One of my hopes for this spring is to set up part of our yard as a child-friendly garden. On different days I picture this as a place where all the senses can safely be explored, a sheltered nook or even a place where Grayson, as he grows, can plant whatever he chooses. There are two sginificant challenges that I face: 1. I really am not green thumbed. I won;t go as far as to say that my thumbs are black when it comes to plants, but I think that they are decidedly brown 2. Our backyard, which is the logical place for this endeavor is at least partially shaded much of the time. Fortunately, I have Ann available. Ann may not be a master gardener, but she knows her stuff and likes the idea of the project. So, hopefully in the next couple of weeks we will get together and she can help me identify some very, very hardy, kid friendly plant that like to grow in the shade.
Ideas that I love:
A sunflower house
A moonlight garden
A sensory garden
Someplace that Grayson can practice his crawling (and probably chew on the grass a bit)
3 comments:
Hi Amy, It was great catching up with you in person on Saturday, now we can keep up virtually.
Let's see... ideas... wind chimes (audio/sensory), plant a butterfly bush (I did and they really attract butterflies!)... and make sure to incorporate a sandbox/beach area... someplace where he can shovel stuff into a bucket and bury/find things.
If I think of more I'll post here...
;-) Corie
Hi Amy, I am excited that you're planning a special garden area for your son. I am the author and illustrator of some books you should be able to access at your library. They are specifically written for parents who are willing to invest time in their children's outdoor life. What a gift––one that will span a lifetime.
Since I don't know exactly how much shade you have in that area I will suggest some things that can get by with just a bit of sun. Try some scented pelargoniums (aka geraniums) such as peppermint, chocolate, apple, rose, lemon, and ginger. Children really respond to these textures and scents and these plants take a lot of touching. I also like sweet woodruff in shady areas, violets, and lettuces of all type. Children WILL eat them if they grow them. Find a sunny area for some radishes (Easter egg is fun and colorful), another sunny spot for tiny tomatoes in a container, and definitely as Corie suggested a digging and building spot which you can stock with pods, cones, twigs, rocks, acorns, etc. for building magical constructions. Good luck! Blessings, Sharon
Thank you so much for the ideas Corie and Sharon! I'll be looking for your books at my next library visit, Sharon.
-A
Post a Comment