I love my garden, it was my parents pride and joy and unfortunately just due to circumstances it is not the beautiful space it used to be BUT... Just like good old Bill Oddie says 'Say Yes To Mess!' it is a haven to wildlife.
Every year I have a nest of Slow worms consisting of around 30 - 50 various sizes and all healthy and breeding well. I love watching them in their natural habitat; truly fascinating!
My parents always involved me in the garden, from Sunday mornings pulling carrots with Dad to weeding ( and pulling out the wrong things often) with Mum! My Father grew lots of fruit and used to supply my class every summer, sending me to school with lunch boxes of fresh Strawberries and Raspberries and a pot of Roddicks Clotted Cream! I was a popular girl.
Most of my best memories though are of Dad constructing some type of shower by hanging the watering can in a tree, or pushing me around in the wheel barrow really fast around the Apple tree...
So I was always intent on getting Evan (my son, 10.5) in to growing his own and having fun in the garden. From around the age of 3 he had his own plot in the garden where we grew runner beans, sprouts, pumpkins, potatoes and green beans. Anything I couldn't get him to eat; the following season we would grow together. I now have a son that is veg crazy! He loves all of it, favourites being sprouts and Broccoli, cucumber coming in a close 3rd. I can't complain he eats so well and tucks in every night to a plate full of various greens, oranges and yellows! He will not eat red veg (or fruit if you want to be precise) no peppers, tomatoes, radish or anything of the scarlet persuasion! Hopefully by putting a little on his plate and ignoring it (and the protests) it might come in time.
I think it is such wonderful thing to do with your children, even if you have no garden at all you can still experience it with pots and tubs. A few seeds in a window box and make it a regular event to water and feed.
The excitement soon grows if every morning you get up and have a look for a little shoot!
I've just asked Evan what he loves about growing plants and he said "I just love watching them grow and how they develop and take their place in the world."
Just like how I look at my son..... And the next time you see or buy a lowly lemon, have a think about what you were doing 18 months previously as that is when that little fruit first appeared on it's tree......
Lemon xx
