Berries are also a good choice for this garden. You’ll want to find out what plants grow well in your area, but blueberries and blackberries are two possibilities. If you grow blackberries, be sure to get a thornless variety. Also include some edible flowers. Our favorites are pansies, which grow well here in the cooler weather of spring and fall, and nasturtiums, which we plant during the hot summer. Edible flowers are discussed in more detail in chapter 8. Sound Asound garden is a bit of a challenge, since people don’t really think of plants as making noise. This garden works best when teachers encourage children to listen for sounds that exist beyond the plants: the buzzing of bees and chirping of birds, for example. However, you will also want to include plants that make a rattling sound if shaken when dried, such as Chinese lanterns and money plant. Flowers that have dryer petals, such as statice and straw- flower, also make noise when rubbed. In addition, you can include grasses that rustle in the breeze. Devices such as wind chimes add to the auditory appeal of this garden. Touch Plantsthat arefuzzy, prickly, or spongy makeup a touch garden. Favorites for touching are lamb’s ear, dusty miller, cockscomb, and different varieties of sedum. Also include plants that change when handled. Forinstance, children quickly learned how to manipulate snapdragons by gently squeezing in the right place to make them open and “snap” shut. You might want to include a plant or two that has prickles or thorns as well. A small, hardy rose shrub or a cactus plant would serve this purpose. If you include one of these or another thorny plant, place it in the back of the garden where it is not likely to be accidentally bumped, and educate the children about safe handling practices. Sight Bright, bold, cheery flowers dominate the sight garden. If you plan well, you can orchestrate a succession of flowers throughout the growing season. In the early spring, tulips are ajoy to winter-weary eyes, as are other flowers that grow from bulbs, such as daffodils and crocuses. As summer progresses, flowers such as zinnias, strawflowers, marigolds, hollyhocks, and geraniums can take their place. By including mums in this garden, you will also have blooms as summer turns to fall. Dealing with Invasive Plants Some plants, such as mints, tend to grow rampant and invade parts of the garden where you do not want them to be. Once they get started, it’s hard to stop them. To avoid this problem, you can plant them in containers. You can also limit the space they have to grow by following these steps: 1. Cut out the bottom from a five- gallon bucket or other deep container. 2. Dig a hole in your garden deep enough to hold the container. 3. Place the container in the ground with about one inch protruding above the ground. 4. Fill the container with soil and plant your invasive plant inside. This will keep the roots from spreading outside the container. Planning Your Garden 43 H&HChapter 3 copy.QXD 7/15/09 3:00 PM Page 43