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We had the Garden of Good and Evil for nieces’ visit
Posted Jun 8, 2010 by Kim Franke-Folstad
Updated Jun 8, 2010 at 04:01 PM
OK, all you online Dirt readers – I need your help for the print version of The Dirt.
I’m writing about my in-laws’ recent visit, and the fact that I didn’t really think about the garden when I was planning for my young nieces’ arrival. (That’s Lucy, 2 1/2, on the left and Lyla, 1 1/2, on the right in the photo.)
I thought we had it covered. We removed all (OK, most) of the chotchkies in the house. But I didn’t give the garden a thought until the kids were out there running around.
I got lucky. They just weren’t that interested. And it turns out that without really trying, we have created a pretty child-friendly spread. We have a lot of stepping stone paths, which the girls just loved.
And we have plenty of butterfly-friendly plants. Because our vines all got rapped by the cold winter, they aren’t growing up over the arbors just yet, so there weren’t any bees working close to those paths. And thanks to Farmer Rick’s vibrant portulaca plants, the girls decided to pick those instead of my precious orchids and irises.
Still there were a few things I think I’d do if I had little visitors more often. And I think it’s a good reminder for others who might have small children visiting this summer (or whenever).
I know I never even thought to put up or hide the breakable yard art, which put several mermaids were in grave danger for days.
We also didn’t think to move ornamentals or our one tomato plant out of reach. I never saw either niece pop a purple pepper in her mouth, or even a cocktail tomato. Still, it’s easier to move those plants than to explain that those aren’t yummy berries or that too many tomatoes can make you sick.
We always put away our garden tools, but we don’t lock them up.
I also thought about toxic plants, chemicals, tippy furniture and fountains.
Am I missing anything?
Let me know, and I’ll add it to the list!
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Reader Comments
Posted by (Chip) on June 09, 2010
Kids in the garden! first thing you need is eyes in the back of your head! the real key is to get something for them to do ,keep them busy. The very young will want to put anything they find in there mouths so make sure they have something to hold keep those hand full! Have a tea party! with kids visiting everything belongs to someone else so get them there own watering can’s and let them decorate them to make them truly belong to them if they are going to be with you for very long plant radishes I have seen them come up as fast as two days a week on the outside the kids love it! I still have a couple of hard hats my nieces decorated for me while I was working in my garden that was where I got the idea of the watering cans ..Chip
Posted by (Janna) on June 09, 2010
Lucy and Lyla are adorable! I so miss having little ones around. Chip has some good ideas on keeping them busy outside.
Since I’m more used to keeping my dogs away from seedlings, poisonous plants and breakable art, I can tell you what helps with them. Those little decorative metal fences that are about 2 feet high (and inexpensive at HD and Lowe’s). You can join a few pieces together to make a circle or barricade. They are so easy to attach, detach or move as needed. They won’t give you Fort Knox protection, but do serve as a deterrent…
Posted by (kgardens) on June 09, 2010
Love your nieces’ names - Lucy and Lyla. They’re just fun to say together. Both girls are so cute! I’m sure you had a lot of fun with them.
Chip has given the best advice already: eyes in the back of your head.
The same rules for home safety apply to life in the garden. Do have a first-aid kit accessible and be aware of any allergies a visiting child might have to ant bites, bee stings, etc. (Anyone with those types of allergies would have to stay out of my yard entirely; just too risky.)
Really, Chip and Janna have listed the most important considerations. I can’t add anything except to say that at Lucy and Lyla’s ages you simply can’t trust them on their own. Be in the garden with them doing activities together.
Posted by (Kim Franke-Folstad) on June 09, 2010
I wish I had thought of the watering can idea. The ones I have are lightweight plastic, but they are too big for the girls to carry around comfortably. I could only fill them a little. We eventually shifted to the hose—but that was a whole other problem!
I thought about having the girls plant something, but we never got to it. It’s a good idea, though, if we ever get them back down here.
Janna—I think I have some of those little fences in the shed. That would have been a great solution for keeping them away from precious plants.
We have a dog, so maybe that’s why my pet-friendly yard translated so easily into a kid-friendly garden.
Posted by (Pumpkin) on June 09, 2010
I have a little pond in my backyard and one of the neighbor boys was visiting, he started to walk into the pond I stopped him. He said to me “you know you can walk on lily pads” you never know what a child is thinking.Pumpkin
Posted by (Kim Franke-Folstad) on June 09, 2010
Eek. I lost sleep worrying about the girls around our pool.
I noticed that on most of the TV gardening shows, they talk about child-proofing ponds and fountains whenever they install one. I kept mine empty and switched off most of the time the girls were here—unless we were all outside together.
Posted by (Chip) on June 10, 2010
Having young kids around if you are not used to it can be a bit scary!I thought I was soooo smart I had to work in my garden but had to keep my eyes on my nieces so I sat them down at the picnic table with a pack of stickers crayons paper and went to work looking over my shoulders every now and then. The giggling should have tipped me off when I stopped what I was doing to check on them they proudly showed me how they made my Hard hats “Pretty” OH BOY was they. We made a trip to a garden center the girls found watering cans there size we took them home and made them “Pretty” I wore one of those hard hats the following Monday until my boss felt sorry for me and gave me a new one. I still have one ...“Chip”