KINDER GARDENS

A new book that introduces kids of all ages to gardening will be an interactive feature at the Home & Landscape Expo.

- Pavilion Building -

Kids and gardening just go together. They're like macaroni and cheese but better. There is dirt, water, bugs and food! I mean, it may not be the perfect recipe for adults, but kids don't need much more than that to have fun. The trick to gardening with kids is to make "gardening" a fun word and not an icky chore word. That's exactly what Kinder Gardens does!

Kinder Gardens is not about the science of how plants grow. We know that is important, but for beginner gardeners we learned that it is more about getting them to get their hands dirty first, then teaching them about how things grow. We love that healthy growing leads to healthy eating habits.

You'll not only be growing plants but you'll be growing fun.

The book's main purpose is to get kids of all ages jazzed about gardening. It includes a variety of fruit and vegetable gardens for kids to create whether they live on a farm or only have a small balcony rooftop garden. Kids and their parents will learn about environmental stewardship while having a lot of fun in the process. We love the idea of encouraging kids to do something with their thumbs next spring besides playing video games, not to mention teaching them about living a green life while they're still young.

Meet KINDER!

Kinder Gardens introduces readers to Kinder, a little boy who lives in the city. Although he is not a garden expert yet, Kinder finds himself learning everything about helping plants grow, never imagining how much fun it can be. He is curious, he is adventurous, and he is relatable to kids of all ages.

Kinder will be sharing what he has learned about creating a garden. Did you know you could grow your own pizza toppings? Or produce a root garden with a clear umbrella. Bring your kids to the Home & Landscape Expo and see many of these great ideas and learn how to get your own Kinder Garden growing!

About the Authors

MICHAEL GLASSMAN
Michael Glassman is an award-winning landscape designer and owner of one of Northern California's most prestigious design firms. With over 20 years of experience in landscape design, waterworks, and the creative elements that enhance outdoor living environments, he has joined Discovery Channel Home as co-host and designer of their new series "Garden Police".

Michaels' work has been the subject of over 40 Sunset Magazines feature articles along with numerous other publications including Fine Gardening, Better Homes and Gardens and Landscape Architecture. His landscape design solutions and philosophies were the subject of the book "Gaining Ground" by Maureen Gilmer – the #1 home and garden book listed with amazon.com in 2000. He also co-authored with Ms. Gilmer "Water Works," a historical and practical guide to water in the garden.

His new book, "Getaway Gardens – Havens at Home" is now available at Barnes & Noble. Part environmental evangelist, part landscape design coach and connoisseur, Michael regularly appears as a guest on many television shows including HGTV's Gardening by the Yard with Paul James. His pool designs were also featured on another HGTV special – Spectacular Pools.

LISA ELY
Lisa Ely is an award-winning television producer and owner of one the newest production companies in Los Angeles focused on documentary television. With over 15 years of experience in television, she has become an expert in home design and gardening.

She has produced a number of highly rated programs, including CBS's "The Amazing Race," Discovery Channel's "Verminators," TLC's "America's Ugliest," and various series on HGTV, History Channel, Food Network, Discovery Kids, A&E, E!, SciFi, and National Geographic Channel.

Lisa also has been a volunteer director at Camp Good Times for children with cancer for more than 15 years. During that time, she has become an expert in working with children of all ages.

Lisa currently lives in Southern California with her husband and two children.

Lisa and Michael first worked together on Discovery Channel's "Garden Police" where Michael was the co-hose and Lisa was the Supervising Producer. Since then, the two have collaborated on various projects and are extremely eager about their new endeavor of focusing on children in the garden.