FAMILY FUN IN THE FRUIT GARDEN

Certain kinds of fruits seem ideally suited to children's gardens. Parents can buy columnar, miniature, and all-in-one fruit trees for their youngsters. Children will find these are really fun to grow. They tend to bear early, probably the same year they're planted. So the children would have a chance to harvest fruits without a very long waiting period. Youngsters would be so proud to pick garden produce that they've grown.

Another fruit that seems ideal for children is strawberries. Buy them a strawberry pot, some soilless potting mix, and strawberry plants. This is sure to be a fun project, and they'll get to harvest the luscious berries.

Ideally children should be given their own fruit plant or area in the family garden. When possible they should be allowed to make their own decisions concerning plant selection and care. In the real world things don't always work out that way. Take the case of Ernest Blackburn, whose romantic garden at Little Thakeham in England was created by Sir Edwin Lutyens in the early 1900's. Blackburn had seven children, and he gave each one a garden. On one of his visits to Little Thakeham Lutyens critiqued the children's' gardens. One child's garden was sorely neglected. But four-year-old Aubrey was clearly a successful gardener at heart, for he took good care of his plants and knew their names.

When gardening with children, provide them with child-size tools and supplies. Teach them the importance of watering by buying them Fun-Cans, animal-shaped watering cans. For messy jobs provide them with a kid's garden apron and gloves. The apron has a nice big pocket where they can put their child-size tools.

There are entire lines of pint-sized gardening tools. These items are generally high quality.

Another way to introduce children to the world of fruit gardening is through toys. The National Gardening Association has endorsed a line of toys, called Kinder-Garden Babies. These particular Babies have been "harvested from a secret magical garden." Over half the Babies are named for fruits. These are Amber Apricot, Brenda Blueberry, Kerrie Cherry, Penny Peach, Rita Raspberry, and Suzy Strawberry. Both light-skinned and dark-skinned ones are available.

By participating in the family fruit garden, children will come to realize that gardening is enjoyable.

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