Lifestyle

Planting annuals to add color to the summer perennials not yet in bloom is a favorite task for 9-year-old Paityn.

Budding Gardeners

BY WENDY ROYAL

Ibelieve that there is much to be learned through gardening, especially when the gardener is a child. Patience, responsibility, preparedness, diligence, and caring are qualities that can be cultivated when a child actively nurtures a plant from seed to harvest.

For as long as I can remember, weeding has been a part of my life. When my siblings and I were kids, we’d jump on a trailer pulled by our father’s riding mower to our half-acre garden a mile down the road. Pulling weeds was a chore

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that was only made bearable by the occasional ripe tomato, pepper, or bean that I ate fresh from the stalk. These days, other than some herbs and tomatoes, the garden in my tiny backyard is filled with pollinator-friendly plants.

When my first grandchild was just a toddler, I decided to set aside a corner of my yard as a special place where he could explore and play, all while learning about taking care of a garden. Little by little, a gnome village took root. Under the maple tree, we planted shade-loving ferns, hosta, Two pixies and a sleeping gnome hide among the bugleweed and bleeding hearts in this children’s play garden appropriately named Gnome Village by eldest grandson Parker. and black-eyed Susan. We grew goldenstar, bugleweed, and creeping phlox, all forms of ground cover that could withstand the trample of little feet. Together we created a magical world that set the foundation for a love of nature and gardening. Since then, three more grandchildren have brought their ideas and creativity to Gnome Village. Every April, we do our spring cleanup, where the kids pick up sticks and twigs, rake leaves, and repair the tiny structures in this otherworldly spot in our backyard. The sense of ownership they have for this 50-square-foot plot of land is remarkable.

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