A Morning in the Garden: Hornworms, New Flowers, and Simple Homeschool Moments

A Summer Morning in the Garden with Kids | Hornworms, Chickens, and Planting Flowers

There is something special about walking into the garden first thing in the morning.

Before the heat of the day settles in, everything feels peaceful. The birds are busy, bees are already visiting flowers, and every morning seems to bring something new to discover. That’s one of my favorite parts about gardening with kids. Even the smallest job can turn into a science lesson, a conversation, or an unexpected adventure.

This week in Backyard Adventure Club, we simply spent the morning working in the garden together.

Checking on Our Plants

Our first stop was the shade garden to see how our plants and seeds were doing. Every morning we make it a habit to walk through the garden before we start working. It’s amazing how much can change overnight.

Some plants had grown taller, new leaves had appeared, and a few flowers were beginning to open. Walking the garden every day helps us notice problems early, but it also teaches our kids to slow down and really observe the world around them.

Those quiet moments often become some of the best homeschool lessons.

An Unexpected Garden Visitor

While checking on our tomatoes, we spotted something hiding almost perfectly among the leaves.

A tomato hornworm.

If you’ve ever grown tomatoes, you probably know these giant green caterpillars can disappear into the plant so well that you won’t notice them until they’ve eaten half the leaves!

Thankfully, my son spotted it right away and immediately started telling us everything he knew about tomato hornworms. I love when learning happens naturally like that. Instead of opening a science book, we were standing right there in the middle of the lesson.

Did You Know?

• Tomato hornworms can grow nearly 4 inches long.
• Their green color helps them blend into tomato plants.
• They eventually turn into beautiful sphinx moths.
• Although fascinating, they can quickly strip tomato plants of their leaves if left unchecked.

After everyone had a chance to look at it, we carried it over to our chickens.

Let’s just say…they were very excited about the special snack!

The kids always enjoy watching the chickens scratch around looking for bugs, and it’s a great reminder that everything in the garden has a purpose. Even pests become food for another animal.

Time to Pull Weeds

Next came one of those less glamorous gardening jobs: weeding.

No one gets excited about pulling weeds, but it’s one of the best things we can do for our plants. Weeds compete with vegetables and flowers for sunlight, water, and nutrients.

As we worked, we talked about how gardening teaches patience. Healthy gardens aren’t built in one afternoon. They’re built through lots of little jobs done consistently.

Honestly, I think that’s a pretty good life lesson too.

Planting for Next Season’s Beauty

Once the beds were cleaned up, it was finally time for my favorite part of the morning.

Planting.

We added several new plants that will not only make the garden beautiful but will also help support bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.

Comfrey

Comfrey is one of those hardworking plants every garden should have. Its deep roots pull nutrients from the soil, the leaves make wonderful mulch, and the flowers are loved by bees.

Nepeta (Catmint)

Nepeta is covered in soft lavender-blue flowers that bloom for months. It’s incredibly easy to grow and is always buzzing with pollinators during the summer.

Salvia

Salvia is another pollinator favorite. Hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees all seem to find it, and its colorful flower spikes add so much movement and life to the garden.

White Nite Sunflowers

We also planted White Nite sunflowers, a beautiful variety with creamy white petals surrounding dark centers. They’re something a little different from the classic yellow sunflower and I’m excited to watch them grow.

Polar Bear Zinnias

One flower I never skip in the summer garden is zinnias.

This year we planted Polar Bear zinnias, which produce gorgeous white blooms that butterflies absolutely love. They’re easy for kids to grow from seed and continue blooming for months with regular picking.

Finishing with a Container Planting

Before calling it a day, I planted a container with white lantana.

Container gardening is one of my favorite ways to add color around the garden because pots can brighten patios, porches, or empty corners almost instantly.

Lantana is especially wonderful because it thrives in summer heat and attracts butterflies all season long.

Why These Little Moments Matter

Some people think gardening is just about growing vegetables or flowers.

For us, it’s so much more than that.

It’s slowing down long enough to notice a caterpillar hidden on a tomato plant.

It’s listening to your child excitedly explain what they’ve learned.

It’s watching chickens happily chase after a garden snack.

It’s planting flowers today that will bring butterflies weeks from now.

Those ordinary mornings often become the moments our kids remember most.

And that’s exactly what Backyard Adventure Club is all about.

Watch This Week’s Video

In this week’s episode, you’ll spend the morning in the garden with us as we:

• Check on our shade garden and seedlings
• Find a tomato hornworm hiding on our tomatoes
• Feed our chickens a special garden treat
• Pull weeds from the beds
• Plant comfrey, nepeta, salvia, White Nite sunflowers, Polar Bear zinnias, and a container of white lantana

I hope it inspires you to step outside, even if it’s just for a few minutes. You never know what you might discover waiting in your own backyard.

Happy gardening,