A sniff-and-feel flowerbed for children

Children love digging in the earth, planting flowers, harvesting vegetables, munching on sweet berries and watching as sunflowers turn their necks towards the sun. To give them a taste of the great pleasure of gardening, you should provide young natural scientists with the opportunity to get close to nature at the same time as having fun. Sensory experiences such as stroking soft grasses, smelling fragrant flowers and observing delicate petals can bring moments of true happiness.

It's perfect if your little green-fingered darlings are allowed to do some gardening themselves. Even three-year-olds are keen to help in the garden. In their own bed - with an area of one to two square metres - they can experiment to their heart's content and look after their favourite plants. Plants which are easy to look after, such as daisies and nasturtiums, are ideal for budding gardeners. Children are also impressed by tall-growing and fragrant flowers. A flowerbed for children should be laid in good loose soil and be round so that all the plants are easy to reach. Tubs and plant pots are perfect as initial experimenting ground for cultivating flowers and herbs.

Children like anything which grows quickly - such as strawberries or snapdragons, is wonderfully colourful, tastes nice or smells fantastic. Also, plants which exude a familiar scent awaken the curiosity of children. There are several of these, such as chocolate-scented daisy, chocolate cosmos, Gummibär tree (cephalophora aromatica), spearmint, tangerine gems, banana mint and many more. Rub the leaves of mint or tarragon between your fingers so that an aromatic fragrance fills the air.

Harvesting crops yourself and then eating them is even more exciting than a touch and a smell. Whether it be the edible flowers of nasturtiums, courgettes, strawberries and raspberries, or tomatoes and carrots, children will never forget these experiences.