The Little Paper

Springtime, and the living is leafy

Gardening is a near perfect family activity. Kids love to dig, weed and water and whether you buy plants for instant gratification or wait for that seed to bud; the learning opportunities are endless.

Care to venture into your community? A plethora of drop-in gardening opportunities across the GTA can be found at Toronto Community Garden Network.
Need inspiration? Head to the Toronto Botanical Gardens and check out their Alphabet, Sensory, Dinosaur and Spiral Butterfly Gardens. Or, how about serving up some empathy with your greens; Plant a Row, Grow a Row Junior is a veggie gardening initiative where part of the harvest is shared with food banks.

If you’re filling in your own garden, some extraordinary foliage can be found at the 8 May, 11am-2pm, Horticultural Societies of Parkdale and Toronto Plant Fair, the 9 May, 11am-2pm High Park Volunteer Stewardship Program Native Plant Sale, the 22 May, 9-11:30am Beach Garden Society Plant Sale and the 29 May, 9-10:30am Spadina Museum Plant Sale. Got a seedling to spare? The Withrow Farmer’s Market is hosting a seedling swap on 22 May.

What to plant? Some of our cheap and cheerful faves for kids include Scarlet Runner Beans, Sweet Peas, Carrots (there’s nothing like a garden carrot), Sunflowers and Mint. Or sprinkle a little magic and create a fairy garden or this link too. No Outdoor space? Try an indoor fairy garden sprouting or herbs on a sill.