Sunflower Houses: A Book for Children and Their Grown-Ups

by Sharon Lovejoy

A magical book of adventures and appreciations written and illustrated by the author of Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots this award-winning title was published by a small press in Colorado in 1991. The reviews say it all: A fetching primer on gardening for children. . . . Irresistible (The Smithsonian). What child, or indeed adult, would not be delighted? Lovejoy's recollections are wonderful, as are the illustrations (Victoria).

Celebrating the lore of the garden and the joy of interacting with nature, Sunflower Houses is a unique garden lover's miscellany, a collection of memories, poems, activities, garden plans, crafts, botanical riddles, stories, games, and planting projects. There are inspirations for a Floral Clock Garden, A Child's Own Rainbow, Faerie Tea Parties, and, of course, the Sunflower House. Plus, from garden lovers, stories of favorite flowers. Throughout are the artist's warm and appealing watercolors of a life in gardening remembered.

Genres: Gardening, Nature, Nonfiction, Parenting, Childrens, Picture Books, Science

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Naturalist, author, and illustrator Sharon Lovejoy’s passion for nature led her to a lifetime of cultivating wonder for grown-ups and children. Her honors include the National Outdoor Book Award for Children’s Literature, 2010 Gold Award from National Parenting Publications, the key to the city of Indianapolis for her work with youth, numerous Garden Writer’s Association awards, and one of the Best Chapter Books Pick by the International Reading Association for her novel Running Out of Night.

As a graduate with Distinction in Art from San Diego State University, Sharon successfully combined her training in art with her love of botany, natural science and history. She worked as a docent naturalist for the Morro Bay Museum of Natural History and for the Smithsonian Institution in the lagoons of Baja, California. Sharon founded Heart's Ease Herb Shop & Gardens in Cambria, California, which gained international acclaim and was featured in numerous books, magazines, and newspapers throughout the world.

Sharon has lectured throughout the United States for over twenty years. She speaks at conferences, educational symposia, museums, botanic gardens, arboreta, and for professional trade associations, libraries, schools, STEM, universities, and gardening organizations.

For 13 years she wrote an award winning column for Country Living GARDENER magazine that was distributed through Canada by The New York Times Syndicate. Sharon is past President of the International Herb Association. She served on the Youth Garden Advisory Panel for the American Horticultural Society and the Advisory Board of KidsGardening.org. Her other professional affiliations include Garden Writers Association, The Authors Guild, Inc., Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance, and Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.

Reviews

[April Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book of gardening projects intended to be fun for children. They seem like they might be, but you need a lot of gardening space, time and effort to bring most of them to fruition, so I wouldn't know if they actually *are* fun for children. Also, since children aren't generally known for their patience, growing anything from seed won't necessarily engage them right off the bat. Still, the author does a good job of highlighting plants that have fun features (i.e., edible, look like animals or other creatures, spicy scents, etc.) and the book includes lots of mini-projects in addition to the big garden jobs.

[Linnae · Rating 4 out of 5]

A scrapbook of joyful gardening experiences.

This is a grab-bag of gardening memories, favorite flowers, projects, and activities to do in the garden with children. Some of the chapters are more hands-on, and include instructions for making secret hideaways, wearable flower and leaf creations, and dolls and toys from garden materials. Others are more reminiscent in nature. As in some of her other books, she includes a list of plants for children, in a table format, with a brief summary of what in particular makes each one child-friendly. 

Tucked onto nearly every page are quotes, poems, and illustrations. Great to settle in with for an hour or two, or to dip into here and there. The projects in this one do not have the specific instructions like in Roots, Shoots, Buckets, and Boots, but are presented more as general ideas with a few practical tips.  

I blog at: www.ofbooksandblooms.com

[Kirbie Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a charming, gem of a book! It is so easy to read, the imagery is beautiful, and the ideas are marvelous. Who would have thought so many "toys" could be made with flowers? Children today have so many toys and screens, it hurts to know they will not have the beautiful experiences and childhoods the people in this book have shared. I will try my best to create an environment that they will always remember, and this book will help me do just that.

