Kids know thing or two about how to garden

At the recent Chicago Flower & Garden Show, children were askedthe best gardening techniques, answering the nursery rhyme: "Mary,Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?"

The kids' answers ranged from sensible to silly.

Most kids declared that water, sun and soil are the best ways tomake gardens grow.

Cindy, 5 years old, said: "Saying nice things to them" is theideal approach. (Perhaps little Cindy knows about talking-to-plantsresearch.)

For Claire, 7, gardening requires a powerful combination of "loveand water." She is also careful "not to drown the flowers." (Claireis right, of course. Overwatering is the most frequent mistake bybeginning gardeners.)

The opinionated Devin, 8, said: "You make 20 different holes for20 different plants, put seeds in the hole, water the seeds, put sandaround them, water every day-and I hate it."

But many kids did say they happily helped their parents take careof their lawns and gardens by performing watering, raking andplanting duties.

Of course, other kids have different gardening duties. "I keep ourdog away," said 5-year-old Jacob. Tommy, also 5, strongly stated: "Idon't walk on it."

As to why flowers smell good, Rebecca, 10, offered thisperspective: "Because they're pretty, and pretty things smell good."

Ace Hardware interviewed 78 children for the survey. The ChicagoFlower & Garden Show annually draws about 175,000.