Creative Gardening
By Ruth Elsby
Spring in full swing on the island ofAnglesey in North Wales. April was one of the busiest months for me in the Play group garden. As a garden, it was originally grass. Not just grass, stones too, and plenty of them. Undeterred, and with unbreakable determination our small team of gardeners dug on. The kids loved ferrying the stones backwards and forwards in their child sized wheelbarrows. It is always a good idea to give children something to do in the garden,they love their own challenge. Under 5's can be given small buckets, plant pots, trolleys and the like in which to transport weeds, small stones and plants around.
By the way, if you're concerned about muddy fingerprints you could try
woolen gloves. They lasted exactly 15 minutes with my 3 year old who mysteriously 'lost'' them. I found them tucked between the stones of our dry stone wall weeks later whilst planting ivy.
Soap on the hands before going outside also works sometimes. I tried this too but we still needed to soak in the tub for hours. :-) My son John is now highly adept with the nailbrush.
As I am talking about messiness and gardens maybe now would be an opportune moment to raise the issue of water features. There are all sorts of water features, ponds and birdbaths on the market at the moment. In a children's garden I especially had to think safety first. So maybe you're thinking that a pond is not at all a good idea. Well, I want to let you in on a secret. PUDDLES. Yes, that's right, puddles. Birds love them, butterflies love them and kids love them too. They are so simple to make too and will fit into anyone's garden. Even a window box.
Here's how:
Deepen a particularly muddy or wet part of your garden. Add some resting stones and you can sit back and wait for the garden party to begin.
Or
You can use a shallow container, my favorite is a wok. Put in some soil. Butterflies use puddles to drink from and also to collect minerals dissolved in the water. Add some resting rocks. Butterflies also use puddles as a meeting place. Position your container in an observable spot, either buried in the garden or elsewhere. They are best in full sun or part shade around butterfly attracting plants.
In a small garden try using an old dessert dish, or a soup bowl.
Several puddles are even better, birds and butterflies like choice.
Keep the puddles topped up with water in the warm weather.
If you have room for several puddles, why not let one of them dry out as a dust bath for the birds? Just puncture the bottom of the container and take out any large stones in the soil mix. I have spent hours watching extremely flamboyant dust dances in warm weather. Yes, April has been an extremely sunny month.
