Growing an Edible Flower and Herb Planter

One reason kids love the garden is that different rules apply there: you're allowed to get dirty, touch things, and even eat the flowers! Herbs and edible blooms fit well into this plan, releasing their appetizing and alluring aromas when handled. Pinching leaves and nibbling a nasturtium petal enlivens the senses, and can lead to interesting explorations.

There's something about the idea of eating flowers that captures the curiosity of children, and they can easily grow their own little garden of edible flowers in a large planter. They might even be tempted to eat salads topped with their own fresh-picked blossoms.

You'll need:

potting mix, not garden soil
a large container, 14 to 16 inches in diameter
nasturtium seeds, trailing and compact varieties
1 calendula plant, 1 chive plant, 3 viola plants. Purchase organically grown plants to be sure the are safe to eat. (Or, you can start these from seed indoors in spring.)

1. Plant the flowers in the container, with the taller chives and calendula in the back and the violas in the front. Then sow the compact nasturtiums in the middle and the trailing nasturtiums in the front and sides.

2. Keep the planter moist, not wet, and in full sun. Avoid using pesticides on these plants.

3. Your children can snip the flowers with small scissors, gently rinse them, and let them dry on paper towels. The flowers can then be eaten as is, or added to salads or used as garnish for casseroles and other dishes. Violas are fun to use as decoration for cakes and cupcakes.

Herbs of Yore

The word "herb" conjures up visions of bottled spices and oils, soothing teas, or the green flecks in spaghetti sauce. But these aromatic plants played even more vital roles in earlier times. In many cultures, herbs and spices were considered more valuable than gold, and people took risky journeys to find and trade them. After all, it was the desire to find a shorter routes for trading valuable spices that motivated explorers like Columbus to travel from home, "discovering" new worlds along the way. What made early peoples revere these strong smelling plants?

Native Americans brewed a tea from willow bark to treat inflammation and fever.

Imagine how people coped hundreds or thousands of years ago without drugstores, grocery stores, sanitary facilities, cosmetics stores, or adequate clean bathing water. What might they have done if they had a headache, for instance? Through trial and error, people discovered that certain plants could be used to treat illness and injury.

As it turns out, these observant people of earlier times were onto something. It wasn't until the late 1800s, though, that chemists began actually isolating the chemicals in plants to promote healing. (The word "drug" comes from the old Germanic word "drigan", which means "to dry," since drugs were originally dried herbs.) Although many of these active chemicals are now created synthetically, new medically important substances are constantly being found in plants.

Illness and injury weren't the only concerns in earlier times. Without refrigeration, food would have spoiled quickly. What better way to disguise the odors and tastes of spoiling food than with aromatic plants? The fragrances of many of these plants were also used to keep homes and bodies smelling fresh in the form of potpourri, perfumes, and lotions. During the medieval period, freshly cut herbs were actually strewn on floors to scent air and repel pests.

Start an herb garden. Let kids read through the recipes for some of your family's favorite meals and then plant the herbs needed. Think how much fun they will have harvesting fresh ingredients to contribute to your dinner!

Courtesy the National Gardening Association's Kids Gardening Web site.

"When you garden, you grow" is trademark of the National Gardening Association. For more ideas and inspiration on gardening with children, visit NGA's Kids Gardening Web site.