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GARDENING WITH CRIPPLED CHILDREN cont'd
We were fortunate to secure the help of an old
man who lives on the place and he built us a tool box and cold frame,
where our seeds were shifted when the weather permitted. Of course, we
had many set-backs with the seeds, but we tried to do everything
scientifically. I used the dressing sterilizer, or autoclave, as it is
called, to sterilize the soil before starting the seed and I allowed the
children to take turns planting and caring for them. Then when ready,
they learned how to prick them off into flats, and from there to our
cold frame. By this time the housemaids and other people of the
buildings were very glad that we were moving outside.
We planned the garden so that wheel chairs could pass between the rows.
So we just left the strips of lawn where they were, to act as paths, and
dug the beds out between the paths. Of course we had to have a "V" for
Victory, so that was dug out also and planted with dwarf marigolds,
which bloomed beautifully all season. Petunias were planted at the
bottom of the garden and zinnias on the ends, and more marigolds at the
top, and some everlastings. In the vegetable line we had small fruit
tomatoes, carrots, radishes, onions, lettuce, and turnips—everything
that could be eaten without cooking.
Every week-end we had a wiener or marshmallow roast near the garden. The
children enjoyed the get-together and picked things out of the garden to
nibble on.
This year I would like to incorporate a fireplace in our garden and make
it out of field stone instead of tin. Also, a summer house has been
discussed, so it looks as if we will have many more happy hours in the
garden.
Crippled Children Perform Whatever Tasks They Can in
Their Victory Garden |
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click for larger photo
Victory Gardens
Handbook of the
Victory Garden Committee
War Services, Pennsylvania
State Council of Defense
April, 1944
TABLE OF CONTENTS
page v
page vi
page vii
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