Children in the Garden - Waiting for the Seeds to Sprout

While we had the seeds and planter boxes out, the children insisted on planting a fairy, or Lego man, or Poly Pocket garden (depending on who was negotiating).  And, although I have to think starting a garden like this from seed is probably a futile exercise, I understand their desire to plant something - and get spring growing.

So, I sent them out to gather rocks for a path...

...and helped them map out their planting, trying to ignore the fact they planted too many seeds for one planter, or that the height of several of the plants probably won't work for a window box.  I think all the fairies, Lego men, and Polly Pockets (not the mention the children) want to see is a few small plants sprouting above the dirt...

...the well watered...

...and protected dirt.

Of course, most of the seeds won't germinate for two or three weeks, and won't grow into big beautiful plants until some time after that.  So now we wait - just like the young gardener in Julie Fogliano's and then it's spring.

He plants his seeds while the world around is still all brown.  He feeds the birds, and watches over his garden, and waits, and waits, and waits.  He begins to wonder if the birds might have snacked on his seeds.  He worries that bears, who can't read his garden markers, might have trampled his seeds.  He watches for green, and listens with an ear to the ground for any sounds of life.

And all the while, the world is slowly changing - though he doesn't seem to notice.  He plants his garden wearing a hat and scarf, feeds the birds in a light jacket, worries about bears in long sleeves, hangs a tire swing in short sleeves, and waits impatiently in shorts and rain boots for the world to change from brown to green - and then it's spring.

It's great to be a homeschooler.