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Peter has his own little garden, right by the downspout, carefully cultivated and occasionally mulched. He originally planted dandelions and feathers, but added a marigold, tomato, zinnias, and cosmos after he saw the success of his siblings' gardens.
That feather plant, though. It was beautiful in his eyes. Just like the wonder with which Selina Peake describes the simple, jewel-like fields of cabbages upon viewing the countryside for the first time, we encourage the childlike joy that accompanies each discovery of beauty in the mundane.
I'd like to say that we've raised our children to appreciate beauty, but I don't think we've had anything to do with it. I think that any child seeing a flower, an interesting bug, a majestic tree, is so enchanted by these new experiences that he or she can't contain the joy that such beauty evokes. It bubbles over and must be shared. The parents are only the most obvious recipients.
So while I don't think I caused this intense interest in natural beauty, I do what I can to cultivate it.
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Learn more about gardening with kids here.
How we make the world more beautiful.
