Dags..
I built a pergola that my children have to walk through to enter their garden. I rescued an old pallet that was destined for the trash heap, ripped off a wide plank & then painted "Children's Garden" (with the 'S' backwards)and hung this from the front of the pergola with rusty bits of chain so that it hangs down. Depending on your style (mine may be too rustic for you), you could use the same concept for your little one. I bet she'd love to see her name hanging in the garden.. good thought! You could also use my pallet idea but instead of hanging the sign, you could simply secure it to a post or a thick tree branch planted in the ground.. maybe you & she could go on an 'adventure' to find her perfect branch.

1)A dear friend's bottom-rotted out arched trellis was in her trash pile. It is shorter, so made a lovely "smaller person" archway.

2)My son and I have painted rocks together. (Also made a "White Garden" rock sign of my own)

3)The child's name on the sign is a good idea. They love that stuff!!!

I taught a group of Jr. Master Gardeners last year. I had about twenty kids and paired them up with their own 10x10 garden. I put the stakes and pieces of wood together and painted them all white. Took them and a bunch of paint and waterproof markers to the garden and let them all do their own sign. Ended up with lots of skull and crossbones for anyone that tread on their little babies.

Bill

Thanks for the idea. I bought a cheap sign that my daughter can use chalk to write her name on. She loves it, but with every rain she will have to rewrite her name. We got the sign to help mark the garden until we can find the perfect rock to paint. I liked that idea, and my daughter thinks it is great since she loves rocks. Thanks for the suggestions. Bill, I bet the garden looked great with the skull and crossbones.

We found a rock a couple of years back that had "Secret Garden" inscribed in it at a local nursery. At last we are actually building and creating their Secret Garden! We recently found a stone and mosaic sign at another nursery that says "Welcome to our Garden". This was especially nice to find, as others we've seen said "Welcome to my garden" and we have two children. I get English Garden magazine, and there is a advertiser that makes custom lead signs, like you see on buildings and things. So if we wanted one with their names on it we could have it made, or I was thinking of sign calling their garden 'le jardin des enfants'.

careytearose

When I was little I used to have my own garden with my Grandfather. It was some of my fondest memories as a child with him. He made me a simple sign that just said "Lexi's Potatoes" for my potatoe garden, and it always meant the world to me. It was just on an old cut down piece of plywood and a stake, but it meant the world to me. I still have that sign after all these years, but in my kitchen and it looks like an "antique" now with all my other rustic/country decorations.
It doesn't have to be anything fancy, just something to make it their own, and the fact that you took the time to make it for them will mean more then anything in the world!

Dags,
After she writes it, you could spray it with a poly. She may like to re-do it each time though.
I love it when kids like to garden. My son likes it too, we're making a butterfly area for him, and I wanted to make a sign for him as well, so much to do. I like the idea of the tepee with pole beans or other vines growing up. That may be another project. I got some great books at the library with other ideas for gardening with kids. We're growing the giant sunflowers for the birdies and birdhouse gourds, pumpkins too. Next year, we'll try potatoes.
Good luck this season.