Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Seed Catalogs

Our spring Gurney's catalog came in the mail the other day. Last night my son discovered it. He knew mom was looking for plants to give us privacy from the new neighbors so he started studying shrubs. I then got my plant books out and we were reading the Latin names of plants, learning about growing zones, soil conditions, pH, amending soil, plant food, etc. It's amazing how much one can branch out from one little old seed catalog. It's even more amazing how fast a child learns when he really wants to learn.

DS made a list of plants for his dream house. He's been designing dream houses since I can remember, but he's just now beginning to consider landscaping his homes. He wants lilacs and snowball bushes. He wants tulip trees. Just like his mother, he wants weeping willows. His home has to be in a warm climate because he wants palmettos and palm trees, too. He studied trees in second grade public school but didn't learn much. We've decided to really study them now and start nature walks and naming trees. (Mom is really bad at this, so we'll probably have to take a backpack full of books with us.) Of course, because we're in Minnesota we'll have to study the coniferous trees right now and wait for spring to study the deciduous trees.

Since my son was little, he has had a fascination with Venus Fly Traps. He has always wanted one, but due to the fact we live in the middle of nowhere, we have never found one. My son took the Gurney's catalog to bed last night and what did he find? A carnivorous kit for only $19.95. Comes with six carnivorous plants, a dome and informational book. Cha-ching. I just told the principle who has been complaining about the teacher's out-of-control spending habits, but the principal said it was okay to order the kit. (Like the teacher would need his approval anyway, ha!) Dear son also wants a packet of catnip seeds so he can grow his own and make the cats happy. He also wants a coffee plant. I think I'll just order the cat nip seeds and forget the coffee plant.

Right now I wish I had a classroom the size of a public school room. I'd devote an entire area for plants and another area for animals. We are going to be ordering a butterfly kit soon and need a place to put it. We're also going to be ordering a tadpole kit. Cha-ching, cha-ching, cha-ching.

I wonder if I can order a money tree that will produce prolific blooms?

Well, break's over. Back to school.

3 comments:

Violet's Mom said...

Seed catalogs...ahhhh. Life is good when you've got a seed catalog.

Right now we're studying the five senses. When we're done, it is planting time! I figure we can learn a great deal from planting a big huge garden.

Keep us posted about the Venus Fly Traps. If you're ever in need of some flies let me know. With horses and lots of manure we seem to have our own fly breeding farm in the back.

Appletini said...

My son is crazy about Venus Fly Traps, too. He has the book "Eyewitness: Plants" and the spine is permanently cracked to the page about carnivorous plants.

I've seen those kits before, but never bought one before. I keep thinking they're kind of like the plant equivalent to sea monkeys.

I'd love to know how your kit grows. Keep us posted! :-)

Anonymous said...

We've had luck finding Venus Fly Traps, and a couple other carnivorous types, at Home Depot. They usually get them in the mid-spring.
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