Parterre sounds so fancy and formal for a topic about kids and gardening, but it can be a fun and exciting idea that really motivates children to get out and plant. This might be just what you want the kids to do for the National TV Free Week coming up this month. It will get the kids outside and give them something fun and productive to do that they will reap the benefits of for the whole growing season.
Webster's Dictionary defines parterre as "an ornamental garden area in which the flower beds and paths form a pattern." My idea of parterre-style gardening for children is probably simplified to the point of not being real Parterre gardens, but it does hold true to the pattern portion of the definition. It is basically using plants within a flowerbed to form a pattern. Kids enjoy making patterns and designs (just check out the doodles on their school notebooks and such). Why not carry this over into their own garden areas? They could have fun digging in the dirt and making a "parterre" garden.
First they need to plan the design and color scheme. Consider the shape of the flowerbed and start from there. It is important to keep the design very simple, especially for a first try with younger children. The more elaborate look similar to a Persian rug is lovely, but it's difficult to get that effect and keep a young child involved. It takes exacting placement and paths, etc. We want something simple and easy with a design that shows up and is recognizable.
Ideas of designs might be:
the child's name spelled out in simple basic letters.
a geometric shape such as a diamond, circle, square, etc. or a series of shapes (the same shape in different colors or different shapes, etc.).
a simple symmetrical pattern of some sort such as a rainbow, star, etc.
a US flag or flag from another country.
a circle divided into pie-like slices with each slice a different color.
a more elaborate "knot garden"
a series of beds and paths that are in a repeated pattern
whatever else you dream up!
The color scheme should also be simple and harmonious. The colors should look nice together and yet contrast enough to show off the design. Complementary colors (colors from opposite sides of the color wheel) are always a good choice. An example might be purple and yellow, red and green, etc. Plan to keep background colors consistent so that the pattern will be shown more clearly. For example, if you are planting a name, you might consider planting the letters all in bright yellow and the rest of the space in dark purple. This would show the name off well and make it more easily noticeable. If you are planting a series of circles, you might plant the circles in a bright orange and plant the remaining space in blue/purple flowers. Pick colors that you like and enjoy and have fun with it.
Another thing to consider is the type of flowers or other plants you should use. You need to make sure the plants are similar in height. The easy way to do this is to use different colors of the same flower type and variety. For example, you might use supercascade petunias in white, red, and blue/purple. These would all be about the same height and therefore an easy choice. You might do the same with other annuals that come in a variety of colors. Other choices might be to plant white Alyssum (or other low growing plants) as a background and short marigolds, short zinnias, or such for the pattern. Make sure you choose varieties that do not spread out too much, but instead flowers that stay bunched up. Purple wave Petunias, nasturtiums, and vines may over take the bed and your design will be lost. Also, to keep the design clearly visible, a little pruning and cutting back may be advisable.
Above all, enjoy your garden time with you child and don't get too worried about perfection of the design. It is more important to instill the joy of gardening in the child than to have a perfect series of geometric shapes.