[Allison Hibbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughters and I are leaving these pages feeling so inspired to nurture a garden together, full of childhood delight, magic, whimsy, and nourishing life lessons. This book feels like a gardening fairy godmother.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd love to own this one. It's chock-full of lovely garden ideas.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charming book with garden ideas, history and old-time crafts and fun! from bean pole teepees, sunflower houses and an alphabet and rainbow garden. Lots of fun for kids!

[Nichole Brady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweetest cutest book if you are a garden lover

[Ginny Yurich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful and inspiring! I always get so much out of Sharon Lovejoys books!!!

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun book.

[Tori Christensen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book in the children's section of the library when I was looking for some other books on gardening. It calls it a "Book for Children and Their Grown-Ups" but reading the book, it is clearly written to an adult audience. I read parts out loud to my four year old, but I'm learning that she will listen to pretty much everything. The voice and approach Lovejoy took in writing the book made me feel like the audience rather than a child. I did find inspiration in the book but its much a book about garden lore and memoir than inspiration. At times, I felt like it was a Pinterest board in print. A bit repetitive, but good for a scanning type read.

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely book with gardening ideas for kids (and kids at heart),peotry and wonderful illustrations. This is not your typical gardening book with facts and how to advice. It is a book full of stories about gardens and garden games and crafts, garden lores and history. Simple pleasures. There are pages about making all kinds of chains, poppy maidens and daisy grandmothers. There are ideas for butterfly gardens, sunflower houses and a teepee for runner beans and gourds.
If you have kids or even if you don't, you should check out this book. You'll be inspired with all kinds of gardening ideas.

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This little book was my constant companion the summer my daughter, Diva, was seven, and her brother five. It inspired our very own sunflower house, and as Diva and I discussed this evening, we had a picnic there under nodding sunflower heads and morning glory vines.

If you have children and want them to know about gardening, you should not only read this book, but also do some of the sweet things it offers. You'll never regret it especially later when your 17-year-old daughter reflects on those golden days.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I consider this book not just a gardening book, but also a parenting and educational philosophy book because it gives adults and children a chance to "play" in the garden while creating magical living houses out of flowers.

We used this book several years ago to build our first sunflower house. It has been a staple in our garden every year since, though last year it was destroyed by a late July hailstorm. Such are the vagaries of weather.

We're going to try to expand our sunflower house this year and incorporate the morning glory roof mentioned in this book.

[Christine Whittington · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book a long time ago, but thought of it again because I have been seeing so many beautiful sunflowers in photos and in our neighborhood. This book tells you not only how to grow them, but also how to turn them into structures. Realistically, if you live in a sunflower house, you will get bugs in your hair. But they are are good for the imagination.

[Stephanie]

wonderful book with childhood snippets of what people learned from the garden- how to make a sunflower playhouse, have a faierie tea party using natural materials from the garden, make dolls from flowers, make a butterfly garden, rainbow garden, and flower garlands/crowns.

[Natalie Zebula · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a lot of great ideas on short projects in the garden you can do with kids. I feel like so many of these are accessible. Also, they give good ideas for why certain plants are fun for kids in the garden.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a very cute book and I like it as some light reading.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a cute and easy to read book on fun in the garden with children.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and can't wait to make a sunflower house this Summer. I was able to check it out from our library, but I am wanting to buy it.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! One of my all time favourites. The apple gazebo is still on my honey help me do list :)

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book! I have gotten some wonderful ideas to use with my children. I love it so much that I even purchased a copy for my home library. Thank you to the author!!!

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Lovejoy's gardening books. Such beautiful ideas and sentiments about family and growing together.

[Kristyna]

Already love it . . . want to make a sunflower and morning glory house.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is a keeper.