I am so thankful to all of the bloggers and media who attended my Garden to Glass event at actress Jordana Brewster’s Mandeville home! Jordana shared details on her non-GMO project for the Environmental Council and opened her beautiful garden and home to all of us. I’m proud to have been in charge of designing her entire property’s landscaping, which includes raised garden beds filled with vegetables and fruit, a rose garden, an area for the kids, and sprawling green lawns. Truly an escape from the busy surroundings of Los Angeles.
During the garden event, I was able to discuss my top tips on getting children to spend more time in the garden, where they can develop a love of nature and learn where their food comes from. We need to encourage a farm to table lifestyle to keep our children healthy and thriving!
Here are just a few of the tips I shared on building garden memories with the family:
- Pick lemons and make lemonade
- Buy shovels and small watering cans
- Release ladybugs into the soil to eat the pests
- Dedicate a pot or section of the garden to each child to design and maintain
- Build an Earthworm jar to learn about tunneling:
Place pebbles or sand at the bottom of a large jar as a foundation. Place a smaller jar filled with water inside, centered. Fill 1/4 of the large jar with moist soil, and add a layer of sand. Add worm food, like apples and oatmeal. Add 3-5 worms collected from your garden, or you can get them at a bait shop. Add another layer of soil, followed by another layer of sand. Cover the jar with a nylon sock or pantyhose, seal with a rubber band, and place a layer of black paper on top to block light. Keep in a cool, dark place.
- Choose quick-maturing vegetables to satisfy short attention spans (like radishes, carrots, spinach, and dwarf green beans)
- Have a picnic in the garden and pick strawberries for dessert
- Make bird feeders and butterfly feeders to include wildlife:
Prepare butterfly food by mixing 9 parts water with 1 part sugar. Make a small hole in a mason jar lid. Place a piece of sponge through the hole, so it’s sticking out on both sides. Tie string around the neck of the mason jar to hang outside.
- Pick oranges and draw silly faces on them
- Invite the classroom over to plant vegetables
- Help Mommy pick lettuce and tomatoes, and then help her make the salad
To all of you who attended the event, please share these healthy suggestions with your loved ones, and go out and garden! Enjoy Mother Nature!
Follow me for more tips like these! @teryldesigns #teryldesigns
