All the names I know from nurse:
Gardener's garters, Shepherd's purse,
Bachelor's buttons, Lady's smock,
And the Lady Hollyhock.
Fairy places, fairy things,
Fairy woods where the wild bee wings,
Tiny trees for tiny dames--
These must all be fairy names!
Tiny woods below whose boughs
Shady fairies weave a house;
Tiny tree-tops, rose or thyme,
Where the braver fairies climb!
Fair are grown-up people's trees,
But the fairest woods are these;
Where, if I were not so tall,
I should live for good and all.
by Robert Louis Stevenson
“Free the child's potential, and you will transform him into the world” -Maria Montessori
Today we visited Bailey's Arboretum with some friends. The kids were engaged, relaxed, and happy. We came home with tree bark to make a faerie home, and a piece of a beehive that a local beekeper gave us. (Make sure to follow the rules of the places you visit) I was reminded today how important it is for our children to connect with nature. It doesn't need to be elaborate. A walk in the woods, a visit to the beach, or as we did, the Arboretum. As Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods, says, "In nature, a child finds freedom, fantasy and privacy: a place distant from the adult world, a separate peace."
Children always seem amazed that they can eat a flower. Well, eating flowers is not a new thing. It was very popular in Victorian times and then fell out of style. But a quick stroll through many people's gardens reveal a plethora of edible flowers. Some flowers, and many herb flowers can be eaten. It is always good to make sure that what you are eating is really edible, and that goes well beyond the scope of this blog. But here is a partial lst of edible flowers that we have growing right in our own backyard!
Alliums (leeks, chives, garlic, garlic chives) - Known as the "Flowering Onions." There are approximately four hundred species that includes the familiar onion, garlic, chives, ramps, and shallots. All members of this genus are edible. Their flavors range from mild onions and leeks right through to strong onion and garlic. All parts of the plants are edible. The flowers tend to have a stronger flavor than the leaves and the young developing seed-heads are even stronger. We eat the leaves and flowers mainly in salads. The leaves can also be cooked as a flavoring with other vegetables in soups, etc.
Chive Blossoms (Allium schoenoprasum) - Use whenever a light onion flavor and aroma is desired. Separate the florets and enjoy the mild, onion flavor in a variety of dishes.
Garlic Blossoms (Allium sativum) - The flowers can be white or pink, and the stems are flat instead of round. The flavor has a garlicky zing that brings out the flavor of your favorite food. Milder than the garlic bulb. Wonderful in salads.
Basil (Ocimum basilicum) - Depending on the type, the flowers are either bright white, pale pink, or a delicate lavender. The flavor of the flower is milder, but similar to the leaves of the same plant. Basil also has different varieties that have different milder flavors like lemon and mint. Sprinkle them over salad or pasta for a concentrated flavor and a spark of color that gives any dish a fresh, festive look. Linguine with Tomatoes and Basil
Chamomile (Chamaemelum noblis)- The flowers are small and daisy-like and have a sweet, apple-like flavor. NOTE: Drink chamomile tea in moderation as it contains thuaone; ragweed sufferers may be allergic to chamomile.
Dandelions (Taraxacum officinalis) - Member of the Daisy family. Flowers are sweetest when picked young. They have a sweet, honey-like flavor. Mature flowers are bitter. Dandelion buds are tastier than the flowers: best to pick these when they are very close to the ground, tightly bunched in the center, and about the size of a small gumball. Good raw or steamed. Also made into wine. Young leaves taste good steamed, or tossed in salads. When serving a rice dish use dandelion petals like confetti over the rice.
Dill (Anethum) - Tangy; like their leaves, but stronger. Use yellow dill flowers as you would the herb to season hot or cold soups, seafood, dressings, and dips. The seeds are used in pickling and baking.
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) - Sweet, floral flavor, with lemon and citrus notes. Flowers look beautiful and taste good too in a glass of champagne, with chocolate cake, or as a garnish for sorbets or ice creams. Lavender lends itself to savory dishes also, from hearty stews to wine-reduced sauces. Diminutive blooms add a mysterious scent to custards, flans or sorbets. NOTE: Do not consume lavender oil unless you absolutely know that it has not be sprayed and is culinary safe.
