Growing stuff in the garden

Mark and Milo have been growing a garden and it is looking splendid I must say. Okay, mostly this is Mark's garden, he has grown all the plants from seeds and/or seedlings. Mark has watered them daily. Mark has been pruning them, fertilizing them, giving them the love. Milo does offer to help snip plants and does love to help water, so he gets a credit in there too. However, if the garden was left solely up to Milo, I don't think we would have the lush vegetation growing that we do now.

Our garden houses the following in no particular order... artichokes, rosemary, basil, potatoes, brussel sprouts, mint, squash, tomatoes, peppers, parsley, okra and strawberries. This of course does not include our rose garden or our peach tree, which has the most delicious and nearly ripe peaches right now.

Every night when we get home Milo and Mark rush out to the garden to tend it while I do some chores inside or play with Finn. Finn hasn't quite shown the gardening aptitude that Milo has, but I think he has potential for there is nothing he likes more than being outside in nature.

The other night much gardening was going on, I was fixing dinner and Milo would periodically come in to give me progress reports. Offering up a basil leaf to taste, or telling me how big a strawberry was growing. Then rushing back outside to water some more or just generally mill about in the fresh air.

I was about to call the boys in for dinner when Milo came rushing into the kitchen shrieking about his garden and his plants.

Milo: Mom, I grew a plant! I grew a plant!
Me: I know you and Dad have quite the garden out there.
Milo: No Mom! I grew a plant in my own garden
Me: (this is news to me, I wasn't aware that Mark created a garden plot for Milo) oh really? Where is your own garden?
Milo: Over there on the side.
Me: (let's be honest, not the greatest directions he is giving me) I am sorry honey I don't know where that is, where is your garden?
Milo: I will show you! (and he goes tearing off)

A few minutes pass while I put the finishing touches on dinner. Milo comes in waving some green leafy things at me.

Milo: Mom, look, I grew a plant, lets cook it up and eat it for dinner.
Me: That sounds great, and you grew this in your garden?
Mark: Which is his sandbox.
Milo: Yeah, where I keep my tractors Mom!
Me: (Looking carefully at the green leafy things) What are these?
Milo: It is a plant Mom (exasperation in his voice, honestly how did he get stuck with such a mother?)
Me: Oh excellent (I throw a look at Mark)
Mark: Well these are what we call dandelions, and sometimes people make salads out of them. Wanna make a salad Milo?
Milo: I have a plan Dad, let's make some tea with them!
Me: Excellent idea

And that is exactly what he did. He washed the plant (weed) grown from his very own garden (sandbox) and harvested with his tools (toy tractors) and made some tea (water with bits of dandelion torn up floating on top). Which was pronounced the very finest tea in all the land.