Learner Gardener

Mar 26, 2010 by cafebebemama

Last Spring and Summer, one of Little Miss’ favourite activities in the garden was “digga digga digga”.  This year I’m going to strap on my Learner Gardener plates and try my hand at gardening with Little Miss so she knows where her food comes from!  I’ve NEVER, in my life WANTED to garden anything.  I am usually the Grim Reaper when it comes to plants and flowers.  Give me a potted plant of any kind and I’m sure to kill it within a short period of time.

But for some bizarre reason, I feel compelled to grow some things with Little Miss this year.  I want to see her fascination as the plants grow and help her to eat the fruits of our labour.  Our garden is not ideal but Nanny & Grandad’s garden is PERFECT and it comes with a greenhouse as well.  I’m considering challenging Grandad to a Tomato Growing Contest.  Mummy & Little Miss’ tomatoes on one site and Nanny & Grandad’s on the other.  Here are the things I would like to TRY to grow this summer:

• Tomatoes
• Strawberries
• Potatoes
• Sweet Corn
• Pumpkins
• Carrots
• Sunflowers

When I was a little miss myself, my Grandparents had gardens at their farm.  My Grandma grew the flowers and my Grandpa grew the plants/food.  I was of an age where gardening was “booorrrring” and I hated being asked to pick strawberries…it was too uncomfortable and crouchy!  I think it was then that I acquired the title “Princess”…hmmm.  Well, fast forward 20-odd years and I actually WANT to garden.  What has brought me to this stage in my life??  Ack!  I can guarantee that I will not be like Barbara in “The Good Life” but I do want to do this for my daughter.

In my contemplation about gardening and how to go about it, a book arrived yesterday for our perusal.  It’s called “George and Flora’s Secret Garden” and actually is a delightful book with glorious illustrations by Ley Honor Roberts.  “George and Flora’s Secret Garden is written by Jo Elworthy who also happens to be in charge of education at the Eden Project in Cornwall.  I’ve always wanted to go to the Eden Project!  Now that I know of the woman in charge of Education there, it’ll be even better!  What I love about this book is that as George and Flora work with their Grandpa to make a “secret garden” in anticipation of the new baby soon to arrive in their house, there is Me-Style education about what to plant and when.  The right margin of each set of pages tells you what you should be planting that month and how you should be preparing your garden.  There is also information about the baby growing in the Mummy’s tummy as well…not as brilliant I have to say but I was too busy looking at the gardening schedule to be too bothered.  At the end of the book there are pictures of all sorts of veg and when to sow and plant them and when you can expect to harvest them.  Brilliant!  Who needs Alan Titchmarsh?  I’ve got George and Flora.  There might be a trip to the garden centre now this weekend…according to George and Flora, I’ve got some catching up to do as it’s nearly April!

Do you garden with your child?  If so, what do you grow?  What’s worked and what hasn’t?  Any tips are more than welcome!  Remember, I am just a learner gardener after all!