Manzanita are quintessentially western shrubs. There are over 60 species and countless hybrids occurring from Canada into Mexico, from the beach up into the mountains. My childhood secret garden hideaways were under the canopy of A. viscida groves in the Siskiyou foothills and I adore that it’s the same for my kids, only under manzanita we planted in our urban garden. Of course there is an endless array of sturdy shrubs that kids can disappear under, slip into their imaginative realm and make a place of their own. Manzanita are special in that not only do they have a bit of a mythical quality in their form, they also have so much to offer. From the tiny bell flowers that rain down like confetti to be served as cups at fairy tea parties to the “little apples” I’ve witnessed be gathered as ammo, macerated into fermented mush, floated in mud stew and magic potions and collected as treasured currency. They are a wonderful backdrop to free, independent open-ended play.

Certainly one of the ways a garden can influence us is the resonance of smell. Olfactory memory of fragrant blooms lasts a lifetime for many of us. Fragrance in the garden is such a wonderful sensory experience to share with kids and often that memory is a lifelong connection to a place in time. Resinous foliage or pungent blooms alike, bonus points for things that can be plucked at will on a moment's impulse. It’s an opportunity not to be missed to include something fragrant when gardening with children in mind.

Verbascum makes the list because few things are as exciting for kids in the garden as rapid, measurable growth. Plants are animate too! This one tops the charts with its daily climb skyward. Ethereal tendrils of gossamer fuzz winding their way curiously towards the light! My kids adore these giant silver mullein as much as I do. Especially when they are wildly juiced up and robust, in the squirrelly phase at peak bloom. Giant towers of Echium are a contender if the climate allows, or witnessing an Agave rocket up into a candelabra.

A true locally native perennial, Sidalcea campestris is so lovely in a soft and naturalistic design. It combines perfectly with sprays of grasses, other wildflower companions such as clarkia, lupine, and yarrow, as we might have once seen it in vast meadows throughout the Willamette Valley. Native plants are such great educational tools for kids to begin to understand concepts of symbiosis and mutualism. Adding regionally native plants to the home garden is a wonderful way for kids to grow a deeper sense of place, recognition and relation to the land they inhabit. Deepening this awareness and relation to land will hopefully amplify and sustain their interests in stewardship and regard for an environment in balance. Willamette checker mallow is a special one for us!

Strawflower is a classic not to be forgotten! Growing annual flowers and vegetables from seed to harvest is so accessible and educational for kids. It’s integral to gardening to offer them the experience of agency and responsibility, allowing them to do what they will with their flowers! It’s been helpful for us to have a lot of the same variety, a more consistent source for the mud kitchen or the craft of the moment. Annual cut flowers continue to grow in popularity with the flower farmer buzz, making available a lot of fun and unusual varieties. Strawflower is an undeniable favorite with its vibrantly whorled rays of curiously tactile, crunchy, bristly blooms.