A Diy Child's Flower Garden

Do you have children or grandchildren? Maybe you are already into flowers and plants and it never occurred to you to make a children’s garden, but it can be not only cute or beautiful or whimsical, whatever your fancy is, but so much fun.

You are only as limited as your imagination. Of course some projects can be more expensive than others but you can add to the garden as you go and as your child grows; or better yet, they can! Once you decide to involve the child it is hard to say where this can go. Be sure to include them in each and every step! Allow them to see the seeds sprout and the plants start budding.

Come take a walk in my garden and form your own ideas!

Look at the bearded grandpa tree and the chimes. What a great idea for chimes. What child wouldn't love chimes in their garden? They could start a collection, or better yet, learn to make their own! What hours of fun kids could have doing this! Even adults!

Do you have a fence somewhere a child can have their garden inside? Maybe just as a background! What idea could they come up with for that? A to Z if you ask me. It would make the background for countless ideas!

The honeysuckle vine here, a tiny little boy shared with me. He had me taste and told me, no, don't chew it and swallow, just squeeze the sweet tangy juice across your tongue.

This was a little boy about five or maybe younger and he knew not to eat everything that looks good, he had just been taught about this plant and loved teaching it to adults. That is what teaching children will accomplish and how else are you going to get little boys in flowers?

Well maybe you and he could put some of his favorite characters in a garden? Maybe you could use the honeysuckle vine and other edible plants, possibly some herbs.

Some mints that come in many odors and can be eaten or added to their drinks they have in their gardens! Teach them the health benefits, by the way!

As I take photos I come across children flower gardens sometimes, but not often enough. Now certain places and photos I take cry out for a children’s garden. Such as the many birdbaths and bird feeders. What fun would that be for any child? Let me show you some of my ideas. Enjoy some beautiful spots and use your imagination or let the children!

Try flowers which have large, fast-growing seeds and produce vast, colorful blossoms. Most require warm soil and full sun. How much fun would herbs be, like basil and parsley and bushes of rosemary? There are mints in scents of pineapple, grapefruit and even chocolate! Yum!

Make a trip to the nursery together to get ideas and choose plants. Let the children take a large part to keep things interesting while plants grow. Let them think of things to add to make it more attractive or fun. Each year will be something they look forward to with you. In warmer climates it hardly ends!

The child will learn all about planting and storing plants that are perennial and starting seedlings to be transferred to their garden. Can you imagine the affect an experience like this would be for a child? What affect could this simple thing have on their future? What all can they learn planting a garden?

Find some pretty tea cups and saucers and superglue them on a mallet or pole. Have one here and there or two to four together, even a little round table in the middle maybe. How about an Alice in Wonderland theme? Well probably today's girls have someone else as a favorite, so let them decide...unless it is for you!

Flowers such as morning glory are considered a weed by many, but it could be my favorite flower, really. They come in a bush and a vine and every color and size. These purple ones I find so attractive because they look to have a light in the center. My mother had a small kitchen porch closed in by multicolored ones and they provided shade behind that otherwise over heated white lattice cover. I adored that little porch I went to so much every morning I have written a poem about it that will be in my new book coming out.

Children can make them a privacy wall with these or shaded area and what child wouldn't want the variety of colors and there is even the moon glories. How would that look with a few lanterns or up lights at night? Or just add one or two colors to a drab tree or fence if you don't want it a main scene.

Oh, and lattice, who doesn't love it? It is such a beautiful background for any flower besides being a privacy wall and / or shade. Painted white it says wow to the most simple flower. It can be hand made too!

Check out the tin man. Who has some coffee cans, trash cans and a water bucket? Isn't that brilliant? A funnel for a hat. These don't have to be new. Pick them up for practically nothing at yard sales. It doesn't matter if they have holes or if they are very old. Your tin man can be painted or covered with moss or just anyway you can imagine him to be. You can even put a scarf and apron on him and make him a she! Put a flower in her hair!

Once your child has a chosen piece of ground, determine the type soil and what flowers will grow best there. Do you want sunny or shady plants? This depends on the location. Rich soil in a sunny location is ideal but not a must if you do not have that. Remember too the things you can add to the flower garden to make it a fantasy fun place for the child. My bet is that any child that takes a real interest in this will never lose it! The possibilities are endless

How much fun will it be talking and planning with the child or children? It can be feminine or masculine, cartoonish or bizarre. What can you find to put on the ground to add flowers to? Would the child like to grow a few veggies in their garden? What about fun gourds for fall or Halloween? It can be any shape with a path to walk through or bench or table for sitting and enjoying. Perhaps a great place for doing homework?

What about a bird feeder and bath. Bring in beautiful birds and feel their ears with music. Maybe include a bird book to let them recognize the birds they see. Squirrels often come along to the bird feeders and whether we like them or not (of course I do!) the kids love them. Maybe this will get them into photography too.

A child's imagination can go and settle who knows where? Will you help them along to their career? OK, maybe that is pushing it although it is possible, at worst they will be involved in something so enjoyable, spending more time with you and staying out of trouble they otherwise could be into.

As much as I love nature and flowers and all the ornaments, I have a huge interest in the beautiful sky and clouds. When there is no flower in bloom and not a veggie left, or even as an addition; we have beautiful trees, sky and clouds. They are everywhere we go and they don't cost us a cent! So look up...and teach the children to!

What better way to get kids interested in nature than through gardening? What a learning experience it can be for them and such a great thing to share with adult friends or family. The garden can naturally lead to the birds and butterflies, the bees and caterpillars and many a lesson that can be learned in fun. Gourds, pumpkins and flower seeds can add so much to the beauty and education of growing a garden with the children.

Let them learn to decorate gourds to decorate their garden or make bird nests or bird feeders or maybe they will have ideas never once considered!

Children will learn of the life cycle of many living things in so many fun ways. Something to do all through the warm months and to plan for and look forward to all through the cold ones!

Author photos and ideas