Monday, April 30, 2012

Gardening A to Z: W is for Wonder

When I was a child, the garden always filled me with a sense of wonder. I was amazed at how beautiful the plants were. I enjoyed following their cycles through the seasons and was almost able to base time on them. I was amazed at how they seemed to change through the year. I loved the feel of the plants and to smell each one of their scents. I loved to draw pictures of them and used the entire rainbow of that 64-crayon box when coloring in my coloring books. After all, I had a rainbow of flowers available to me every year and they came in more than 8 colors.

As I learned more about plants, I as fascinated with how one little seed could become a big majestic plant. There was a harmony in nature that couldn't be replicated anywhere else. I remember writing my own story about how a seed grows into a flower, and the balance and harmony involved in it. Naturally, I proceeded to lose that story, which is a shame. I remember my teacher telling me to save it and to publish it some day.

I love to share the wonder of plants with my students every year. This year, one of them brought in a starter kit for a sunflower, which accompanies Eric Carle's book The Tiny Seed. We just planted it last week. I also set up my lima bean planting activity. The kids have been busy preparing their seeds in the baggies, so that they can watch how they grow. Every day, they check their plants and are ecstatic when they see signs of growth. I am passing that wonder on to a new generation.

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