"Penny of Time" Adventure: Gifting with a Garden Pot

"Penny of Time" Adventuring Mom Christine has some great ideas about garden pots and serving others.  Create a salad pot . . . a pot with all the plants for a salad growing in it.  A pesto pot . . . great idea!  Maybe even pots filled with a variety of plants . . . garden pots given to help families in financial or medical need.  Brilliant, Christine!  Thank you for the inspiration!

I've given herbs planted together for a Mother's Day gift but had stopped there.  Christine inspired us to step up with serving using this wonderful tool.

First Service Act:  A Jade Plant
Our first "Penny of Time" Adventure with this in mind was with a simple jade plant.  We took the supplies to put a jade plant in a pot over to a new friend's house.  She is in a tough situation and we wanted to share our love for her.  Together, we planted a jade plant.  We chose the jade plant for her because it is known as the lucky plant or friendship plant.  This particular young lady needs friends and a bit of luck! 

What I did not expect was the DELIGHT that she showed while planting it with us!  The act of planting a jade plant brought smiles and giggles and wonder as we explained how to do it and how to care for it.  A great experience for my boys.  And fun to see them teaching her!

Second Service Act:  Aloe for an Elderly Friend
We have an elderly neighbor who is very limited in her mobility.  We wanted to put together a garden pot for her.  Something fun and useful, too!  The boys thought that aloe was the perfect thing.  (I was kind of iffy on the aloe plant choice, to be frank.)  So, we put together a low-maintenance potted aloe garden pot.  The boys chose some cheerful pinwheels and flower accents.  She LOVED it.  I mean LOVED it!  (and, so did I.  We have one now, too.)

Serving with Garden Pots means:

• Your kids are providing a resource to someone in need.
• Your kids are experiencing the benefits of planting and learning more about what plants need to grow.  With each different garden pot they put together, they are learning about a variety of plants.
• Your kids are teaching others how to maintain a basic garden pot.
• Your kids are helping others connect with nature which can be especially healing.

Check out this gardening board on Pinterest . . . may have an idea for just what you need to help another!

More ideas on Garden Pots from Play Create Explore, Don't Miss These!

• This one is a Miniature Dinosaur Garden.  Seriously so cute!  She said that she has even brought the ingredients over to a young friend's house for him to put together.  Great idea to give some cheer!  My boys would love this!
• Don't leave from Play Create Explores site without seeing the Fairy Garden.  OR this Fairy Garden.  Whimsy meets a service act!  Sigh . . . so awesome!

How an EIGHTH grader helps others with her full out garden:  Katie's Krops