GARDENING WITH KIDS: LESSONS LEARNED & PLANTS THAT WORKED!

Like all good things in life, a little patience goes a long way. ;) Gardening with our kids has been something we have done since they were very young, but this is the first year that all three kids were willing to wait until things were actually ripe to eat them! It has been such a joy to watch their absolute happiness at tasting a tomato straight from the garden, or creating their own 'salads' with ingredients they have grown, watered and then picked themselves. While the kids started out checking the plants each day to see their growth, it was the weekends or days that we were away and then came back that they were also extra excited to see the big changes.

The three key lessons we have all learned from working on the garden together:

1. It's okay to have to start again

2. If at first it doesn't work, try and try again!

3. Good things grow with water, sun and a lot of love

I thought it would be helpful to note the veggies that worked well for our family this year in case you wanted to pin / save it for the beginning of next season. 

Vegetable success, aka easy plants to grow with kids in Vancouver on the West Coast, are as follows:

• Tomatoes – Each of our kids choose a plant that is ‘theirs’ and they all grow a different type of tomato. This year Xavier chose cherry tomatoes that were red, Noelle chose ones that are yellow and Kaia chose big ones (she loves tomatoes in her sandwiches). We love watching how they all grow at different speeds and the kids like to compare whose plant is giving us the most tomatoes.
  

• Runner Beans - Xavier brought this little plant home from preschool and we popped it into the garden to see it grow. Beans are super impressive (the rate of growth is unbelievable) and next year we will put some poles at the back of the garden for the beans to grow up.
  

• Zucchini – I’m not sure why we haven’t tried zucchini before but this was a winner! Easy to grow and with BIG success, the kids used the biggest zucchini to make muffins with one day while I was at work (hence no photos).
  

• Kale – Kale literally requires no maintenance and grows so big and quickly that is a crowd pleaser. While we love making kale salads, the kids adore kale chips and even eating it raw right out of the garden.
  

• Romaine lettuce – While we’ve tried other types of lettuce previously, this one grew big and strong and I was surprised by that. Next year we’ll plant more.
  

• Edible Flowers – when we asked our local garden centre whether they were able to recommend any edible flowers for our garden, I was astounded at how many options there were! We loved growing impatiens and next year we will plant more (and maybe a wider variety) so that we can add these to salads and as garnish to dinners. The kids ate the entire collection straight from the garden before they ever made it onto our plates.
  

• Swiss Chard - easy to grow, minimal upkeep (just water!)
  

• Herbs – Herbs are pretty simple to grow and we’ve had decent success with basil, parsley, mint, chives and rosemary. We grew thyme last year and it took over the garden; next year we’ll put it in a pot (as we do with mint).

Plants that didn’t turn out well:

• Broccoli – I’m not sure what we did wrong as our broccoli was looking good at the beginning, but each plant grew tall and flowery before we could eat it. The leaves were yellow (telling me our soil was low in nitrogen) and I think our garden was taking in too much sun for the broccoli to work. We may try this in a different location again next year.
  

• Cauliflower – A giant fail! We didn’t see any signs of cauliflower other than big green leaves. No idea what we did wrong.

As the kids get older, I'm sure our garden will become more impressive but at this age, it's all about the process even if the yield isn't high. We live in the city in Vancouver and our garden is really only about one metre squared!!! It's incredible what can grow in this small space or even in pots on a balcony. I'd love to hear if you garden with your little ones and if so, what plants have worked well for you?

OH MONDAY!

1. I love discovering new kids art and I think this pressed flower art might be one of my favourites above a crib in a baby nursery. Also, this nursery is just gorgeous!

Design by Megan Bachmann

2. We survived (& had fun on!) our first ever camping trip with the kids:) Thank you to those who commented on IG last week with encouragement and well wishes, it was very much appreciated. The family tent that we bought turned out to be AMAZING; it is 6'6" tall so my husband and I could fully stand up in it, which is a game changer for anyone with back issues or who just wants to feel like you are in a room, not a tent. The kids had so much fun, they are already asking when we can go again.

3. This playroom has me inspired. I just love how the giant chalkboard and symmetrical shelving units anchor the whole space. Those storage baskets are perfect for keeping toys and art hidden too.

4. If you've been following along for a while, you'll know how much our family loves nature and outdoor adventures. On the weekend, we had the chance to visit Cathedral Grove, an ancient ecosystem of Douglas fir trees, with enormous trees dating 300 - 800 years old. I highly recommend stopping here if you are ever on Vancouver Island.

5. A couple of years ago, I made a photo book to capture some of our summer pictures. I plan to do the same again this year. The kids love looking back at our adventures and I love knowing that at least a tiny part of their childhood is captured for us to remember. Do you do this too?

FRIDAY FINDS: FAMILY CAMPING GEAR!

Like crazy people (ha!), we are taking our kids camping in a tent for the first time this weekend. Don't get me wrong, my love of nature and the outdoors definitely extends to camping, we have just switched to cabins or house rentals when taking family 'outdoorsy' vacations over the past, um...8 years!!!

Well, no longer! The kids are SO excited and I'll let you know how it goes, but just for fun (it is Friday after all), I thought I would share a few of my favourite finds for camping that we'll be taking on our trip.

01. // Tabletop Grill; 02. // Magnifying Glass; 03. // Enamel Mug; 04. // Water shoes; 05. // 8-person Tent; 06. // Vacuum Bottle; 07. // Coffee Maker; 08. // Flower Press; 09. // Plaid Tablecloth; 10. // Folding Table.

6 WAYS TO ADD LIGHTING (TO YOUR CHILD'S ROOM)

That warm sunshine through your windows is quite literally happiness for the soul, but as the days shorten, lighting up the inside of our homes is the next best thing. When thinking about ways to add light to your nursery, children's rooms, or playroom, consider one (or more!) of these six key ways to light up the space.

1. Make use of overhead light

There are SO many beautiful pendant lights to choose from and many allow for a dimmer switch, sometimes making this the only light you actually need to add to a child's room. I love this pretty feather pendant from Ella's room.

2. Use a floor lamp

Simple for kids to switch on and off and handy if next to a rocking chair for reading, a floor lamp can provide task lighting as well as overall ambience. This budget friendly tripod lamp is sturdy and looks pretty too. 

3. Install wall sconces

Use wall sconces for a high-end look that provides just the lighting you need in the exact position you'd like it. I love using wall sconces above kids beds, especially where there isn't space for other options, like in Rafa and Leo's room below. 

4. Use a night light

I've shared some of my favourite night lights before and I love to include them in the rooms I design. So many kids love having a little light they have control over turning off and on themselves and they are handy in a nursery to ensure you can see what you are doing in those mid-night changes! This rocket nightlight is from Etsy.

5. Use string lights

Lights on a string come in so many ways, that the options are limitless. I love the bright ball lights, fairy lights, star lights, you name it. They are practical and add such a soft touch for calm light and decor on a wall or draped over a book wall. 

6. Use a table lamp

Table lamp or task lamps can provide just the light you need for a change table in a baby room, a little light in a toddler room or on a desk as children get older. I love pieces that carry through from baby to teen and a solid table lamp will do just that.

I like to include at least two of these ways in each room that I decorate so that there are a couple of options for providing the light you might need. An overhead light and a night light will work in many cases, but ambience lighting in the form of a lamp is almost always welcome too.

SUMMER BREAK!

I am away on holiday with my family this week; I'll be sharing a few moments over on Instagram stories if you'd like to follow along! See you next Monday!