Perfect solution, Carol! I'm going to add it to my mental repertoire, if that's ok w/you. There are so many levels on which this works...One of the biggest, I think, is that while you were teaching the kids to respect plants, you did it in a way that showed you respected THEM, and along the way, helped them get a feeling of ownership in the nurturing of living things.

Thanks for sharing this story. (P.S. Am so glad your solution was not erecting wire cages baited with chocolate, lol!)

- Karen

Thank you for the kind words, Karen, though I must confess that after finding a clump of smashed daffodils,initially the wire cage/chocolate idea ran through my head! ;->

Carol

When I was a child I would pick the neighbors flowers and get in trouble. I couldn't help my self. As an adult I enjoy sharing my flowers with any children that want to pick some. I let it be known that all they need to do is ask me to help them(so that the plant is not pulled from the ground) and they can take a nice bunch home to mom. I hope that some day some of these kids will grow flowers too.

The other day I looked out the window and there was "Sonny", our neighbors boy with a pair of scissors cutting roses from in front of our house! My wife and I were both very amused...we thought it was cute that he was bringing flowers to his mom. Now if I can only get him to stop dragging all my rocks into the street gutter everytime he wants to play damn builders:-)

I keep a patch of daisies, black eyed susans and other "wild" things that will keep blooming as long as they are picked. Lets the kids bring Mom and impromtu bouquet and saves my other plants.

Spring is a bit of a problem I don't have many rebloomers that start real early. My daughter is 9 and is usually pretty good but still can't resist a few daffodils. Hard to get mad when she comes with a big smile and a flowers for her mom.

My sister had problems with children riding bikes through her irises. Since she's a bit different and anti-social, she chased the children down the street wearing her ratty sweatpants and leather jacket while in bare feet. I might add she was shouting some really nasty things. It took only one time and the children of the neighborhood became convinced that she'd behead them if they came near her plants again. She also stopped the local religious groups from sending the door-knockers a visiting. Its been years since she's lived with my mother and still the neighbors remember.

Respectfully,

R. Gothie

I live in the suburbs, but my house is centered between all the places that kids need to get! I too let them help me out in the garden and let them pick whatever they like.

They repaid me with plants from a church sale that was held down the block. I received a licorice plant, some hens and chicks, and lambs ear. The kids really enjoy stopping in to check on their plants!

Saucy

I heard a story, don't know if it's true or not.

This kid went to a ladies house and asked for flowers for her mom. She told her that her mom always felt bad.

The lady asked her what flowers her mom liked. She said she did'nt know but she always liked the number 3.

So she let the kid pick 3 different flowers in 3 differnt colors.

The kid gave the flowers to her mother and she was thrilled and was more peaceful, quiet and less adgitated.

This one is still a myth but was it the kid, the flowers, the number 3 or was it a higher calling?

Did those 3 different flowers represent this:

Father
Son
Holy Ghost

pray tell????

One time when I was very young I wanted to make some money so I went around to my neighbors' houses and picked a few flowers from each place, then I went back to these same houses and asked if they wanted to buy some pretty flowers @ 3 for a quarter. Surprisingly, some people bought some from me. Some even told me that I was very 'cute' and that this was a 'sweet' idea. Later when they realized that they had bought back their own flowers they probably didn't think it was so cute anymore! I have always felt VERY guilty for that act. Now when young children express an interest in my flowers, I gladly share a small bouquet with them showing them the best way to harvest the blooms and to save the plant.

(I do know that I did not rip the plants out of the ground when I took my neighbors' flowers. Even way back then I was careful not to destroy the mother plant; I wanted to keep seeing flowers all summer long. ...or maybe I just didn't want to lose my money maker:-)
~Louise (felling guilty) in Iowa

That's 'feeling' guilty, not felling guilty. I'm so shook up that I can't even spell correctly. :-)

my mother has had a garden for years and she always shares flowers for the neighbor kids and especially her grandkids.

When my son stays there, he can't wait for the morning trip to the garden for "his" flowers.

Well, this spring, her very first gerbera daisy came up. Sitting all pretty and bright red. When her and my neice went to to the garden so she could pick a bouquet for her mother (divorced from my brother), didn't she point to the one show piece in the garden and request it.

Mom says she hesitated a minute, then said, OK. And cut it for her. Mom says I can always grow another red gerbera daisy. I can't always have my granddaughter share a special moment with me on a warm spring day.

I guess she has her priorities in the right place. I hope I can live up to that.

Shelly

Reminds me of my 6 yr old neice. Last spring, while visiting, the kids were playing in the yard while I was weeding. She came over to talk to me, and started to pick the flowers off a shrub. When I saw what she was doing, I said, "Are you picking my flowers?" She noticed what she was doing (I think she was too busy talking and didn't even realize that she was pulling the flowers off)she said to me, "That's ok Aunt Colleen, I still love you!". I still laugh when I think about it!