Need Veg Garden ideas for kids at a hospital
 

DH has deputized me to run his 'pet' project at his hospital (thanks, DH). It is a residential facility for kids with mental and emotional problems.
Goals:
- Grow kid-friendly veggies - no turnips :)
- a few flowers with some WOW appeal
- allow for relatively low maintenance
- allow for child participation with
- garden-related projects for kids
- occasional and basic maintenance.

Relevant facts:
- We are Zone 7a.
- I have as much space as I want in all day, full sun w/ access to irrigation
- this space is currently undeveloped, but mowed 'meadow'
- I have a relatively reasonable budget and unlimited discretion

I am looking for any and all ideas about:
- how much space I should claim for beds
- prep the area (roundup? Tilling? compost?)
- what veggies and varieties will produce well, appeal to kids, be disease and insect resistant (I know, I should buy plastic ones and buy french fries :laughing:)
- Any and all planting ideas
- plant pairings and kid favs
- garden-related projects for kids
- any other IDEAS or SUGGESTIONS

I am expecting some help from the local county extension office. I am going to post on craigslist for some donations of materials. I think I need:
- usable garden tools for the kids to use
- fencing hog/chicken wire and stakes to keep out the rabbits and geese
- materials for tomato cages/ bean posts and poles/

Any thing else I should ask for?

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!

Marigolds are fairly easy to grow from seed, I have dozens in the greenhouse growing
I like perennials so that is usually what I plant for seeds
Sweet william is a colorful flower
Sunflowers are also another good flower
I try watermelon every year, have yet to have one grow
---but I have a new area this year & I'm trying again
When we were in Pasadena MD a farmer had a watermelon patch we used to raid every now & then

My son loves his veggies
As my standard plants I grow peas, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers & pumpkins - good for kids - let them run out into the meadow
Carrots are good if you have good tilled soil down to at least 12"
Chain link fence & lattice makes a good climbing surface for cukes

How you need to prep depends upon your soil
I dig up the grass etc & toss it on my mulch pile or fill in an area
My 10x14 garden I dug out the grass & put timbers down
Then filled with extra dirt, I picked up some loads of horse poop & sawdust
I dumped a lot of that into the garden (mostly sawdust) to fight weeds
I also use my grass clippings in the garden as mulch

i've found the following fairly helpful while trying to figure out how and what to garden at my house:

http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/books...reading-113061

http://www.milkandhoneyfarm.com/garden/herbs.html

http://www.organicgardening.com/