Botanical Enchantments

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Do you find that your herb garden brings out your inner child? The garden is a great place to play with both your inner child and real children, who get along very well together. Invite them all for a playful day of making crafts using materials from the garden. Bring scissors, a gathering basket, and a sense of fun.

Below are three projects to make with and for children. For ages eight to twelve (or younger if the child knows how to braid), there are pretty ponytail holders and friendship bracelets made from sweet grass (Hierochloe odorata). For ages six and older (younger girls will need adult assistance), dreaming heart bouquets can hold a child’s double handful of gatherings from the garden. Finally, dried-flower barrettes are challenging enough for older girls ages ten to fifteen, or for an adult who wants to make a special gift for a little girl’s dress-up occasion.

You’ll want to hit the craft store first for materials such as barrette backs, wood veneer, and ribbons or lacings; then gleefully go searching for the natural materials. When your baskets are full, go inside, have a cup of peppermint tea, and enjoy a day of making things from the garden.

PROJECTS

Dreaming Heart Herb Baskets

These baskets are for hanging on the wall near sleeping heads. Mugwort and yarrow were traditionally used to influence happy dreams, but you and your children can use any herb or flower that brings you delight. Angelica, St. John’s wort, lemon balm, roses, lavender, and linden are excellent choices; lamb’s-ears and dried sage also work well. Let your child add any dried weeds or flowers that enchant her with their color or shape.

If your child is too young to use pointed scissors, prepare the punched hearts in advance, and supervise closely as she laces the hearts together.

Materials

Pencil
1-foot-square piece of basswood, birch or maple veneer, birch bark, fancy handmade paper or construction paper for each heart basket
Heart pattern, about 5 inches across and 6 inches tall
Marking pencil
Scissors, large and smaller curved-blade scissors
Drywall or X-acto knife
Leather or paper punch
Watercolor ink
1- to 2-inch natural-bristle paintbrush
Waxed paper
Paper towels
1 to 11/2 yards ribbon, yarn, or sweet grass per heart
Large-eyed, blunt-tipped crewel needle or bodkin
Beads, bells, or other embellishments
Dried flowers and herbs
Floral foam and/or masking tape (optional)

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