Mint (Mentha spp) - The flavor of the flowers are minty, but with different overtones depending on the variety. Mint flowers and leaves are great in Middle Eastern dishes.
Oregano (Origanum vulgare) - Milder version of plant's leaf. Use as you would the herb.
Rosemary - Milder version of leaf. Fresh or dried herb and blossoms enhance flavor of any food.
Sage (Salvia officinalis) - The flowers are violet-blue, pink or white up to 1 3/8 inches long, small, tubelike, clustered together in whorls along the stem tops. Flowers have a subtler sage taste than the leaves and can be used in salads and as a garnish. Flowers are a delicious companion to many foods including beans, corn dishes, sauteed or stuffed mushrooms, or pesto sauce.
Savory (Satureja hortensis) - The flavor of the flowers is somewhat hot and peppery and similar to thyme.
Thyme (Thymus spp.) - Milder version of leaf. Use sprigs as garnish or remove flowers and sprinkle over soups, etc. Use thyme anywhere a herb might be used.)
Impatiens (Impatiens wallerana) - The flowers have a sweet flavor. They can be used as a garnish in salads or floated in drinks.
Johnny-Jump-Ups (Viola tricolor) - Lovely yellow, white and purple blooms have a mild wintergreen flavor and can be used in salads, to decorate cakes, or served with soft cheese. They are also a great addition to drinks, soups, desserts or salads.
Marigold (Tagetes tenuifolia - aka T. signata) - The marigold can be used as a substitute for saffron. Also great in salads as they have a citrus flavor.
Nasturtiums (Tropaeolum majus) - Come in varieties ranging from trailing to upright and in brilliant sunset colors with peppery flavors. Nasturtiums rank among most common edible flowers. Blossoms have a sweet, spicy flavor similar to watercress. Stuff whole flowers with savory mousse. Leaves add peppery tang to salads. Pickled seed pods are less expensive substitute for capers. Use entire flowers to garnish platters, salads, cheese tortas, open-faced sandwiches, and savory appetizers.
Pansy (Viola X wittrockiana) - Pansies have a slightly sweet green or grassy flavor. If you eat only the petals, the flavor is extremely mild, but if you eat the whole flower, there is a winter, green overtone. Use them as garnishes, in fruit salads, green salad, desserts or in soups.
Peony (Paeonia lactiflora) - In China the fallen petals are parboiled and sweetened as a tea-time delicacy. Peony water was used for drinking in the middle ages. Add peony petals to your summer salad or try floating in punches and lemonades.
Phlox, Perrennial Phlox (Phlox paniculata) - It is the perennial phlox, NOT the annual, that is edible. It is the high-growing (taller) and not the low-growing (creeping) phlox that grows from 3 to 4 feet tall. Slightly spicy taste. Great in fruit salads. The flowers vary from a Reddish purple to pink, some white.
Roses (Rosa rugosa or R. gallica officinalis) - Flavors depend on type, color, and soil conditions. Flavor reminiscent of strawberries and green apples. Sweet, with subtle undertones ranging from fruit to mint to spice. All roses are edible, with the flavor being more pronounced in the darker varieties. In miniature varieties can garnish ice cream and desserts, or larger petals can be sprinkled on desserts or salads. Freeze them in ice cubes and float them in punches also. Petals used in syrups, jellies, perfumed butters and sweet spreads. NOTE: Be sure to remove the bitter white portion of the petals.
Scented Geraniums (Pelargonium species) - The flower flavor generally corresponds to the variety. For example, a lemon-scented geranium would have lemon-scented flowers. They come in fragrances from citrus and spice to fruits and flowers, and usually in colors of pinks and pastels. Sprinkle them over desserts and in refreshing drinks or freeze in ice cubes. NOTE: Citronelle variety may not be edible.
Snap Dragon (Antirrhinum majus) - Delicate garden variety can be bland to bitter. Flavors depend on type, color, and soil conditions. Probably not the best flower to eat.
Sunflower (Helianthus annus) - The flower is best eaten in the bud stage when it tastes similar to artichokes. Once the flower opens, the petals may be used like chrysanthemums, the flavor is distinctly bittersweet. The unopened flower buds can also be steamed like artichokes.
Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum) - Also known as Wild Baby's Breath. The flower flavor is sweet and grassy with a hint of nutty, vanilla flavor. NOTE: Can have a blood thinning effect if eaten in large amounts.
