Sensory Play - Gardening

Since I’m planting a garden, I thought Clara should too.



The people who lived in our house before us had a veritable Garden of Eden in the backyard. There were vines with beautiful purple blooms. Big, lush trees. Perfectly sculpted shrubs. Giant stone pots overflowing with the most vibrant, beautiful flowers you’ve ever seen. It’s one of the reasons we bought the house.

Then we moved in.

And I found out they watered Eden by hand.

Eden died.

I’ve been left with crispy remnants of plants past and empty flower pots for years but since we decided to put in a garden, I thought it was time to fill those pots with flowers. I’m sure they will get scorched in the hot Arizona sun, but they will be pretty while they last.

We were able to run watering lines (bubblers) into all the pots save one, and since it was such a low pot, I decided to let it be Clara’s pot.


We took a trip down to Home Depot where we perused all the cheap-o flowers in the six-pack containers. I told Clara to pick out the flowers she liked best. I can’t tell you the excitement she showed. Not yet two years old but going on 16 for all the independence she’s showing!


She chose a pink/purple mixture of petunias. We took them home, she helped me pour soil into the pot and she started burying her flowers. She dug in that pot for about an hour, putting the flowers in, pulling them out. She planted a couple of them upside down and the whole time I encouraged her.


“Yes, Clara. You are doing a good job.”

“Yes. You may bury that flower.”

“You are so good.”


When she had finished, we filled up her water can (Dollar Store) and she dumped her water out on one flower. And I told her she did good. And we went inside.


Later, I went back outside and turned the flowers right-side up and watered the rest of them so she could learn to tend to them. Every day she waters her Petunias and she’s starting to get better about watering them all. Occasionally she pulls out her shovel and digs in the soil. Sometimes she pulls flowers out entirely and that is all okay. They are her flowers. Her pot. If they die, we will buy new ones. But so far, two weeks in, they are thriving.

My First Vegetable Garden

As some of you may know, we have taken it upon ourselves to plan our very first edible garden. Well, our first garden period, I suppose.

I am notorious for killing plants. I’ve tried many iterations of growing foliage in my yards, but they all end the same: scorched and dehydrated. I even managed to kill bamboo. BAMBOO. Face palm.

When I decided to put in this garden, I wanted to go about it the right way. I wanted to give those poor little saplings and seedlings a fighting chance against my inevitable neglect. I convinced my husband to dig up the entire soon-to-be-garden area and painstakingly install a watering drip system. I tested the nutrient levels (or LACK of nutrients) of the soil. I supplemented. Researched. Measured. Calculated. I was determined to make this garden work from the blueprints on.


Once I had everything planned, I knew what my next step would be: put up a fence. Or, rather, hire someone else to put up a fence for me.

Luckily, my best friend in the whole wide world married a pretty handy guy who is easily persuaded with food. In exchange for some homemade beans, cornbread and a lunch out, he came over to my house and created this beautiful fence to keep the dogs and the Little Walking Child of Destruction away from my garden. I don't have pictures of just the fence right now, but I'm in the process of painting it mint! I'll post some pictures when it's finished.


I know I am no Di. I’m not going to delude myself into thinking I will have a huge, thriving garden replete with tomatoes the size of my face. I am just hoping these sweet plant babies survive. Keep your fingers crossed for them!



Sprouts from SEEDS!!!
And for those of you who wonder about these things, here is a list of what I planted:

Carrots (seed)
Cucumber
Zucchini
Raspberry
Chives
Tomato
Bell Pepper
Salsa Pepper
Strawberry
Cilantro
Basil
Thyme
Parsley
Artichoke
Spinach (seed – and it’s already sprouting!!!!)
Romaine
Watermelon
Cantaloupe

A HUGE crop, I know, and if they all survive, I will be do-a-backflip-in-public excited!

So now, any tips for newbie gardeners?