Gardening with Children

Involving children in gardening activities can be rewarding for both the adults and the children. This splendid, full-color book is devoted to creating an adult-centered garden that includes and celebrates children's efforts in the garden. Beth Richardson offers innovative and creative ways to start a family garden in which children can work and dream and feel accomplished -- and have some fun, too. Her approach is aimed at having children help without allowing them to feel overwhelmed by the responsibility for a whole garden. This book will help parents as they instruct their children on the basic processes that support life. The projects are accessible and fun for today's busy families.
-- For anyone who enjoys parenting and gardening.
-- A practical guide to family gardening.
-- Projects and recipes take children's tastes into consideration without sacrificing the food and design preferences of adults.
-- Introduces children to many cultures through food.
-- Includes theme gardens for those interested in gardening on a smaller scale.

Richardson creates an unusual approach to gardening, a guide to including children of all ages in the garden. Divided into two main sections, "Including Children in the Gardening Activity" and "Making Gardening Fun for Children," the author provides all the basics of gardening--planning, planting, composting, soil preparation--but shows how to include children in the process, how to interpret and teach, and how to engage them fully and joyfully in the entire process from planting to gathering flowers and eating the vegetables they have helped to grow.

Some of the activities outlined are creating a "pizza garden," building a heritage garden, making a scarecrow, carving personalized pumpkins, and saving seeds. To bring the pleasures and delights and knowledge of the garden and gardening to children will give them an experience that will last a lifetime. --Mark A. Hetts