Violets (Viola species) - Sweet, perfumed flavor. Related flowers, Johnny jump-ups or violas, and pansies now come in colorful purples and yellows to apricot and pastel hues. I like to eat the tender leaves and flowers in salads. I also use the flowers to beautifully embellish desserts and iced drinks. Freeze them in punches to delight children and adults alike. All of these flowers make pretty adornments for frosted cakes, sorbets, or any other desserts, and they may be crystallized as well. heart-shaped leaves are edible, and tasty when cooked like spinach.
There are many informative articles on the internet that tell you which flowers, and which parts of plants are edible. I found some of the info in this list on whatscookingamerica.net. All photos in this post Copyright R. Glavan
Your children are never to young to garden. After all, the garden is the ultimate classroom- it heightens children's connection to the environment, teaches them about proper nutrition, appreciation of nature, the list is endless.... Join our "Grow to Know" Spring Gardening Workshop forming now! Email for more info.
We all want our kids to eat the best that they can. We also know that there is tremendous pressure and conditioning pulling our kid's away from fruits and vegetables to processed, packaged food. These foods have a certain "fun" quotient which an apple or a banana really can't live up to. What to do? Make eating them fun. Children should eat all the colors of the rainbow every day. Be creative and come up with a way to make the foods fun. Here are some ideas.
Eating a Rainbow
Once a week, I allow the kids to make their own dinner. The rules are that they must use only fruits and vegetables, all colors of the rainbow, and they must eat what they make. I purchased these adorable little knives so they can cut the food without hurting themselves.
Cooking Show
Make a video of your child cooking a dish, like a cooking shows on TV. Let them describe what they are making, show all the ingredients, and describe step-by-step, the recipe. Of course, make sure to show off the results!
Let our viewers know if you have any ideas on how to make food fun!
What is a rain garden?
A rain garden is a shallow depression that is planted with deep-rooted native plants and grasses. The garden should be positioned near a runoff source like a downspout, driveway or sump pump to capture rainwater runoff and stop the water from reaching the sewer system.
Why plant a rain garden?
You know how precious freshwater is to life.You probably also know that freshwater is becoming increasingly scarce due to pollution, misuse, overuse and climate change.
So when someone asks you "why plant a rain garden?" you can tell them that you are doing it to help keep clean, fresh rainwater out of the sewer system and you are doing your part to reduce pollution and preserve our water systems.
This sounds like a grand effort that only scientists, ecologists and politicians can do. But you can plant a rain garden and then spread the word and tell others that you plant native plants and rain gardens to improve the world you live in.
Explain to people who question you how rain and melting snow runs off roofs, driveways and even lawns and flows directly to the street, down the storm drain and right to our rivers and lakes. Tell them that this runoff is untreated and carries with it pollutants like oil, salt, fertilizer, pesticides, pet waste, transportation chemicals, sediment and all sorts of other things that shouldn't be in our freshwater.
Tell them that a rain garden can capture that runoff and hold not only thousands of gallons of rainwater that can be used in your own garden and yard but all of these pollutants that contaminate our waterways. Then explain after the capture of the water comes the soaking or infiltrating of the water deep into the ground so that it can be used by the nearby plants and trees. Tell them how the native plants planted in the rain garden also help to soak up the water and how the roots are deep and will break up hard soil and infiltrate water and nutrients deep into the soil.
Then finally, tell them how the plants, mulch and soil break up the pollutants and make them inert, not harmful. Explain how the moderate amounts of water and limited amounts of pollutants people shed from their personal property can easily be handled by the rain garden. And that these same pollutants will cause havoc if combined with pollution from your neighbors on your block and the next block and the neighborhood and the community. Imagine all the pollutants from a whole city moving, untreated into your rivers, lakes and streams that you might be drinking!!!!
Oh, ya, you can also explain that a rain garden is beautiful, creates habitat for birds and beneficial insects, reduces pest and harmful insects, makes a great statement in your yard and can be used seasonally to teach kids and adults about the nature of nature.
This is why we all should plant a rain garden ... or two ... or three ...
You can find out more at http://www.raingardennetwork.com
Rainy days may keep us inside, but it is a perfect opportunity to teach your kids about rain! Here are two projects to get you started.
