRIXIG spirit level, 23.2x2 cm

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Turn cuttings into a tiny indoor garden

Group trimmed stems in individual glasses or small vases and arrange them together to form a miniature garden on a windowsill, shelf or sideboard. Turning the grouping now and then lets every stem catch its share of light, which matters in homes where natural light often comes from just one or two windows. It is a low-effort way to add colour to a hallway table or a kitchen counter during the cooler months.

POMP vase/lantern, clear glass, 18 cmPÅDRAG vase, clear glass, 17 cmKARAFF carafe, clear glass, 1.0 lTILLBRINGARE jug, clear glass, 1.7 lSTILREN vase, white, 22 cmCYLINDER vase, set of 3, clear glass

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Let old pots become new growing medium

Growing plants over time usually means a collection of pots that no longer fit, and the odd terracotta one that has cracked. Rather than discarding it, crush the broken pieces and mix them into potting soil, since the added drainage can help roots grow stronger. Grouping an assortment of pots and planters on a kitchen worktop or sunny windowsill also looks better mismatched than matched, as different shapes and glazes tend to sit well together.

Start seedlings on the kitchen windowsill

February and March are good months for sowing seeds, and a cluster of paper cups filled with potting soil is enough to get started. A mister such as IKEA's TOMAT spray bottle keeps the soil evenly damp without disturbing young roots, while a watering can from IKEA's VATTENKRASSE range suits more established seedlings once they have found their feet. Watching seeds sprout over several weeks gives households with children a small, shared project to follow through spring.

TOMAT spray bottle, white, 35 clTOMAT spray bottle, orange, 35 cl

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Keep the green feeling even without a garden

Not every home has space for pots and trays, but the look of a plant can lift a room just as much. A child's drawing of a leaf, framed and hung on a wall shelf, brings the same sense of spring without any watering involved. Paints from IKEA's MÅLA range make this an easy weekend activity, using a withered leaf as a model and turning a failed cutting into something worth keeping on display.

MÅLA easel, softwood, 66x48 cmMÅLA paper roll holder with storage, 50x13 cmMÅLA chalks, mixed colours, 9 packMÅLA whiteboard pen, mixed colours, 4 packMÅLA paint, mixed colours, 400 mlMÅLA portable drawing case, red, 35x27 cm

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A handful of pots, a bit of soil and some patience go a long way towards a greener home. Orders placed with Maltashopper reach addresses right across Malta and Gozo.

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