The Children's Garden

Children can become interested in the garden in many ways, but perhaps the best is to stimulate their senses with colour, texture, fragrance, taste and sound.

Colour

The brighter the colour the better, and any plant which grows quickly too can add the fun of watching it too.

Marigolds, Zinnias, Knifophia, and Sunflowers are all colourful and relatively quick growing. These will attract butterflies and other polinators to their flowers too so children will be able to watch the insects. Plants with interesting foliage shapes and patterns are also interesting to children. Foliage can be as interesting as flowers when you look at the stunning leaves that some plants grow.

Texture

There are no shortage of plants which provide a whole range of 'touchy-feely' textures for children to investigate. Obviously there are some which they should understand to avoid like nettles, or bramble thorns or roses but there are many which they can touch which are safe and interesting.

Stachys byzantina has the common name of 'Lambs Ears' for good reason and Gunnera manicata has leathery leaves with soft spikes. Fern fronds are a favourite alond with grass seed heads. Helichrysum orientale (Strawflower) and Physalis franchetii (Chinese Lanterns) have paper like flowers and lanterns whilst Prunus serrula and many Betula species have bark which peels from the trunk and feels very smooth in the case of the Prunus and paperlike in the case of Betula.

Eryngiums and Ilex (Holly) have prickly leaves and Petunias have sticky leaves and stems. Sundew carnivorous plants have sticky glue type substance on the leaves which makes them sticky to touch. There are many interesting materials in the garden to touch like tree bark, stones, gravel or rough brick walls.

Fragrance

There are many fragrant plants which can be planted near to paths so they are disturbed when walked past.

Buddleia (Butterfly Bush)
Cosmos atrosanguineus (Chocolate Cosmos)
Helichrysum italicum (Curry Plant)
Heliotropium arborescens (Cherry Pie)
Hyacinthus (Hyacinth)
Jasminum nudiflorum (Winter Jasmin)
Lathyrus odoratus (Sweet pea)
Lavendula (Lavender)
Lobularia maritima (Sweet alyssum)
Lonicera (Honeysuckle)
Matthiola bicornis (Stocks)
Melissa officinalis (Lemon balm)
Mentha (Mint)
Nicotiana (Tobacco Plant)
Rosa (Rose)
Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary)
Syringa (Lilac)

Taste

There are many plants which we can grow to eat but many will need educated taste buds to release their full potential. It is obviously very important however to make sure you make it clear to children which plants are safe and which are not.

For more information about poisonous plants, click here.

The earlier children understand where food comes from and become accustomed to it, the easier it will be to get them to eat it later on! The important thing is to involve them in the preparation stage.

Plants to grow include:

Mung beans
Cress
Marrow (Designs cut into the skins)
Cucumber (Competition to grow the longest?)
Nasturtium (Edible flowers)
Sunflowers (Edible seeds)
Strawberries and other soft fruit
Tomatoes
Herbs

Sound

Water features are obviously a draw to children. Make sure they are safe before you let them explore! Water is great fun whether trickling, splashing, or dripping. Some plants make noise when the wind rustles through them like some species of grass. Others have seed pods which rattle when touched like Nigella (Love in the mist) or Briza media (Quaking-grass). Keep your ears open for birds singing and insects buzzing around too.

Curiously interesting plants to get their attention

Dionaea muscipula (Venus fly trap)
Arisarum proboscideum (Mouse plant)
Arisarum vulgare (Monk's cowl)
Fragaria vesca 'Muricata' (Plymouth strawberry)
Primula (Jack in the green group)
Mimosa pudica (Sensitive plant)
Ecballium elaterium (Squirting cucumber)
Sauromatum venosum (Voodoo Lily) (If you can put up with the smell!)

What to do in Spring...

Plant seeds, especially hardy ones which can go directly into the ground. Nasturtiums, Sunflowers, Marigolds are bright, cheery and grow quickly!

What to do in Summer...

When growing tomatoes, put a small box around the fruit when it is only small. It will grow into the box and end up cube shaped!

Cut a design carefully into the skin of a marrow and the design will grow as the marrow grows.

Grow summer vegetables like runner beans which can grow 5 or 6 cm in a few days. Marrows grow quickly once established. Lettuce, Tomatoes and Radish grow quickly from seed whilst Swiss chard is available in a wide variety of bright colours to grow.

Plant seeds, especially hardy ones which can go directly into the ground. Nasturtiums, Sunflowers, Marigolds are bright, cheery and grow quickly! When growing tomatoes, put a small box around the fruit when it is only small. It will grow into the box and end up cube shaped! Cut a design carefully into the skin of a marrow and the design will grow as the marrow grows. Grow summer vegetables like runner beans which can grow 5 or 6 cm in a few days. Marrows grow quickly once established. Lettuce, Tomatoes and Radish grow quickly from seed whilst Swiss chard is available in a wide variety of bright colours to grow.

What to do in Autumn...

Grow mustard and cress seeds on a damp tissue placed on a saucer on a windowsill. They sprout in just a few days.

Buy a DIY mushroom kit and grow your own. All the effort that you need to do is water them and keep in the dark!

What to do in Winter...

Plant pots of bulbs like Hyacinth and watch them grow on a sunny window sill.

Plant up Hippeastrum (Amaryllis) bulbs and watch them grow. Click here for more information.

For more information about poisonous plants, click here.