Make a Miniature Water Cycle!
Discuss with your kids how water can be a liquid, a gas, or a solid. Outside, water is always changing from liquid to gas and back again. This process is called the water cycle. You can see how the water cycle works.
The Water Cycle
The sun’s heat makes water evaporate from streams, lakes, rivers, and oceans. The water vapor rises. When it reaches cooler air, it condenses to form clouds. When the clouds are full of water, or saturated, they release some of the water as rain.
You will need:
a large metal or plastic bowl
a pitcher or bucket
a sheet of clear plastic wrap
a dry ceramic mug (like a coffee mug)
a long piece of string or large rubber band
water
1. Put the bowl in a sunny place outside.
2. Using the pitcher or bucket, pour water into the bowl until it is about ¼ full.
3. Place the mug in the center of the bowl. Be careful not to splash any water into it.
4. Cover the top of the bowl tightly with the plastic wrap.
5. Tie the string around the bowl to hold the plastic wrap in place.
6. Watch the bowl to see what happens.
The “mist” that forms on the plastic wrap will change into larger drops of water that will begin to drip. (You can speed up the dripping by carefully moving the bowl – don’t splash! – into the shade.) When this happens, continue watching for a few minutes, then carefully peel back the plastic. Is the coffee mug still empty? Water from the “ocean” of water in the bowl evaporated. It condensed to form misty “clouds” on the plastic wrap. When the clouds became saturated it “rained” into the mug!
Make Your Own Rain Gauge!
Maybe you've heard on the weather that an inch of rain fell in the last storm or a half-inch of rain might fall tomorrow. A rain gauge is a tool that measures the amount of rain that falls.
You can make a rain gauge to find out how much water falls in your yard (or anywhere else!) the next time it rains.
You will need:
a clear plastic soda bottle
a pair of scissors
a permanent marker with a sharp point
small stones or aquarium gravel
water
ruler
1. Cut off the top part of the bottle (you may want to ask an adult to help).
2. Fill the curved part of the bottom of the bottle with small stones or aquarium gravel. This will weight your rain gauge to keep it from falling over.
3. Pour enough water into the bottle to cover the stones. Use the marker to draw a line at the top surface of the water.
4. Mark a "0" next to the line. This is your baseline.
5. Use the ruler and marker to measure 1", 2", and 3" up the bottle from the baseline. Draw a line at each inch mark and label the lines. (Tip: you may want to empty the water out of the bottle before doing this, so you can lay the bottle on its side to measure.)
6. Use the ruler and marker to measure and mark ½", 1 ½", and 2 ½".
7. If you want to make your rain gauge more accurate, use the ruler and marker to measure and mark ¼", ¾", 1 ¼", 1 ¾", etc. on the bottle.
8. Wait for rain!
9. When the weather forecast predicts rain, or rain starts falling, add water to your rain gauge up to the baseline.
10. Put the rain gauge outside to catch the rainwater.
11. When the rain stops, check to see how many inches of rain fell into your rain gauge!
You may want to make a chart to keep track of how much rain falls in a week or a month. On the chart, list the date it rained and how many inches of rain fell. Add up the rainfall at the end of the week or month.
Important! Be sure the rain gauge is filled to the baseline before you begin collecting.
Ah, my favorite time of year! The kids are always eager to get their hands dirty mixing soil for the garden. Our recipe is simple: 1/3 Vegetable Compost, 1/3 Peat Moss and 1/3 Vermiculite. Mix together, and add lots of water! Not to eat, of course, but loads of fun and great for the vegetable beds!
Who needs a pristine front lawn when you can have an edible garden! Plans are in the works to dig up a suburban front yard and replace most of it with an edible garden. Since we live in the Northeast, we will also include some small shrubs and plants with some year round interest. We will be installing three raised vegetable gardening beds with trellises as well as a more naturally shaped English cottage style herb garden. What will the neighbors think! Well we'll see. Maybe they will come over to share our feast! Photos of the projects to follow. Stay tuned!
We finished planting the faerie garden. Now all we have to do is wait and see if any faeries visit!
UPDATE! Faeries have been sighted in the garden! There are faery homes and definite trails of faery dust under the hostas! THe chilldren and their friends have been building shelters with sticks and leaves and hunting for clues in the vicinity. One never knows where they might appear next!