Inspirational Gardening Journal Planner ~ Free Printable

"She considereth a field, and buyeth it:

with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard."

~ Proverbs 31:16

Spring is in the air, soil is waiting in the earth and visions of grandeur are in the hearts of those who desire to provide "food for her family" (Proverbs 31:15). To aid in this proverbial pursuit, we are sharing our garden planner printable with you. This was originally shared on our homemaking blog. Ideas for using this Regency-inspired journal are here. Simply download from the menu below and print. May your harvest be plentiful!

You may also be interested in our other (printable) organizational tools: "Good Steward Record Binder", "Inspirational Recipe Book", Pantry Labels, Laundry Room Labels, and/or a Baking Basics Jar Set. Artwork for this project was provided by The Graphics Fairy, Reading, Roses & Prose along with lovely drawings by Kate Greenaway. 

This post may be shared with some or all of the following lovely link-ups: Modest Mom Monday's, Teach Me Tuesday, Domestically Divine Tuesday, Raising Homemakers, Wise Woman Link Up, Wildcrafting Wednesdays, Simple Living Wednesdays and Deep Roots at Home. Thank you, dear ladies, for hosting these!

Autumn Leaves ~ Creating Compost

Autumn Leaves by John Everett Millais

“It is not everyone,' said Elinor,

'who has your passion for dead leaves.”

~ Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility

Don't the maidens look lovely in their modest apparel? Aren't the colors brilliant in this painting? I love those burnt siennas, deep oranges and rustic browns all blended together in a heap of autumn beauty. John Everett Millais, the man who painted this picture was given a place at the Royal Academy school at the unprecedented age of 11 years old! You could see why! (View the bottom of this post for more paintings by this talented, Victorian Era artist.)

Question for Mothers and Maidens:

• What do you think they are doing with the leaves? (Let's pretend they are making compost!)

Autumn Activity:

This autumn, why not prepare a batch of compost? Compost is simply free fertilizer or soil amendment for all your planting projects. Gather up the fallen leaves in your yard and place in a pile, add raw scraps from the kitchen and grass clippings (organic matter in general). You may want to place a cover on the pile (like a burlap sack) and stir every once in a while with a pitchfork or shovel. Spray the pile with water on occasion to keep it damp. Soon, you will be pleased to have a nice and rich substance resembling soil in which to indulge your garden this spring without having to invest in garden additives. For more information: visit Making Compost ~ The Basics.

"She considereth a field, and buyeth it:

with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard."

~ Proverbs 31:16

Other paintings shared here featuring the artist, John Everett Millais:

A Beauty (A Desire to Be Beautiful)

Return of the Dove to the Ark (Waiting for Ham, Shem, Japheth)

Huguenot Couple on St. Bartholomew's Day (Remembering Ribbons Series: Reformation)

Sisters (Purity is Precious: A Collection of Quotes)

This post may be shared with some or all of the following lovely link-ups: Modest Mom Monday's, Teach Me Tuesday, Domestically Divine Tuesday, Raising Homemakers, Wise Woman Link Up, and Deep Roots at Home. Thank you, dear ladies, for hosting these!

Lovely Lilacs

Lilacs by Edmund Blair Leighton

"Your lilacs are in leaf, ours are in bloom."

~ Excerpt from Letter of Jane Austen to Her Sister Cassandra

Isn't this the most loveliest of paintings! The purple lilacs waiting to be gathered by this maiden… I can almost smell the floral fragrance from this garden. Edmund Blair Leighton certainly knows how to capture the romance of yesteryears in his period paintings. Thanks to the foresight of the puritan women who brought lilacs from England, the New World was first filled with their beauty in the 1700's.

Gardening Activity:

Grow your own lilacs. Fall is the perfect time to plant these hardy plants which require little maintenance.

Study of Purple Lilacs by Paul DeLongpre

"In the garden below were lilac-trees purple with flowers,

and their dizzily sweet fragrance drifted up to the window on the morning wind."

~ Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

You will find more information on how to take care of lilacs here.

Basket of Lilacs by Paul De Longpre 

"When the skies are of sapphire radiance

And the apple tree boughs are ablow,

Then the lilacs hang out in the garden

Their clusters of purple and snow."

~ The Poetry of Lucy Maud Montgomery

Lilacs and Roses by Paul DeLongpre

"She had stood at this window in all weathers: when locust and lilac made even ugly little Weston enchanting, and all the windows were open to floods of sweet spring air; when tie dry heat of autumn burned over the world; when the common little houses and barns, and the bare trees, lay dazzling and transfigured…"

~ Mother by Kathleen Norris

"... exactly as I've pictured it," she said. "There is no honeysuckle over the windows, but there is a lilac tree by the gate, and—yes, there are the muslin curtains in the windows. How glad I am …"

~ Anne Of The Island by Lucy Maud Montgomery

A Study of Lilac and Roses by Madeleine LeMaire

"And that," said Mary with solemn delight, pointing under a big lilac bush,

"is where he perched on the little heap of earth and showed me the key."

~ The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth:

but the word of our God shall stand for ever."

~ Isaiah 40:8

All the fine print…

Book Excerpts from Growing Lilacs, United States Department of Agriculture, Home & Garden Bulletin Number 199

   Thank you to the Graphics Fairy for some of the lovely lilac graphics.

This post may be shared with some or all of the following lovely link-ups: Modest Mom Monday's, Teach Me Tuesday,  Domestically Divine Tuesday, Raising Homemakers, Wise Woman Link Up, and Deep Roots at Home. Thank you, dear ladies, for hosting these!

Flowers & Femininity ~ A Unit Study

Flowers and females are almost synonymous. There is much in the example of the flower that illustrates beautiful concepts to young ladies. Let us use these lovely plants as instruments to teach our daughters about the miracle of life, wonders of womanhood, godly relationships, purity, virtue and the love of studying God's creation. This would make a sweet summer study and even those who do not homeschool would benefit by reading some of these stories and doing a few of the activities together.

Suggested Read Aloud Title: The Basket of Flowers a Tale for the Young (This book was written in the 1700's and may be hard for younger girls to understand who haven't been introduced to classic literature. If this is the case, listen to the dramatic audio book instead: The Basket of Flowers : Lamplighter Theatre (Dramatic Audio). You won't want to miss out on this story as there are so many Biblical truths in it for our daughters.)

"Inside the pages of this rare and aged book... Mary is falsely accused of stealing, and the penalty is death. She had always been taught that it is better to die for the truth than to live for a lie-for the worst pillow to sleep on is the pillow of a guilty conscience. Will the darkest and most dreadful night help Mary find God for herself or will she live in the shadow of a faith that is not her own? This is a story that will cause you to shed a tear or two and at the same time cultivate a hope that will never disappoint!" ~ The Basket of Flowers a Tale for the Young

Alternative Read Aloud Title: If you have already read the The Basket of Flowers a Tale for the Young then I highly suggest reading The Flower of the Family by Elizabeth Prentiss. Or both!

The Flower of the Family by Elizabeth Prentiss

Both are novels with a glorious spiritual message for our dear daughters.

Suggested Picture Books: Flowers: Eyewitness Explorers by DK Publishing (non-ficton source for this study), The Garden Wall: A Story of Love Based on I Corinthians 13 by Jennie Bishop (a great tool to use regarding the beauty of a godly spouse and "true" love), The Miracle of Change ~ A Book for Young Ladies by Amy Loper & Miracle of Life by Amy Loper (Books which discusses the miracle of life and the changes in our bodies through the examples of flowers. Please see below for more information regarding these titles.), Hana in the Time of the Tulips by Deborah Noyes (Historical fiction picture book about the tulip craze in Holland in the 1600's.), Flower Field Guide or the use of the internet for flower identification.

