Despite the drought this spring there has been our usual wonderful wattle and around town the established blossom trees are coming out. I miss the spring green grass shooting up and masses of flowers beginning to bloom. A visit to a couple of nurseries showed a poor selection of seedlings this year, but growing plants and providing plenty of flowers for bees and butterflies is essential in spring if pollination is to take place. So Let's give our young children a chance to help reduce climate change and save our insects by planting some pots of flowers.

Are you helping the children you know to save water? Are you showing them how every little cup of water can help a creature or plant to live? Your child could save a small bucket of water from their bath or shower. This would be enough to keep flowers growing in a pot.

With just a cup full of water each day, a child can nurture a flower. A flower can feed a butterfly. A little sugar water put outside near flowers can help save the insects so necessary for out planet.

Here is a story to help your children to enjoy spring.

Feeding the birds

'Maria, come and see this lovely bird picture, ' called Nanna. She was reading emails on her computer 'These birds are in cousin Joan's garden.'

(photo by Joan Gates)

'Oh, how cute. I wish we had birds like that in our garden,' said Maria.

'Joan says because there has been no rain, the birds are thirsty and hungry too. She puts out seed and water every day.

'Are our birds hungry too Nanna?'

'I think so. Let's help them.'

So right after breakfast Maria and Nanna put a dish of water on a table in the garden. 'This can be our birdbath. We must put a rock in the water so the little birds can hop in and out safely from the water,' said Nan. Then they went shopping for some bird seed. 'I think we need some flower plants too because even the bees, butterflies and other insects are hungry and thirsty.'

Maria and Nanna had a busy morning planting flowers in a big pot. Maria spread seed on the table near the water. Nanna explained, 'the whole town is short of water. There is not enough to water gardens, but we can save some every day from the shower for this birdbath and the flowers.'

They put a tiny dish of water right in the pot with the pansies, 'This is for the butterflies when they visit the flowers for nectar,' said Nanna.

Later, Maria called, 'Nanna, Nanna, come quickly and see. There's a bee drinking from the butterfly water.'. Nanna hurried out to see.

'Well, what about that? And I guess by tomorrow, the birds will have found our seed. Perhaps you'll be taking a photo of our birds soon.'