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Plant Yourself

Simply Plant Yourself!

PLANT YOURSELF illustrates the relationship that we can have with the Garden as we share our gifts, which includes seeds, cuttings, bulbs, care and attention! The children in PLANT YOURSELF bring their contributions to a public Garden, perhaps a Community or School Garden, where they work and play in Community to create food and beauty. As they begin a relationship with a particular piece of Earth, they can learn to appreciate the value of healthy soil, microorganisms, insects and many more living organisms.

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Another Garden book...

PLANT YOURSELF!

J ust like in GARDEN TOES, the Garden is a central character, this time calling the children (and adults!) to bring themselves and their gifts to visit, work and play in the planting place. This particular place is probably a public Garden, perhaps a Community or School Garden, where gardeners can participate in the planting, care and harvest of food, flowers and herbs.

PLANT YOURSELF was inspired when a friend of mine by the name of Roselle agreed to lead a Children’s Garden workshop at the Neptune Beach Community Garden. I had started Roselle seeds the month prior and we had 6 plants to add to the late Spring Garden; Roselle offered to add those Roselle plants to her planting plan. We named the workshop “Roselle plants Roselle” and a new song was inspired as well. My herbalist friend Heather suggested Heather plants along with the herb Rue. More verses were added! So a song about a Community Garden has become a Community Song!

In PLANT YOURSELF, the human characters bring seeds, cuttings and bulbs that share their names:

  • Roselle brings Roselle seeds
  • Lily brings a Lily bulb
  • Heather brings Heather cuttings
  • And more…

Many of us, including this songwriter and illustrator, don’t have a name in common with a garden plant. Not a problem! What flower or herb shares a beginning letter with yours?

  • Peggy plants Pansy seeds
  • Terry plants Tulip bulbs

What is your favorite plant? In my backyard Garden in Northern Florida, I plant Calendula flowers and give Chickweed plenty of space in the Winter Garden. The Summer Garden grows Tulsi and Basils.

  • Peggy plants Calendula seeds in the Winter
  • Peggy plants Tulsi seeds in the Summer
The possibilities are so diverse for the plants that you can share with the Garden!

I particularly like the idea of bringing seeds, cuttings and bulbs (and, of course, plants) to a Public Garden and sharing in its creation and maintenance. It is a mishmash of different styles, colors, tastes, sizes and ideas co-existing in a particular space, always growing and changing. It requires respect, tolerance and a sense of humor to recognize that, just like the people in our everyday lives, gardening folk have a range of opinions! And I believe that to be a good thing.