Flower Inspired Activities:

I would suggest reading together for a half-hour per day from the chapter books above. Have your daughters do some of the listed activities below each day according to their abilities. Include all work from this study separately in a notebook/binder or composition book for each young lady. Don't forget to let them decorate their own covers with pictures of flowers, stickers or clip art! Encourage them to be creative. By the end of a few weeks you will have a nice collection of "Flower Scrapbooks" to cherish as an educational keepsake.

Spelling/Vocabulary List (Have students define the terms they are unfamiliar with):

1. stamen
2. petal
3. sepal
4. anther
5. stigma
6. perennial
7. annual
8. photosynthesis
9. pollinate
10. nectar
11. pollen
12. germination

Luke 12:27

Bible/Copywork/Penmanship: Have your daughter copy one verse about flowers per day from the Scriptures into her "flower scrapbook" in her best writing. Make sure she pays close attention to punctuation. This is a great time to teach her to use a Concordance or Topical Guide. Have her write the meaning of each verse below her entry. Here are some suggestions.

Science/Biology: The Miracle of Change ~ A Book for Young Ladies by Amy Loper This book was meant to be a supplement to a series but I used it as a stand alone resource and found it very valuable in discussing the changes that young girls go through in their bodies. The illustrations are of beautiful flowers and the message is to embrace femininity and the changes that accompany it. This is a tender time and I appreciated this gentle, Christian based book (publisher's comment below). There is also the Miracle of Life which is the intended prequel and is a very basic "birds and bees" type book in which the parent must do the actual explaining once the life cycle of the flower is presented. The Miracle of Change is more in depth with body changes and is the book I highly recommend.

"A beautiful full color and tastefully illustrated hard back educational book designed to help mothers instruct their preadolescent daughters as they face the changes puberty brings. Bringing your daughters back to the flower at the age of transition to see the beauty in God's design and His plan for each blossom. This book is a delicate, yet honest look at the transformation that is coming your daughter's way. Help prepare your daughter for the miracle of change with this beautiful book that will celebrate her God-given femininity." ~The Miracle of Change ~ A Book for Young Ladies by Amy Loper

Ecclesiastes 9:8

Biblical Purity: Flowers have always been associated with different meanings. Do some research to find out which one symbolizes Christian purity. Why is it important to keep ourselves pure? Discuss this with your daughter and read some Scripture together that supports this (Titus 2:12, Matthew 5:8, 1 Corinthians 6:18, Colossians 3:5, Psalm 24:3-5, James 3:17, Psalm 51:10, Philippians 1:9-11). Create a purity page in your scrapbook. Draw a picture of the flower that depicts purity and include the pertaining Bible verses below your sketch. Have your daughter write a list of ways to keep herself pure. You may also want to take the time to read to your older daughter about Tamar here and the lesson we can learn about physical purity.

Biblical Marriage: Read the book, The Garden Wall: A Story of Love Based on I Corinthians 13 by Jennie Bishop and discuss the type of love that a true godly marriage is based upon. Have your daughter write an essay on what she is looking for in a marriage and discuss together.

Character Building/Copywork/Art: Have your daughter copy one passage a day from the The Basket of Flowers ~ a Tale for the Young regarding flowers (my favorites are here) as you are reading it. Have her illustrate each verse with the appropriate flower. You may want to check out a "how to draw a flower book" or find some instruction on the internet. Discuss the meaning of each chosen passage together.

Crown of Roses by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Language Arts/Penmanship: Copy the following poem in your best writing making sure to use all proper punctuation. (Here is another poem about a violet that will bless this study too!)

Beauty Is Vain

While roses are so red, 

While lilies are so white, 


Shall a woman exalt her face 

Because it gives delight? 


She's not so sweet as a rose, 

A lily's straighter than she, 


And if she were as red or white 

She'd be but one of three.

