May 12, 2003
Child's Play
John Henry (my 6 year old son) has been a sometimes helper in my garden. He is very enthusiastic, but we sometime run into problems because I want everything just so. I admit to having control freak tendencies.
One afternoon he came up with the solution: "Daddy, can I have my own garden?"
We sequestered a corner of the backyard (the kids' play area anyway) and John Henry proceeded to till his dirt and create a brick border. Over the next few weeks we planted seeds and seedlings of his choosing.
The most fun for me was taking him to the garden store. Normally he doesn't want to go, but this time I told him he could pick anything he wanted. He got excited. "Anything?" he asked. Yes.
At the store I guided him towards things would do well in his corner of the garden (somewhat shady), then let him go wild.
So far the garden has a row of sweat peas (planted as seeds, I'm not even sure where they came from!), a couple of excess Dahlias, a cardinal flower, an odd little fuschia, and a rudbeckia.
Here's what it looks like so far -- sweat peas and Dahlias in front, everything else in back.
