Robbie Deckert Talks About Gardening with Kids

“Most of us have experienced the benefits of gardening and of being in one. What better time than our approaching spring to create an extra special bond with the younger generation!” - Walt Whitman, shared by Robbie Deckert

Meet Robbie Deckert, a Master Gardener, horticulturalist and owner of Flowerscapes Garden Designs. I met Robbie during a HomeTalk.com promotional event In Atlanta, and I must say I was very lucky to have met her. I’ve never learnt so much about plants, perennials and possums during a phone conversation one afternoon.

Robbie is a creative landscaper applying her Arts degree in designing gardens full of vibrant color, love and life. She is also very popular on HomeTalk.com, advising Home Talk users and providing solutions from drainage to organic gardens.

This spring I had many plans and one of them was to involve my kids in gardening. I know kids and gardening do very well. They are naturally curious and love playing in the dirt. But, my goal was to get them involved in the long run, making them understand the importance of gardening and instilling the love for nature by making them observe natural fauna and flora in their own backyards. I knew Robbie was just the person who had the knowledge about gardening that would encourage kids to learn and be more aware of their surroundings.

Robbie was excited to share her knowledge on the subject when I approached her. She says, “The outdoors are not just to release energy and hone in on sporting skills,  It is also a place where you can have fun with your children, help them to fall in love with nature, enjoying and appreciating the more spiritual and healing side of the earth and universe.”

With this spirit in mind Robbie and I came up with ideas that will have the kids, bugs and the bees interested in visiting our backyards at home. The four main components of gardening with kids were:

1.      Colorful Gardens that attracted birds, bees and butterflies

2.      A Fragrant garden that would tickle their (kids)senses

3.      A Pizza garden to make homemade pizza

4.      A few landscape structure that would make bird watching fun

Butterfly and Bird Garden Plants

Robbie says, butterfly and bird gardens are not very difficult to achieve. They both are attracted to bright colored fragrant flowers. Robbie mentions a few plants that are favorites and can be included in the backyard to welcome the fluttering visitors.

• Yellow Chapel Hill Lantana
• Purple Homestead Verbena
• Butterfly Blue Pincushion Flower
• Angelonia – Also known as Summer snap dragons
• Hibiscus
• Iris
• Red Hot Poker
• Lavender
• Lobelia - Cardinal Flower
• Tall Phlox, Passion flower
• Scabiosa
• Stokes Aster
• Lantana – Lady bugs loves them
• Butterfly bush – attracts swallow tails and Monarch’s
• Purple Beautyberry – for birds in fall

Robbie encourages involving kids in gardening; she says, “A parent's enthusiasm about something is contagious to kids”.  Use this hobby to get children excited about a new adventure.  Planting a seed in the soil is the same as planting a seed to instill a love of nature, to respect and care about the environment, to learn about life cycles of a plant, insect, or animal, nourishing something to grow and helping to take care of it, and lots more.   In addition to being a fun science lesson, gardening can help both kids and adults connect to something that is greater than themselves!

Pizza Garden

Gardening is a lot of hard work and this means hungry little stomachs after a long day in the sun and dirt. Kids love pizza and making their own after picking herbs and tomatoes from the backyard.  Here are a few plants and herbs for a yummy homemade pizza. Pizza dough not included!

• Oregano
• Basil
• Garlic
• Tomatoes
• Sweet 100 cherry tomatoes
• Bell Peppers

Fragrance and Aroma Garden

A garden arouses all five senses. Kids love to explore, touch, smell, taste and hear. Playing “Smell and Tell” can be an exciting game for the kids in the evening during summer time. Robbie mentions a few interesting plants for this category.

• Chocolate Mint – Does not smell like chocolate, but is a reminiscent of Andes an after – dinner chocolate mint
• Pineapple Mint – has a faint smell of pineapples
• Gardenias – Can surround an entire room with its light fragrance
• Pink Jasmine  - a popular beginners plant
• Meyer Lemon trees –  smell like lemons

Lanscape Structures in the Yard

Robbie suggests make the backyard more interesting, by adding a few structure that will blend in with the environment.

• Bird feeders
• Ponds
• Streams and water bodies less than 12” deep
• Water fountains
• Tree House
• Birdbaths
• Birdfeeders

Most garden structures are not very expensive to incorporate in the garden. Birdfeeders can be made from discarded milk cans painted red to attract humming birds.  Robbie says, “Black oiled sunflower seeds satisfy the appetite of red cardinals, blue birds, and other birds. Gold finches and other songbirds love thistle, purple coneflower and smaller seeds.”

I had a great time with Robbie learning about gardening with kids and the various components that will make it successful. I can’t wait to make my trip to the garden store with my four year old and buy a few plants to start my gardening with her this spring. Robbie, thank you again for sharing with us, your treasure trove of knowledge about plants and fruits.