We are delighted to share with you another blog from Renee Canter, “The Girl Who Gardens” and organiser of Blooming Earlswood (she is a very busy lady!) Renee has an unbelievable passion for gardening – as we know so many of you love to garden we have asked to be our Move Revoution Guest Garden Blogger. Over the coming year she will be sharing with us her hints, top tips and secrets (for those of us who aren’t quite as green fingered as she is!) We hope you enjoy this next blog and look forward to sharing many more with you throughout the year.
Over halfway through the Summer Holidays and the weather is being so kind! Lots of fun to be had in the garden and now is the time to enjoy the space that you’ve created from morning to night. It’s great to get the kids outside and involved in the garden. It’s still warm enough to sow salad crops like Rocket, Radish, Spring Onion, Lettuce and Spring Onion and they germinate really quickly so kids can literally see the plants growing before them. Kids love a watering can; in dry weather they can be watering every day so let them at the tap! Summer flowers also love regular dead-heading to encourage them to flower again, kids can easily pinch off flowerheads if you show them how and which ones to do. A dry August day is a great time to collect seed. Collect flowerheads that have gone to seed, put them in an envelope (label them!) and then put them in a tin inside somewhere cool, dark and dry in readiness for sowing in the Autumn or Spring!
Here are a few other ideas for projects the kids will love to get involved with:
Smelltastic Lavender Bags
Lavender is coming to the end of its flowering period in August so use the flowers to make little bags. Depending on the age of your children you can either make no sew ones with a circle of fabric secured with an elastic band, or basic square ones with a simple running stitch. The kids can put them in their drawers or even give to new Teachers in September. You’ll need material, rubberband, ribbon or string, scissors and some lavender. Use a CD or plate to mark a circle on the material and cut out. Take about 10 lavender stems and pick off all the flower buds. Place a tablespoon of flowers in the centre of the material. Gather the material together and tie with the rubber band. Decorate with the ribbon! Check out Pinterest for variations on this idea. This one from Red Ted Art is great.
Painted Pebbles
Use decorated pebbles as plant labels, landart, house names or numbers, markers, edging to beds, in pots, as part of a fairy garden, as directions or as part of a treasure hunt! You’ll need pebbles, pencil, paint or pens and PVA glue or varnish. Use a pencil to draw a design on the pebble. Colour in using permanent pens or paint and then leave to dry before using a paintbrush to cover the pebble in PVA Glue or Varnish to make it weatherproof. Using inspiration from our other guest blogger Flori Johnson, we could paint rainbows, or have a look at Pinterest for other ideas.
Strawberry Plants for Free
Strawberries have done their fruiting for us by August but have been hard at work growing some baby plants or ‘runners’ which can be very easily encouraged into new plants for next year. You’ll need a plastic pot with a hole or holes in the bottom, compost, paperclip and scissors. Find the long stems or ‘runners’ growing away from the parent Strawberry plant. You will be able to see tiny roots appearing at its leaves. Kids are fascinated by the fact that it is the roots that get food and water for the plant (and that’s why we water the soil and not the leaves of a plant!). Fill a pot with compost and lay the baby plant on the compost. Unfold a paperclip into a ‘V’ shape and use it to ‘peg’ the baby plant down onto the compost. Honestly, it just needs to be in contact with the soil to start rooting! Water the pot (and keep it moist over the next few weeks) and label it (maybe with a painted pebble?!) 4-6 weeks later you can cut the baby plant free from its parent plant. Plant into a bigger pot or basket or straight into the garden. Strawberries like a sunny spot to thrive. TOP TIP – Only use 2-3 runners per parent plant to stop ‘weakening’ the parent plant and cut off any runners you don’t use.
Perfumes & Potions
Kids love making their own brew. All they will need is a beaker or pot, a spoon some water and loads of imagination! Explore the garden collecting different smells like petals, leaves, soil, compost and grass. Add water, bash gently with the spoon and voila! You have a potion or a perfume depending on whether you’re a fairy or a Year 3 at Hogwarts!
Have fun getting grubby in the garden this Summer!
If you are thinking of selling or letting your property please don’t hesitate to give us a call on 0800 033 7670. One of our Move Revolution team would love to chat with you and meet up. Follow us on Facebook.com, twitter @moverevolution, Instagram – move.revolution, there are lots of ways of staying in touch!