Making a Garden Tomb

We traditionally make a GARDEN* Tomb using various planting supplies and plants I have collected and/or grown in advance.

I plant fast growing rye grass early enough in the spring in a warm bright location in large shallow pans so the kids won't have to wait for it to actually grow.

We will use a clay pot saucer/base and build up a mound from there with potting soil (so they can transplant the rye grass,)

We use a small clear or brown solo type cup on its side, 1/4 buried on the mound of soil, then cover the top of the cup w/ more soil. If you like, you can use a small clay pot.

We place a few smaller stones in and around the "hillside" and a larger flat rock leaning beside the cup/tomb opening for the rolled away stone, after they transplant the grass. I help them gently scoop up a thin layer of the pre grown grass, and they will transplant it all over the potting soil areas. So they are left with the cup, on its side serving as a tomb in the hillside, but all covered with grass.

I paint the inside of the cups a gray stone color in advance. We could even place a small battery powered tea light in the back of the cup. What a great nightlight!

*Re: Garden Tomb
Here's a photo of the tomb known as the "Garden Tomb" located in Jerusalem. For many centuries it was believed this tomb was the actual tomb of Jesus, but archaeologists believe it isn't, and the operators of the location no longer claim it is the actual tomb, but "one like it."   Many Jesus movies depicted a tomb like this one.

Here's an artist's depiction of the "body bench" inside an empty tomb like the one Jesus may have been laid in.

Click to enlarge and save