How to Create a Beatrix Potter Garden

If Peter, along with Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail, are your child's favorite storybook characters, you'll love creating a Beatrix Potter kitchen garden for your little one's delight. The famous children's author sprinkled vegetables, herbs and other plants liberally throughout her books. And if you happen to live in a cottage style house, a Beatrix Potter garden is the perfect accent. Read on to learn how to create a Beatrix Potter garden.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Plan your Beatrix Potter garden on paper first. Read her books aloud to your child for inspiration. Don't forget to consult local gardening books so you will plant at the right time. There may be some items you want that just will not grow in your gardening zone, but you can still get that Peter Rabbit look and feel.

2. Make herbs and vegetables a prominent part of your garden. Peter and his rabbit siblings munched on parsley, lettuce and, of course, carrots. Plant rosemary, lavender, thyme and other fragrant herbs. Add some of Mr. McGregor's French beans, radishes and potatoes.

3. Add chamomile to your list of herbs to try growing. Once it's ready, try your hand at old-fashioned chamomile tea. Old Mrs. Rabbit put Peter to bed with a cup of chamomile tea after his naughty adventure in Mr. McGregor's garden.

4. Hedge the back of your garden with blackberry bushes. While Peter frolicked in Mr. McGregor's garden, his brother and sisters, who were good little bunnies, gathered blackberries for their mother.

5. Scatter terra cotta and stone rabbits throughout your garden. Make a scarecrow, and dress him in Peter's blue coat with shiny brass buttons.

6. Build Mr. McGregor's garden shed at the center of your Beatrix Potter garden. Fill it with small handmade furniture that will please both bunnies and children. Fill one corner with miniature rakes, shovels and other gardening tools.