Whether she flush in love's summer

Or in its winter grow pale,

Whether she flaunt her beauty

Or hide it away in a veil,

Be she red or white,

And stand she erect or bowed,

Time will win the race he runs with her 

And hide her away in a shroud.

By ~ Christina Georgina Rossetti

Bible Discussion/Memory: Discuss the meaning of the poem above with your mother. Look up in the Bible what is says about vain beauty in Proverbs 31 and write the verse below the poem in your best writing. Memorize this verse.

Language Arts/Grammar: Have your daughters identify the nouns in the first paragraph of the poem. Have them identify the verbs in the second paragraph and the adjectives in the third paragraph.

Language Arts/Grammar: Discuss "homophones" with your daughters using the example of "flower" and "flour". Have your daughters think up more examples. Homophones are words that are pronounced the same but have different meanings.

Language Arts: Create your own poem about flowers.

Language Arts: Explain what an acronym is and have your daughters do one with the word FLOWER using words that describe a flower. An acronym is a word formed with the initial letters of other words such as NATO, LASER and SCUBA.

Language Arts/Literature: Have your daughters read The Secret Garden independently and do a book report on it. 

Basic Skills: Have your girls list their ten favorite flowers and then have them alphabetize it.

Spring Flowers by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Science: Read a few pages per day from Flowers: Eyewitness Explorers by DK Publishing (or another non-fiction source) and do the activities below as they pertain to what you read.

Science: Diagram a simple flower.

Science: Go outside and sketch some flowers. Afterwards, using a flower field guide, label the flower using its latin name and any special parts.

Science: Define a "simple" flower, a "composite" flower and a "complicated" flower.

Science: Using a dictionary, explain the difference between an "annual" plant and a "perennial" plant. Then, classify your ten favorite flowers into each of those categories. 

Science: Try propagating a plant (an easy one is a geranium) using a cutting. There is more information here on my sister site.

Science/Research: Research the different ways that flowers are pollinated and write a short summary about it.

Discarded Roses by Pierre Auguste-Renoir

Science/Research/Health: Choose five flowers that have medicinal purposes and make a chart which explains how each one can benefit humans and how to prepare it.

Science/Geography: Just like different animals will be found in different habitats, so is the case with flowers. Make a list of showing the flowers you would find in a tropical area, woodland area, grassland, desert, marshland and mountainous area.

Geography/Research: Using a blank map of the United States, label each state (using initials) along with its state flower (do five or so a day).

Geography/Research: Write a short report on your state flower (and don't forget to include the type of care they require and in what climate they thrive in, etc.)

Flowers in a Vase by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Home Economics: Check out some books regarding flower arranging and create a bouquet for your home. Take a picture of it and place photo in your "flower scrapbook".

Home Economics: Embroider a flower onto a tea towel.

Home Economics: Research what flowers are edible and make a list. Then make a cake and decorate it with some fresh, edible flowers. Make sure to take a picture of your creation to add to your "flower scrapbook".

Home Economics: Dry some flowers by hanging a bunch upside down in a dry and airy place. Roses are a good choice since they will most likely retain their color and scent. These are fun to decorate your home with.

Home Economics: Make some potpourri using small scented flowers and petals.

Garden/Science Project: Plant a cutting garden which is basically a small garden space dedicated to flowers which are meant to be cut and placed in vases in your home. Research what kind of light and soil the flowers need and try to accommodate them.

Arts/Crafts/Service: Make some pressed flowers and then use them to decorate note cards. Send one of your homemade cards to someone who needs an encouraging word.

Art: Print out the "Flowers of the Bible" coloring pages I made with this link (see sample above) for your younger girls to color realistically, cut out, label and paste into their "flower scrapbooks".

History/Research: Read Hana in the Time of the Tulips by Deborah Noyes to your younger daughters and discuss tulipmania. You will be surprised what people paid for one of these flowers during that time! Have your daughter draw or paint a tulip. This is a very interesting moment in history. Older girls can do a report on tulipmania by doing their own independent research.

