Kids grow wild challenge

We’ve worked really hard on the main part of our garden over the past few weeks. It’s finally feeling like a great family space again after the demise of our wonderful willow.

With help we’ve refreshed the pots on our patio so they contain an array of flowers such as Dahlia, Iris and Fuchsia. We’ve seen our Rhododendrons thrive with bright pink flowers and our shrubs are really beginning to flourish. A newly planted Clematis already looks amazing with the Marigolds, Gerbera and Carnations we planted in an old tub doing really well.

Initially POD’s way of helping in the garden was to pull the heads off flowers. She’s since learnt they need to be looked after. Having her own bed is a great way to demonstrate the difference between flowers, plants and weeds.

We received a free gardening starter kit from Moneysupermarket.com (thank you) that included seeds, a trowel, a fork and gardening gloves. POD loved it so much she put the gloves on immediately and used the trowel to dig up our the floor in the house. We didn’t have great gardening weather at that time but once we were rain free we were straight outside.

A maxi dress wasn’t really appropriate attire for educating a toddler on how to plant seeds. POD took great delight in scooping up soil and catapulting it into my bra – albeit unintentionally. That said, once she’d got over the excitement of having her own tools, she took to the task in hand.

We planted Polly Pansy seeds in an unused window box which now sits outside our kitchen. POD did brilliantly although she *may have* accidentally planted a couple of seeds in the lawn. We then focused our efforts on a bed around our decked seating area. Part of this is occupied with our fabulous Red Hot Pokers, which have grown even more since last week, an Acer and a Magnolia tree. The other bed is empty with the exception of some unwanted grass we’re continually weeding.

We dug a hole for our Sunny Sunflowers and POD carefully planted the seeds before we covered them in fresh compost. We then repeated the process for our assortment of Pretty Flowers. After planting POD had a rest at the bottom of her slide. As you do. We didn’t get the opportunity to water our seeds as that afternoon the heavens opened and did it for us.

As well as the seeds we were kindly provided with, we also purchased some Red Hot Poker bulbs which will join that same bed. Considering POD’s love of magic, largely down to “bellyolly”, I can’t wait to see her face when her seedlings turn into flowers.

This post is an entry for BritMums’ #KidsGrowWild Challenge. We’re also linking up with How does your garden grow? over at Mammasaurus.