Garden | Caro & Co | Engaging children with nature, outdoors and food

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Mother’s Day. 10 gifts isn’t too much to ask for is it?

“ Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart walk around outside of your body." ~Elizabeth Stone~ ” I became a mother almost 10 ago. I could... more

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Plants you can play with #4 – the magic of grasses

I love grasses. There are over 600 genera and some 10,000 species of grass around the world. It's my view that they are amongst the most important family of plants on the planet. They have a... more

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How to do nothing and enjoy it…

In Australia, for many, December means celebrating Christmas, hot days, gifts, reconnection and relaxation, family, more hot days and approximately 9 weeks of school holidays. We're a month... more

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Plants kids can play with #3 A Seuss plant

This week's plant was chosen by my 7 year old daughter. In her words, "Mummy, you should write about Marigolds. They always look sunny, sometimes funny and I like eating them too." As that... more

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Dragon poo, nasturtiums and why we need both…

Yesterday my daughter and I spent most of the day in our small suburban garden, planting, pruning, weeding and watering. For young children, everyday tasks such as these can be 'teeeedious'... more

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The power of “people variety” in a child’s life …

My girlfriend recently rang to ask if my husband would be prepared to take on an informal mentoring role for her teenage son. She is a single working mother and her son has limited access to... more

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Who’s afraid of the great outdoors…?

I originally posted this a year or so ago, but in the run up to spring I thought it worth revisiting. The great outdoors …. sometimes the thought of allowing your child to run free outside can... more

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a veggie-led backyard revolution…

There’s a quiet revolution going on in the suburban backyards of Australia. Rather than sitting back and admiring our perfectly manicured “outside rooms”, gazing lovingly at our mondo... more

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To trick, treat or opt out? Australia and Halloween

Halloween is almost upon us. On 31 October, thousands of children and adults around the world will don strange costumes and wander the streets. Tricks will played, treats will be given ….... more

Garden

Let loose in the garden, armed only with a few simple garden tools, some seedlings and their vibrant and eager imaginations, the humble back garden can really kick-start a love of gardening in young children.

Even if you have no garden or very little space, there are activities that you can undertake that are fun, cheap and thrill kids.

Simple veggie gardens, gardening clubs, visiting nurseries, botanic gardens, parks and forests and watching garden renovation shows or nature programmes during indoor time can all build gardening passions!

And by helping children mix the practical with the magical, the humble back garden becomes a place of deep magic, adventure, fun and discovery.

There are dragons, fairies and trolls everywhere – you just need to know where to look...

Plants you can play with #4 – the magic of grasses

by Caro&Co on Apr 19, 2011 • 9 Comments

I love grasses. There are over 600 genera and some 10,000 species of grass around the world. It’s my view that they are amongst the most important family of plants on the planet. They have a multitude of uses and functions ranging from purely ornamental to agricultural. They form our staple food grains and cereal...

Discovery / Family Life / Garden / Imagination / Outdoor Fun

Sowing the seeds of future passions…

by Caro&Co on Apr 8, 2011 • 13 Comments

“The love of gardening is a seed that once sown never dies.” - Gertrude Jekyll When I was growing up, I spent a lot of time with my Grandfather. He was a professional gardener and would quite often take me to his place of work, which I adored. I would help him pull out weeds and...

Family Life / Garden / Imagination / Outdoor Fun

Beetles, Oreos and Ivory Curls – sharing small joys

by Caro&Co on Feb 13, 2011 • 4 Comments

Early this morning my daughter and I set off on a walk. Grey clouds and rain loomed but we were determined to a) exhaust our puppies and b) find some funky things to add to our found collection. As we walked, conversation fell to sharing and the different ways in which one can do this....

Family Life / Garden / Imagination / Outdoor Fun

How to do nothing and enjoy it…

by Caro&Co on Dec 15, 2010 • 2 Comments

In Australia, for many, December means celebrating Christmas, hot days, gifts, reconnection and relaxation, family, more hot days and approximately 9 weeks of school holidays. We’re a month into summer and the heat can be oppressive. If you’re lucky and have access to a pool, beach or outback dam, the summer break invariably means...

Family Life / Garden / Imagination / Outdoor Fun

Two children on love, imagination and outdoor magic

by Caro&Co on Jul 14, 2010 • 6 Comments

Sometimes something literally takes your breath away and transports you to another place where imagination, joy and gratitude collide. This happened to me last week. I was visiting a dear friend who I hadn’t seen for several years. She lives with her two beautiful daughters in the Noosa hinterland. They know that I’m a big...

Family Life / Garden / Imagination / Outdoor Fun

Gum Nuts for Mum

by Caro&Co on May 5, 2010 • 3 Comments

Today I visited The Point Preschool in a leafy suburb of Sydney. I adore this preschool and all that they do to encourage innate connections with nature in their young students. So I was well and truly chuffed when I arrived to find a group of 4 year olds busily making the Gum Nut Potpourri...

Family Life / Garden / Imagination / Outdoor Fun

Plants kids can play with #3 A Seuss plant

by Caro&Co on Mar 26, 2010 • 8 Comments

This week’s plant was chosen by my 7 year old daughter. In her words, “Mummy, you should write about Marigolds. They always look sunny, sometimes funny and I like eating them too.” As that sounded Seuss-like to me, how could I argue? So here’s our tribute to the humble French Marigold (Tagetes patula) and some...

Family Life / Garden / Imagination / Outdoor Fun

Love me, love my conkers – Plants kids can play with #2

by Caro&Co on Mar 15, 2010 • 8 Comments

Welcome to number #2 in the series “Plants kids can play with“. This week we feature the majestic Liquidambar styraciflua. Also known as Sweet Gum, it is native to eastern North America. However, it is also a common tree here in Australia in large private gardens, public parks and gardens and streetscapes (in temperate areas)....