Gossip in the Garden

Emily, my 14-year old daughter, was able to spend a month in the south of France this Summer, staying with both sets of her best-friend’s grandparents who live in the villages Aix En Provence and Tholet.

Her father bought her a new camera for her birthday, and I pleaded with her to take lots of photos of French gardens for me. While it was hard for me to say goodbye for so long, I was selfishly excited to see what photos she would bring back.

Upon seeing the slideshow (all 958 photos….) I was absolutely speechless at her creativity and her artistic viewpoint.  But most of all I loved just seeing what SHE thought was interesting. (you can view her ‘pared down’ slideshow below)

This got me thinking….I wonder what my garden looks like to kids of all ages??  So, I asked some neighborhood kids (ages 4, 7, 12 & 16) to come over on different days, take my camera and shoot away.  No rules, no guidelines, no time limits, nothing.  Just the instructions to take photos of whatever they thought was ‘cool’. (okay – one rule – to please use the wrist strap at all times…)

Here are the results.

Logan – age 4

The biggest challenge with a 4-year old is to get them to SLOW DOWN.  Logan’s first 20 photos were really blurry as he was so busy running all OVER my garden – like a hummingbird racing from flower to flower. While his mother and I were busy chatting away, I noticed that on his own he naturally began to slow down and to really focus on what he was looking at – kind of like he was in his own world.  All of a sudden, the photos began to take on a whole new look:  very artistic, very specific, and full of things that would naturally catch a little boy’s eye – balls, bees and spitting fountains.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Tyler – age 7

Tyler was a bit more serious, taking his time, not saying much.  What was very interesting here was that of the 24 photos he took, all but 1 were of succulents.  This is a boy who knows exactly what he likes – no fancy flowers, no flashy foliage – symmetrical succulents ONLY.

Julia – age 12

Julia was the only child who ventured into the front yard…all the rest stayed in the back.  She seemed to like anything that looked like animals (donkey-tail succulents)  or WAS an animal (poor, caged canary) – you can tell she’s an animal-lover!  Julia also took lots of really bright flower combos – she obviously likes bright colors!

Amanda – age 16

Now you’re seeing photos taken at all KINDS of angles – very ‘avant-garde’! She seemed to notice the ‘details’ of the garden, and how by just tilting the camera (or your head) an item takes on a whole different perspective…

The conclusion?  If you’re creating a garden to appeal to your children – just give them a camera!  They’ll tell you EXACTLY what they like (without even meaning to).  Garden ‘bling’ seems to be their number one favorite thing (balls, statues, fountains), with succulents a close second.  This is such a fun project – perfect for the ‘jaded’ gardener, as it gives you a new perspective – something we all need at times!

.

p.s. If you’ve got a little time, or just want some European ‘inspiration’ please check these 2 galleries of my daughter’s France photos…

.

Emily’s France photos – age 14

The Flora & Fauna of France (cool, old buildings too!)

Emily, my 14-year old daughter, was able to spend a month in the South of France this Summer, staying with both sets of her best friend's grandparents who lived in the villages Aix En Provence and Tholet. These homes have been in both families since the 1500's. AMAZING!! The 1500's!! Empowered by a new camera, feeling a little homesick, and following her mother's instructions to "take lots of garden-ey pictures for me", Emily went forth into the countryside and clicked away... Most of the shots are from the Provence region, with a few from Paris (most notably the Luxembourg Gardens). As many of you fellow- parents know, it's wonderful and such a treat to see life from a kid's perspective. I hope you these images brighten your day!

65 Photos

French Urns, Fountains, Gates and stuff..

Judging from the amount of photos Emily took, it seems like France is just LITTERED with gorgeous, old statuary. I've tried to show you some of the best..

19 Photos