Busy Little Bees: Sunflower Shoots and Muddy Boots – A Child’s Guide to Gardening - preview

Katherine Halligan

Grace Easton

For Grace and Rose, my busy little bees

For the ladies of Balmoral, Auntie Mimi and Auntie Angie

K. H.

G. E.

First published 2019 by Nosy Crow Ltd The Crow’s Nest, 14 Baden Place, Crosby Row, London, SE1 1YW www.nosycrow.com ISBN 978 1 78800 404 6 ‘The National Trust’ and the oak leaf logo are registered trademarks of The National Trust (Enterprises) Limited (a subsidiary of The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, Registered Charity Number 205846).

Nosy Crow and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Nosy Crow Ltd. Text © Katherine Halligan 2019 Illustrations © Grace Easton 2019 The right of Katherine Halligan to be identified as the author and Grace Easton to be identified as the illustrator of this work has been asserted.

All rights reserved.

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, hired out or otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of Nosy Crow Ltd. A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Printed in China.

Papers used by Nosy Crow are made from wood grown in sustainable forests.

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Contents Introduction

Page 6

Sprouting Baby Beans

Page 8

Magic Garden Fun

Page 10

Garden Adventurer

Page 12

Small Space, Big Fun!

Page 14

Give Your Garden Wings

Page 16

Bug Spotter's Guide

Page 17

Healthy Plants, Healthy You!

Page 18

Yummy Garden

Page 20

Messy Mud Kitchen!

Page 22

Clever Compost

Page 23

Little Acorns and Mighty Oaks

Page 24

Wonderful Wild Flowers

Page 26

Making Memories

Page 27

Great Garden Gear!

Page 28

Staying Safe!

Page 29

Top Tips for Grown-Ups

Page 30

Introduction Do you love the outdoors? Do you like to dig in the dirt and get messy?

Then you’re a gardener!

If you want to learn more about what to plant, how to plant it and how to care for it, then this is the book for you!

All you need is a grown-up helper, a few tools, some seeds . . . and a lot of imagination!

Ready . . . steady . . .

6

Top Ten Plants for Little Gardeners

Top Ten Useful Gardening Words soil the top layer of earth where plants grow

carrots

pollen

berries

yellow dust made by a plant that is carried to other plants to make new seeds

seedlings very young plants grown from seeds

sunflowers tomatoes radishes

compost a mixture of rotted-down plants that helps to make garden soil better

mulch

pumpkins peas

stuff spread on the ground to protect plants and stop weeds growing

sow

to plant seeds

nasturtiums

harvest

lettuces

to gather plants for eating

plants for Other great, easy-to-grow atoes, pot little gardeners are herbs, et peas swe , dils ffo cress, courgettes, da friends! n rde ga fun t, Fas . and marigolds

sprout

moist

to grow

a bit wet

drainage hollyhocks

letting water flow away from something

7

Sprouting Baby Beans Every seed has a whole plant inside it, just waiting to sprout. Planting seeds is great fun . . . and it’s completely magical watching those first shoots uncurl! by broad To sprout your ba need: beans, you will ans • 3-4 broad be lls cotton wool ba or • kitchen roll n ea cl cup or a • a clear plastic glass jar bottle of water • a clean spray

1

Soak the broad beans overnight in water. Scrunch the kitchen roll or cotton wool balls down into your cup or jar.

2 8

Tuck your broad beans inside. Spray until very damp, then put the cup or jar on a sunny windowsill.

3

Check your baby beans every day. Keep the kitchen roll or cotton wool moist, but don’t let water sit in the bottom of the jar.

4

After 1-2 weeks, the beans will sprout. Roots will start to push down, and leaves will start to pop up.

Bravo, baby beans!

The world’s biggest seed is the coco de mer. It can weigh up to 25 kilograms — about as much as a six-year-old child!

25kg

Most seeds need to be kept warm and moist so they ca n sprout.

If you’re planting see ds in soil, stick your finger down into the soil to check it’s not too dry . . . but don’t water your seeds too much either, or they won’t grow!

9

Magic Garden Fun Most gardens are big, but some gardens are tiny, and can even be grown indoors. You can make yours extra special . . . with a bit of magic!

To make a magic

First, decorate your pot. When dry, scoop in soil until the pot is three-quarters full.

Scatter grass seed over the top, spray with water . . . then sprinkle with magic!

garden, you will ne ed: • grass seed • a small plastic po t with holes in the bottom • potting soil • an old cup, spoo n or scoop • things to decora te your pot such as stickers, paper, fabric, pain t, ribbons or sequ ins • glue or tape and scissors • cocktail sticks • small plastic toys : fairies, dragons . .. whatever you fanc y!

• a sprinkle of mag ic

Once your grass has started to grow, add some creatures to your magic garden. You can use your favourite tiny toys, or make your own out of paper and tape them to cocktail sticks.

10

day. If the ic garden every Water your mag st give it ju y, pp flo ng and grass gets too lo n’s scissors. ith some childre a little haircut w rden in your ake a magic ga You could also m make tiny en. Acorn shells grown-up’s gard cones ne friends, and pi teacups for fairy . ns de on ws for drag are perfect pillo

Magic gardens are a perfect project for Easter. Yo u can hide mini chocolate eggs in them and give a garden gif t to your friends or family!

11