The Joy of Gardening with Grandchildren
Gardening is a wonderful activity to share with your grandchildren. It offers them a chance to connect with nature, learn about plants, and feel the excitement of watching something grow from the ground up. One of the easiest and most rewarding ways to start this journey is by planting fall-planted bulbs.
Why Choose Fall-Planted Bulbs?
Fall-planted bulbs are perfect for gardening with grandchildren because they are larger and easier to handle compared to tiny seeds. This makes planting a fun and manageable activity for little hands. Additionally, the bulbs need only be planted once, and they will surprise everyone by sprouting up magically in the spring.
Creating Magic with Halloween Planting
Using the Halloween season as an opportunity to plant bulbs can make the experience even more enchanting. Think of it as a treasure that gets ‘buried’ in the fall and ‘unearthed’ in the spring. You can build up the excitement by telling your grandchildren that these bulbs will magically appear when the snow melts. This bit of ‘magic’ will add an extra layer of fun to the gardening activity.
Ornamental allium bulbs can also be quite magical! The “Mount Everest” variety is named after the worlds tallest mountain and forms gigantic ‘snowball’ flowerheads. Kids LOVE these plants (and so do grownups), but you can’t buy them in the springtime – they need to be planted in the fall.
Supporting a Good Cause
As you plan this wonderful activity, consider purchasing high-quality Dutch grown bulbs from the Clark Botanic Garden Auxiliary. They offer a pollinator box with five different types of bulbs that bloom in the early spring. They also have a mixed collection of ‘Mount Everest’ and ‘Purple Rain” ornamental alliums that you and your grandchildren will adore! There’s a lot you can teach and a lot they can learn! Read more about the importance of fall-planted bulbs for pollinators and the need for nutritionally diverse plants in the spring.
You can follow-up your family gardening activity with a visit to Clark Botanic Garden while you wait for the bulbs to emerge in the spring to stay connected. The Town of North Hempstead runs a Spooky Walk at the Garden that your grandkids might like too; stay tuned to their events calendar for the details.
When the flowers finally bloom, you’ll share a second wave of togetherness with your grandchild, celebrating the success of your gardening project.
Gardening with grandchildren and planting fall bulbs together provides long-lasting memories. It’s an educational yet magical experience that everyone will cherish.
