Recently I was asked some questions about gardening with children and while there are certainly quite a few tips I could mention about the subject there is one idea that stands out above all others in my mind.
Do what the kids love! Every kid is different and each one has as many different ideas as to what makes a garden as we do. Some enjoy getting their hands dirty while others may just want to look at the flowers and enjoy the show. I think when you give the child free reign to express their gardening ideas it goes a long way toward encouraging them to take up the habit…I mean the hobby! The picture above is of my daughter looking at the bees in the bird bath garden sometime in October. In that bed we have sunflowers, salvia, mums, coneflowers, ornamental grasses, and a butterfly bush. You could call it a butterfly garden if you wanted to since it entertained quite a few of the winged wonders. Gardening brings kids closer to nature which I think in the end is important to us all. A better understanding of our environment can’t help but help us.
I had the idea for this post after seeing this picture on our screen saver. Of course I may have just wanted to show how cute my daughter is in pigtails. Can you blame a dad?
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My youngest son always enjoyed following me around in the garden and helping out. Now he’s 15 and would rather be somewhere else, lol. But anyhow he would eagerly help me weed or plant. I would tell him the names of the plants as we went. Maybe one day he’ll be a gardener too. By the way your daughter is pretty cute with those pigtails! 🙂
What an adorable photo. 🙂 When my girls were little, they each had their own little "vegetable patch" in my father's larger garden. They tended to it themselves, with lots of guidance from Grandad. My older daughter is now an Environmental Studies & Biology university grad who is passionate about environmental issues, and my younger daughter still loves to garden. So, I believe you're right — what you instill when your children are young may follow them their whole life through.
Can’t blame you at all Dave, she’s such a cutie. But your post is very good too!
Awww you’re such a sweet dad, Dave and great to see that you’re giving your daughter the greatest gift ever.
What an adorable shot Dave! You are so right. Any way we can help kids connect with nature is good for their souls, the environment, and everyones’ future.
Dave:
A great post, and wonderful picture! My nephew who is 9 really took an interest to the garden last year. Its all about letting them feel that they are making a contribution – flower colours, picking off slugs, helping to water (drown) the plants….. it’s a great sign of encouragement that they will be instilled with a wonder and sense of respect for out environment.
I agree completely Dave. I believe it is good for their character also. It can teach them so much that will follow them their entire life. It would be great if more children were involved with nature. I try to involve my ggs's every chance I get.
The oldest planted, tended, harvested & ate corn that he grew himself at the age of 3. I am so proud of him for doing that at such a young age.
Our son is 12 now. When he was 4, my husband made a tiny little vegetable garden together with our son, and that ‘potager’ has grown every year.
But he’s interested in herbs and ornamental plants and shrubs too.
He’s a very frugal boy, who saves all the money he gets, but when we visited the ‘Hamamelis Festivities’ at Arboretum Kalmthout (where you find the largest Hamamelis collection in Europe) two weeks ago, he has spend the money he got from his aunt for his birthday on a large Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Rubin’.
(I thought it was quite a lot of money, but other kids would spend the same amount on computergames that only last a short period. His shrub will last for years, and will only grow larger and more beautiful.)
Dave, that picture says it all….
What a great picture! I love that she is looking at a plant with blooms the size of her head! I think your advice about gardening with kids is right on. Everybody is captivated by something different, and there are lots of captivating things in a garden.
Ahhh there is nothing I love more than gardening with little ones. Your’s with the pigtails is just precious! Kim