Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Garden Themes for Grand Adventure in Your Garden – Great For Kids, Too!

Want an outdoor activity to share with your child or grandchild that doesn’t require a referee or the risk of bodily injury?  Why not spend some time with the young person(s) in your life working in the garden?  A garden is a great place for sharing meaningful time with children.  Of course, if all they do is pull weeds in the vegetable patch they may not find it so enchanting so here are some ideas to liven up your yard by developing clever garden themes.



A nature observatory
Strategically placed bird feeders and clever bird baths make great invitations to feathered creatures to come and visit.  Try making a hypertufa leaf platter as a bird bath.  It’s really more of a bird spa; when complete, it’s a gorgeous shallow water basin, and the leaves create the perfect sundeck for the birds to preen and relax.  A short distance away place a comfortable bench, making sure it is in a shady spot so that the hot sun doesn’t shorten your outdoor time.  Armed with a bird guide book, you and your youngster can enjoy the fun of identifying and observing birds and their unique habits. This same idea can work for butterflies too.  Read together about the kinds of flowers and colors which attract butterflies and then plant them in the garden.  You might include a sketchbook for your child to draw the different butterflies you have observed together. 


Fascinating fairy garden environments and accessories 
Children are fascinated by the world of imagination which is why fairy gardens and amazing fairy garden accessories make such a great project to enjoy together.  Children will enjoy reading stories which include fairies or fairy-like creatures and then creating an imaginary world of their own where a pixie just might decide to live.  Constructing fairy houses and other fun elements for your garden will make lasting memories.

Create a living passageway Children thrive on adventure and discovery, so give them someplace interesting in the back yard where imagination can take over.  Trellis arches covered with clematis, star jasmine or sweet peas beckon children to enter another world on the other side.  Another fun garden theme is to create a playhouse with four walls of giant sunflowers.  We’ve even seen tepees constructed of plants.  Make all of this even more fun by laying down your own custom garden stones, which lead youngsters step by step into the plant world of adventure. 


Make the garden a year-round festivalIf any of those ideas seem to large, then make your garden theme one of celebration.  Be sure to mark the holidays with garden accents and creative garden stakes.  You might plant flags in the garden around Memorial Day or the Fourth of July.  Put out themed garden stakes at Christmas, Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day.  Make sure that kids are always interested in what is new in your garden all year long.

Making your own hypertufa bird spa, garden stakes, fairy accessories or concrete stepping stones at a From the Summer’s Garden studio event is another way to add adventure to your garden ...  Sign up for a class today to start making memories! 

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