Lifestyle
Help kids build a fairy garden
I have enjoyed ‘grubbing’ in the garden for as long as I can remember. When I was very young my parents gave me a piece of the garden, under a massive sycamore tree.
They never made a ‘Gardener Barbie’, but my poor dolls were all dragged out and came back the worse for wear, along with copious amounts of spoons! At least children sized trowels are easily available nowadays! In any case, being outside as a child certainly made me more aware of nature, broadened my knowledge and fed my imagination.
And so, I encourage everyone to go outside with their kids! Give them a piece of the garden – as in my own case, it can be a bit of wasteland where nothing really grows; under a tree, under the playhouse, beside the shed – there are lots of ideal places.
Fairy gardens are a great way to get kids interested, and very easy to create, especially with the help of a stump or a few rocks! It can be gradually expanded to become a rockery, as alpine plants generally grow very well in areas where the soil is poor. Also, they do not grow too big – perfect for small hands.
SUITABLE PLANTS
Sempervivum is an ideal little plant, it is a succulent, which means it needs little water, and remains small. It looks a bit like a cactus and piques kid’s interest. They are also called ‘house leeks’ and are said to bring good fortune! Currently they are being marketed as ‘Hen and Chicks’, a very appropriate name as they produce small offshoots, or babies. These can be cut off, put into a pot and kept moist, where they will root within a few weeks. Sedums, which are also succulents, are as easy to propagate, just cut a piece off, about 5cm in length, stick it into a pot of gritty soil to a depth of about 2cm, and again, within a short space of time there will be roots. These are some of the first plants I ever propagated and the satisfaction is immense, as well as quick enough not to lose interest. Other plants suitable for fairy gardens are campanula, aubretia, small grasses, and helianthemums. While there are many items for sale to populate the fairy garden, it is also a fantastic pastime to make your own fairy doors and portals. Using tester pots of outdoor wood paint is a cheap and cheerful way to spend a rainy afternoon.
Alternatively, bug gardens hold a great fascination for children. A good book and a website like biodiversityireland.ie is very helpful. Again, planting and sowing wildflowers are a quick way to keep the interest alive, and building bug hotels and ladybird hostels is a productive way to spend an afternoon!
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