Create a garden where children can grow

The approach of fall offers an opportunity to renew gardens — and it's also back-to-school time for those of us with children in our lives. This is a good reminder that we can embellish our garden plans with features that appeal to youthful tastes. It's a good way to help kids develop a habit for a lifetime ... and have fun at the same time.

Here are a few special elements that can make a garden more appealing to kids.

Water runs through it

Running water appeals to our senses of sight, sound and touch — and it is also a source of endless delight for children. Plan a water feature that fits your space and budget. It may be as simple as a large ceramic pot with a small pump in it to create a jet of water. More elaborate would be a pool and waterfall large enough for fish or children to splash in (just be sure the depth of the water is appropriate for the age of the kids).

Bring in the wildlife

Gardens can be a child's introduction to our natural world. Pay attention to choosing plants that will attract wildlife, including butterflies and birds.

A good plant for hummingbirds is hardy fuchsia (Fuchsia magellanica), still blooming now in gardens. Similarly, choose plants with fall berries to attract birds to your garden. Butterflies can be encouraged in your garden with host plants that will feed the larva and nectar plants that will feed the adults.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife's Web site includes its Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary Program. Find it at: www.wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/backyard.

This site offers tips and plant lists for attracting wildlife, and you can get the same thing by mail by ordering a Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary Packet. Send $5 to: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary Program, 16018 Mill Creek Blvd., Mill Creek, WA 98012.

Making it tasty

A nibble of a veggie or fruit fresh from the garden can give some children more payoff than the most beautiful flower.

Even if you don't have room for — or interest in — a large vegetable garden, try a raised bed or a container. The important thing is to introduce children to the wonder of planting a seed and watching it grow. For planting this month, choose radishes, arugula, mustard and corn salad. Other edibles to consider for fall planting are blueberries, which are also ornamental with their beautiful fall color, and evergreen huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum), a Northwest native with shiny green leaves that will take part shade.

Add a playhouse

While engaging children in growing things is important, so is creating a rich environment for engaging a child's sense of play. Children love places where they can both view the world and hide from it. Consider a tree house that can serve as both a viewing platform and a hideaway. A playhouse on the ground with a ladder to a flat roof can also be an imaginative play structure.

Pathways to fun

An open lawn will provide a space for free play, but pathways may provide a more intimate and adventurous experience. You may want to give a portion of the garden over to a miniature woodland, or you may have a large property with a readymade one. Create paths that curve out of sight to further the sense of mystery.

Child-size furniture

An easy way to add appeal is to furnish the garden with furniture scaled to the size of your child. A small table and chairs will provide a setting for a tea party, or for an outdoor meal.

Make it smell good!

Design a garden to engage children's senses. Fragrant flowers can take us back to childhood memories of gardens long gone. Create those memories for your children by choosing plants with scents that were your favorites, or explore new ones. Bearded irises, peonies and roses are likely candidates.

Colorful memories

Appeal to the visual senses of your child with color. Many of us remember a grandmother's garden filled with colorful flowers. You may not have time to tend a large perennial garden, but a few flowering plants will go a long way. Or consider the impact of sunflowers, easy to grow from seeds planted in the spring.

Children's interests change as they grow, so flexibility is the key. As the years pass, you will discover new ways to tailor the garden to your children, and to create the memories they will take with them when they go on to gardens of their own.

Phil Wood has a degree in landscape architecture and builds gardens. Call 206-464-8533 or e-mail thegardendesigner@seattletimes.com with your questions.