Children's Garden

[SXMGirl]

In addition to butterfly bushes, I would add pansies, dahlias, Gerber daisies, and 4 o'clocks. Great idea for the garden. You might want to make a part of the garden a moonlight one with all white flowers.

[angelbug]

Originally Posted by SleeplessnATL

Thanks for the info.

I wish my parents had an interest in plants and wildlife when I was a child. As an adult, I find myself confronted with conflicting feelings when it comes to nature. . .sometimes it is great euphoria and then others, it is angst (due to snakes and other creepy-crawlies). But ultimately, I love being outside. . .and I hope to instill these feelings in my son.

What a great attitude. When I lived in San Francisco, I did volunteer work at the Insect Zoo within the larger SF Zoo for several years. We had all kinds of interesting insects on display there. School groups would come in with teachers and parents, and invariably a child would be looking at a tank of Asian walking sticks in jaw-dropping wonder, and an adult behind them would be going "Ewwwww!" or "Gross!"

I suppose one of the reasons I ended up studying entomology is that my mother wasn't afraid of insects, so when I brought them home she didn't freak. I remembered this when I was on a rather harrowing flight with my son when he was 4, and looked up at me very calmly and said, "Mommy, is this plane going to crash?" Even though I was literally white-knuckled grabbing onto my seat for dear life with the hand out of his view, I stayed calm and explained that no, it was just like a bumpy road in a car, and the pilots flew in that kind of weather all the time with no problem. I now have an adult son who isn't at all afraid of flying, and in the process of trying not to infect him with my nervousness about flying in bad weather, I actually talked myself out of being scared, too!

So with a little bravery on your part, your son will grow up appreciating nature. The key is learning what is dangerous (which is very little, really) and what is not.

[SleeplessnATL]

Originally Posted by SXMGirl

In addition to butterfly bushes, I would add pansies, dahlias, Gerber daisies, and 4 o'clocks. Great idea for the garden. You might want to make a part of the garden a moonlight one with all white flowers.

This is the first time that I've heard of a moonlight garden. . .but it does sound like a great idea. Thanks!

[SleeplessnATL]

Originally Posted by angelbug

What a great attitude. When I lived in San Francisco, I did volunteer work at the Insect Zoo within the larger SF Zoo for several years. We had all kinds of interesting insects on display there. School groups would come in with teachers and parents, and invariably a child would be looking at a tank of Asian walking sticks in jaw-dropping wonder, and an adult behind them would be going "Ewwwww!" or "Gross!"

I suppose one of the reasons I ended up studying entomology is that my mother wasn't afraid of insects, so when I brought them home she didn't freak. I remembered this when I was on a rather harrowing flight with my son when he was 4, and looked up at me very calmly and said, "Mommy, is this plane going to crash?" Even though I was literally white-knuckled grabbing onto my seat for dear life with the hand out of his view, I stayed calm and explained that no, it was just like a bumpy road in a car, and the pilots flew in that kind of weather all the time with no problem. I now have an adult son who isn't at all afraid of flying, and in the process of trying not to infect him with my nervousness about flying in bad weather, I actually talked myself out of being scared, too!

So with a little bravery on your part, your son will grow up appreciating nature. The key is learning what is dangerous (which is very little, really) and what is not.

Thanks so much. That is what I hope to achieve.

I feel like so many of the kids today are disconnected from nature. They rarely play outside. . .and every natural thing frightens or disgust them. But you give them something unhealthy and unnatural, and most will jump all over it. I really do not want my son to be like that. . . and I hope my efforts pay off.

[Ceece]

My son LOVED this kind of thing. We planted tomatoes, corn, sunflowers, various veggies, etc. with varying success. Strawberry plants did well one year but never again. And once we got a small pumpkin to grow! I would let him pick out any pack of seeds he wanted and just hope for the best.

Unfortunaely he is no longer interested in plants or the yard and now perfers computers and girls. LOL.

[Ohiogirl81]

When I was a kid, I liked to grow flowers that I could pick and give to my mom. Daisy-like flowers are good for that.

What about some veggies, or a berry bramble, where he can learn to grow his own food?

[SleeplessnATL]

Originally Posted by Ceece

My son LOVED this kind of thing. We planted tomatoes, corn, sunflowers, various veggies, etc. with varying success. Strawberry plants did well one year but never again. And once we got a small pumpkin to grow! I would let him pick out any pack of seeds he wanted and just hope for the best.

Unfortunaely he is no longer interested in plants or the yard and now perfers computers and girls. LOL.

Sounds like the inevitable. . .I bet he uses his knowledge of gardening to woo all of the young ladies.

[SleeplessnATL]

Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81

When I was a kid, I liked to grow flowers that I could pick and give to my mom. Daisy-like flowers are good for that.

What about some veggies, or a berry bramble, where he can learn to grow his own food?

Definitely planning on a mixed garden. . .and edibles are high on the list. I want to stimulate all of his senses.

[Cunucu Beach]

I had a garden for my 3 year old granddaughter this year. She planted the seeds and the transplants herself but I made sure it was well watered. She planted giant sunflowers, giant pumpkins zucchini, tomatoes, squashes and zinnias all in one area that was set aside solely for her. She LOVED watching everything grow. She picked her own flowers and vegetables to enter in the country fair and was she ever the proud one to have won several ribbons in her category.

Lambs ears? Never heard of them but I'm going to look into that for next year.