Planting a garden with my mom

One of my favorite summer activities that I always look forward to is planting our annual garden with my mom. Since our backyard is very shady, we can’t plant the flowers in the ground, so we plant them in pots. The end result: colors everywhere!

It takes a lot of preparation and a lot of hard work, but at the end of the day our container garden makes our back deck look beautiful! We first have to take a trip to the garden store. The store near our house has a whole building full of beautiful plants and foods, from herbs like rosemary to huge plants with gigantic leaves that are almost as big as small trees! We have about 16 pots in our container garden, so it takes many flowers to fill them all up. We get a huge variety of species and colors. They are usually herbs and flowers. When we are done, we have a whole wagon full of plants that we have to load into the car.

Next we have to unload and prepare. After we get all of the flowers transferred to the back deck, we get all of our supplies, like gardening gloves, hand shovels, and small rakes. Not only do we prep ourselves to start planting, but we also have to prep the pots for planting. Usually there are leaves and sticks in the pots and dead flowers from the grueling winter. We have to empty all of that out for the new set of plants for the year. Many of our pots will still have perfectly good dirt for planting once you turn it over a few times, so we don’t even have to buy new dirt. 

Next we have to plan which flower will go in which pot. You would think we would just put the big plants in the big pots and the little plants in the little pots, but it actually takes a while, moving around the flowers and seeing which plants would go well next to each other.

Now is the easy part: planting the flowers! This part doesn’t take as long as any of the other steps, but you do get dirty! 

After all of our day’s work, our garden looks beautiful! It’s full of eye-popping colors, and herbs that we can use to make food taste fresh and delicious. Planting a container garden with my mom is definitely one of my very favorite summer activities.

—Kid Reporter Mari Chiles

Comments

[Jeremy]

Beautiful garden ! I have a garden of my own too. I planted tomatoes, cucumbers, corns, strawberries, blackberries etc.

[Kymberli]

Beautiful work, Mari! You've given me a great idea of a summer activity to do with my kids.

[Emily]

Great post, Mari! Keep writing! :)

[Ruth]

I loved reading about this wonderful planting experience with your Mom that you look forward to every year. I'd say you both have a green thumb and probably ready to start your own worm compost bin!:)

[Mom of Four]

This was very fun and informative article. Way to go!

[Ayesha]

What a wonderful inspiring part of your summer! My 8-year-old daughter just told me that she likes your garden and wouldn't mind if we planted some mint on ours. Guess we'll go on a gardening adventure, too. Your description of the step-by-step activities and hard work is well done. It really helps your readers to connect with the joy and the toils that accompany gardening.

[Wilhelmina]

Good job, Mari! My grandson and I have a container garden also!

[Brooke]

I've been thinking about getting my container garden started at my new house. You've inspired me to take a trip to the garden store. Nice garden! Thanks for sharing.

[Carleen]

You really nailed the process of planting a container garden. Good job! You're right: there's more involved than just putting big plants in the big pots and small plants in the small pots. Love the photo of you and your garden too. Keep writing!!!

[akiba]

great post mari. i feel like i'm right in the garden with you and mom! congrats.

[Rachel]

Thanks Mari! I loved the verve of this piece and you're so right - planting is the "easy" part! Keep writing, and gardening!

[Petrina]

Mari
What a wonderful article. You make me want to take my brown thumbs and try a container garden. Keep up the great work. I am so proud of you.

[Kuwana]

Wonderfully written story. It had great detail and it really made me excited to plant a garden of my own with my son. Thanks Mari!

[Carla]

Great work Mari! Your garden looks beautiful!

[Polly]

Thank you so much for this, Mari! I love planting a container garden with my kids, and I hope they do as much as you clearly do. They'll be so thrilled to read your story.

[d]

That is very good that you and you mom had so bonding time in the garden