How to Create an Alphabet Garden

An alphabet garden is a great project. Choose annuals, perennials, herbs and vegetables that start with the letters A to Z. This can be a full alphabet garden or you can use letters that spell out a name. These easy ideas will get you started

Things You'll Need

• Flowers
• Optional herbs
• Optional perennials
• Optional vegetables
• Optional lawn decor

Instructions

1. Plant the whole alphabet. If the garden space has room, plant 26 plants with each representing a different letter of the alphabet. Make a sign for each plant. The most challenging way to grow the alphabet is to plant in alpha order.

2. Encourage a child to plant his or her name. Give several choices for each letter and let the child choose and plant. Use annuals as bedding plants so the child sees quick results. Help the child put out signs with the first letter of the plant in large print and the other letters in smaller print. This is a great way to help children learn about plants and letters.

3. 

   Play a seasonal game with the alphabet. If the garden only has room for part of the alphabet, plant a sequential garden with spring flowering plants that start with the letters for SPRING. Summer flowering plants should spell SUMMER. And that leaves FALL for the late blooming plants.

4. Use flowers for part of the alphabet and fill in with ornaments or decorative items that begin with other letters. If you are stumped for one of the letters, name an ornamental frog or other lawn item beginning with the missing letter. Name a fairy Xena, for example.

5. Plant ABC or a short name in flowers. Plant asters in the shape of an A, begonias in the shape of B, and chives in the outline of a C. This is excellent for a smaller garden as you can choose your favorite annuals and make up a short name with their beginning letters. Prune during the growing season to keep the shape.

6. Make an alphabet garden as a school project. If the school does not have room for a real garden, children can make the alphabet plants on paper or cut out pictures for each plant letter. Help them set up a basic pattern for their alphabet and then find the plants that fit. This is a variation on the animal alphabet game.

Resources

• ABC Kinder-Garten