This July has been has hard for the flowers in my garden and I think probably for a lot of gardens in the UK. They were baked and scorched by temperatures of over 30 degrees. Now at the end of the month heavy summer rain is giving them a good battering. My hostas are suffering […]
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Hampton Court Flower Show: Ideas for Family Gardens
The UK has over 15 million gardens and a large proportion of these will be owned by families with children. So it is not surprising that every year some of the gardens at the Hampton Court Flower Show have some inspiring ideas for family gardens. This year two gardens caught my eye. The One Show […]
10 Simple Steps to Creating a Bee Friendly Garden
A bee friendly garden is a family friendly garden. How so you may say? Well it is estimated that 78% of flowering plants rely on bees and other insects to reproduce. Worldwide, of the 100 crop species that provide 90% of the world’s food, over 70 are pollinated by bees. A world without bees will […]
My Top 10 Slug and Snail Resistent Plants
Be careful with that caterpillar, don’t step on that worm, and watch that spider, are all phrases you’ll hear me say to my son. Like most parents I’m trying to teach him to value life and how to look after the wildlife and bugs in our garden. However when it comes to slugs and […]
Floral Friday – Family Friendly Shrubs – Lavatera
I have always loved Lavateras with their attractive and showy pink flowers. If you have a large garden and want a summer flowering shrub then this is the plant for you. Its common name is Mallow. If you do not have space for a 1.5 to 2 m shrub then there are now a number […]
Floral Friday: Cosmos – Family Friendly Plants
The Cosmos is the sort of flower that you may have seen in other people’s gardens and thought I would love to have that displaying in my garden. It’s a lovely statuesque cottage garden flower, usually with very pretty pastel colours and feathery leaves. It is rather magical for toddlers as it grows to just […]
Floral Friday – Michaelmas Daisy – Family Friendly Plants
Bee on Aster A good late summer performer for the garden is the Aster or Michaelmas Daisy. So called because it has daisy-like flowers from pink, purple to blue and it flowers at the time of Michaelmas, on 29 September when in parts of Europe remember Archangel Michael. Its reliability and hardiness help to make […]
Floral Friday – Aquilegia – Family Friendly Plants
Aquilegia If you know this flower, other names for it are Columbine and Grandma Bonnets; you may be saying what so family friendly about it? It is a cottage garden plant with thin stems holding up the very pretty flower heads which could easily get knocked by a ball or trampled upon. I say yes […]
Floral Friday – Chives – What to plant with your Kids
Chives It is its versatility that makes chives such a great plant to grow with your kids. It is of course a culinary herb and part of the onion family, but its flowers are beautiful – a delicate ball of pinky, purple. The child and family friendly properties of the chive plant Allium Schoenoprasum include […]
Nasturtiums – What to Plant with your Kids
If you are not too sure what flowers to plant with your kids this is a good one to get going with. It is an easy- grow annual. This plant’s family friendly features include:- Large seeds which are easy to sow. 8 Weeks from seed to flower. Short waiting time – Very child friendly! It […]
Floral Friday: Edible Flowers – Calendula
Calendula officinalis Calendula officinalis is one of my top ten flower plants to grow with children. Everyone thinks of a sunflower as a children’s flower. The pot or English Marigold may not grow so tall, but it matches the sunflower’s beauty, petal pattern and gorgeous orange and yellow colours. Marigold – child […]
Floral Friday: Edible Flowers – Courgette Flowers
Today I am introducing Floral Friday. A regular post every Friday on flowering plants to grow with your kids, and to have in your garden. All the plants featured will be ‘family friendly’. By this I mean they will either:- Grow easily and be a ‘good doer’. May self –seed. Will have a point of […]
More Green Space and Less Hard Surfaces in your Garden – WHY?
A recent report by the London Wildlife Trust on how London is losing its green gardens came up with some interesting facts. There are approx 3.8 million gardens in London (if you count front and back gardens separately) – Wow what a lot. 24% of London is domestic outdoor space with 14% of it vegetated. […]
May Flowers
There is usually lots going on my flower garden in May and this year the borders are blooming lovely. Some of my favourite family friendly plants are appearing. Forget Me Nots, Aquilegia and Californian Poppies. Their pretty flowers all appeal to children and they have easy names to remember – that is if you use […]
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