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Upon reflection this weekend I realised that all my spare time at the moment is spent transforming our garden into a creation that even ‘The Good Life’s’ Tom and Barbara would be proud of! This entails all sorts of tasks: planning border designs; growing seedlings; planting companion vegetables and trying to eradicate the bindweed.
Having my own garden again after more than 20 years brings back vivid childhood memories of tending my own vegetable patch alongside my parents’. I remember running down the garden every day after school, eager to see what had sprouted overnight, and terribly impatient that the vegetables took so long to be ready to eat. I remember exactly how it felt to eat the vegetables I had grown myself, the taste incomparable because I had helped them to grow.
Not much has changed, although I do worry a lot more about my veggies. I cover them if I know there will be a frost and check in the morning to see how they have fared. Have they been protected from the cold? Slugs? Birds? Moles? Insects? When I know all’s well I can breathe a sigh of relief and start thinking about the next little jobs - like helping the peas to climb up their chicken wire; making sure the tomatoes and french beans are supported adequately; checking the weather forecast daily and, of course, feeding and watering the garden.
Class 3 are designing their own mini-gardens which they’ll plant in the tyres in the playground. Some of the designs are very ambitious, some quite simple but effective. I’m looking forward to seeing how the children react to watching their own creations come to life and how they will care for them. Will they be as impatient as I was? Will they remember to feed and water them? Will they be excited at tasting their own vegetables?
I wonder if any of the children will see the similarities between taking care of their gardens and their parents taking care of them? Protecting them from all kinds of harm, keeping them warm, well fed and watered, and watching their progress with both anticipation and excitement. We shall have to wait and see…
Anne-Marie (Class 3 teacher)
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