There are many reasons I love to grow a garden in the summer. There are the obvious benefits of eating what you grow and lowering your grocery bill. There are also the satisfaction in watching things grow and knowing that your attention and skill is what is going to make the garden flourish. There is also the connection I feel to my grandpa and mom who love(d) to garden.
But the best part of my urban garden is watching my 5 year old Alayna get involved and educated through the garden. As a teacher I know how important an education is and I also know that the school part of the education is a very small part of a total education. The majority of it happens in the world. Because of the garden everyday is science class for Alayna. She is able to watch seeds sprout and become plants. She watches as bees climb into the flowers on our tomatoes. She sees what happens to plants when they don't get enough water or when aphids eat their leaves. We talk about fertilizer (or poison as she calls it) and how some insects are good for gardens and some are not. She even has some of her own pots that she takes care of.
Having a garden (Alayna calls it Dad and Alayna's garden) is a great way to engage your kids in science and the world. You will most likely find it to be a great bonding experience also.
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