Foreign Language: Learn how to say "flower" and "plant" in the foreign language you are studying.

Girls Picking Flowers in a Meadow by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Art History/Picture Study: Study the floral paintings on this post by the French artist, Pierre-Auguste Renoir. He was one of the leading Impressionistic painters in the 1800's. Do you know what impressionism is? It is simply painting using a series of small brush strokes so that the final product is the artist's "impression" of what they see. Capturing the light was important to them. They were mocked when they first started this style of painting. Choose a favorite picture by Renoir to do an "art review" on. Make sure to print a copy of the painting to paste onto your review in your "flower scrapbook". All the floral paintings on this post were by his hand.

Beautiful Bonding/Science/Nature: Play the Garden Game together which is a beautiful game that teaches about gardening concepts.

Field Trip/Beautiful Bonding: Pack a picnic lunch and visit a botanical garden (or one a week if you have many in your area). Make sure to include pictures of your day and paste these memories into your "flower scrapbook".

Movie: For fun, why not end this study by watching The Secret Garden together. Pop some corn and cuddle up.

Song of Solomon II-12

You may also be interested in:

Godly Princess ~ A Unit Study

Roses ~ A Unit Study

Linked up with the following:

Modest Monday's
Domestically Divine Tuesday

Raising Homemakers

Wise Woman Link Up

Deep Roots at Home

The Basket of Flowers

"James took advantage of his daughter's love for flowers,

to give her many lessons of heavenly wisdom."

~ The Basket of Flowers by Christoph von Schmid

Violets by Catherine Klein

"When she brought him her first spring violet, he said to her,

"Let this flower, my dear Mary, be the emblem of humility and

of that quiet benevolence which does good in secret.

In its quiet dress of deep blue, decked by no gaudy colours,

it modestly hides under the green leaves and is scarcely seen,

while shedding around it the richest perfume.

Try to resemble it, dear Mary; care not for gay ornaments and

vain display but strive to obtain that 'ornament of a meek an quiet spirit,

which is in the sight of God of great price."

White Lilies by Dennis Francesconi

"This lily, my dear child, is the emblem of purity.

How easily its bright leaves are stained!

Scarcely can they be touched when they are injured.

Thus the very least approach of vice pollutes and corrupts the soul.

Pray, dear Mary, for purity of heart."

Roses by Catherine Klein

"Let the rose," he said, "be the emblem of modesty,

as it resembles the blush which rises to the cheek of a modest girl."

Roses by Paul DeLongpre

"But there is another lesson to be learned from the rose:

after it's beautiful colors have faded, it still retains its fragrance;

when its leaves are brown and withered,

they are even sweeter than in their fresh and lovely youth.

Thus it is, dear Mary, with a true Christian. Thus let it be with you.

The cheek of youth will fade, outward beauty will decay,

but strive to acquire those graces of the mind which are unfading and imperishable."

Basket of Flowers by Paul DeLongpre

"Thus did Mary, day by day, learn from her good old father…"

~ Excerpts from The Basket of Flowers

And now... "Mary is falsely accused of stealing, and the penalty is death. She had always been taught that it is better to die for the truth than to live for a lie-for the worst pillow to sleep on is the pillow of a guilty conscience. Will the darkest and most dreadful night help Mary find God for herself or will she live in the shadow of a faith that is not her own? This is a story that will cause you to shed a tear or two and at the same time cultivate a hope that will never disappoint!" ~ Lamplighter Publishers

You may also be interested in:

A Unit Study on Flowers and Femininity ~

For mothers to do with daughters…

This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: The Art of Home-Making Mondays, Modest Mom Monday's, Monday's Musings, Titus 2sdays, Titus 2 Tuesdays, Teach Me Tuesday, Raising Homemakers, Make Bake Create, Wise Woman Link Up, Christian Homemaking, So Much at Home, Homemaking Thursdays, Hearts for Home Thursdays, and Growing in Grace Thursdays. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these.