Secret Gardens for Kids

The original secret garden for kids was contained within the pages of The Secret Garden, a book written by Frances Hodgson Burnett and published in 1909. The novel concerned a garden that had been locked up for ten years and was brought back to life by a couple of ill-matched children. Though the book was published nearly 100 years ago, things haven't changed much. Children are still reading The Secret Garden and still hoping to find a secret garden of their own.

The Magic of Innocence
To a child, a secret garden is a place where magic happens. It's a place where they are allowed to imagine the unimaginable, and where all their dreams really do come true.

What could be more enchanting than a secret garden mysteriously hidden behind the grape arbor? And what child would not smile in delight if she found a key, tucked into a nook in the garden wall, especially if that key opened an ancient vine-covered door that led to a secret garden?

Enchanted Gardens
Secret gardens are filled with the glorious scent of blooming flowers, their heads delicately bowing at the feet of twisted and gnarled corkscrew willows and massive towering oaks, each with limbs that simply beg for a rope swing and a child to go with it. Fairies and elves are purported to be alive and well in secret gardens the world over. This is evidenced by whimsical fairy doors set in the garden fence or in the roots of a tree. The appearance of one of these doors offers a glimpse into a fantasy world that is just as real as your child's imagination can make it.
 
Creating a Secret Garden
Imagine seeing the garden through the eyes of a child. Feel the embrace of a willow tree's slender arms, experience all over again the gentle caress of the wind and the sound of bluebirds in the nest nearby. Taste the scent of strawberries on the rising wind and watch the sunflower heads turn in synch with the sun. Can you remember that instant swirl of magic that dumps into the air the minute a hollyhock flower unfolds? That's the secret of the garden's appeal to children..

If the garden is to be a surprise to your child, center it around a special occasion. What better birthday gift for a child than a copy of the book, The Secret Garden, accompanied by plans to create her very own secret garden?

Choose Your Space Carefully
Do you have a fenced space at the end of your property? Once you find the space you seek-large or small-sit down and make an outline. Your creativity and your child's imagination are all that are required to make even the smallest space into the most cherished and enchanted secret garden in town.

• The perfect area, of course, will be at least large enough for a child to hold a tea party or picnic with friends.
• Look for a tree that will support a swing; it will provide both shade and enjoyment. If you're lucky enough to have a tree with gnarled roots, take advantage of the area and install either a fairy door or an elf door. No secret garden would be complete without one.
• Avoid areas with water; don't put the secret garden next to a stream, river or pond. Children can't resist taking a dip but should never be near open water without close supervision.

Winding Paths and Flowers
Regardless of the length of the path, there must be one. Use stepping stones, created by the child herself. If you opt to purchase material for a path, just about any outdoor landscaping product such as pebbles, sand, or one of the various mulches will work. If there is only space for one stepping stone, make it special. Scatter coins to keep your path true to the novel.

Edge the border of the path with flowers that will wander and trail slightly over the stones in a random pattern. Alyssum, various sedums, Irish moss and thyme come to mind. An added plus of planting alyssum and thyme is that a glorious aroma will be emitted each time little feet accidentally step on them. Different plants can be used in this capacity, but make sure they are have a nice aroma.

Let your imagination and that of your child run wild. Plant flowers that inspire and awe; flowers that will bloom at different times of the season, so that there is color in the garden at all times. Sunflowers can tower over the garden, and zinnias will give your child material for bouquets. Pansies, violets and forget-me-knots are just a few flowers that come to mind, but before planting anything, check with your local Master Gardener. Some flowers are beautiful to behold, but dangerous if ingested.

The last thing you'll need in your garden is a sign that denotes whose garden it is. Your child's name followed by the words "secret garden" will do nicely.