Our toddler loves to hide. Whether it’s pulling a blanked over her head and walking around like a miniature quilted ghost or sitting under the table, she loves to be hidden – and to suddenly jump out at us. Sometimes, you can just walk past the table she is underneath and hear a little giggle coming from it. Look under the table, and there she is – laughing and smiling and thinking she has pulled one over on us.

Now that the weather is warmer, we spend more time outdoors, where, sadly, she has no place to hide. Our backyard is a big open area with nary a tree to hide behind. So this year, as I was gathering up the various seeds I needed to plant our garden, I happened upon some sunflower seeds. Sunflowers are incredibly easy to grow – I’ve grown tall ones from simply planning the sunflower seeds picked out of the birdseed mix we buy – and grow tall and cheery in the summer sun.

A row or a semi circle of sunflowers would also make an excellent fort for our daughter. Simply find a sunny spot in the yard, plant the seeds and water generously. Keep an eye on the seedlings and water as needed, and in several weeks the sunflowers will begin to get taller. By the time summer arrives, the flowers just might be tall enough to hide our little girl – or at least make a fun area for her to play in while her father and I are tending to the garden or doing work around the yard.

Sunflowers are easy for even the non gardener to grow, but you could try any tall flower or plant. Hollyhocks, foxglove or even corn would work just as well. Try planting a “green” fort for your little ones — it’s simple, inexpensive and sure to be a hit!

On Sunday, my husband and I went outside to finish up some yard work. He worked on the courtyard gate while I planted the flowers and our 1 year old happily played in the dirt. We were laughing about how she tried to eat everything and even took pictures of her nasty, messy face.

And then Monday morning, she had a serious diaper blowout. She hadn’t had one of those since she started eating solid foods. Later that afternoon, she had another one. It was filled with watery diarrhea. Later in the evening … You get the idea. Tuesday morning came and she was still getting rid of whatever she ate.

That made me wonder just what she did eat. A quick check online told me that several things I have planted, and a few I was dreaming of growing, are not good choices for a garden with small children.

Of course, any of us might get a tummy ache from lunching in the flower bed. And there are many plants that can induce vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps and other digestive complaints. But due to the restraints of space, here is a list of common garden plants that can be deadly. They are in alphabetical order by their common names.

• Autumn crocus – (Not the popular spring bulb.) Every part of this cute little plant (which looks suspiciously like an onion) can lead to respiratory failure.

• Castor beans – The seeds, and to a much lesser extent the ornamental leaves, of this plant are the origin of the deadly poison ricin. Just two to four seeds can kill a child.

• Daphne – Just a few berries off of this pretty shrub can kill a child. The plant itself can also cause skin irritation.

• Delphinium and larkspur – All parts of these stately flowers are poisonous.

• Foxgloves – Every part of the foxglove is deadly, following a slow and irregular pulse and convulsions.

• Golden Chain – The bean-like capsules of this cold-climate flower cause excitability, staggering, convulsions, coma and death.

• Hyacinths and daffodils – Though the flowers themelves aren’t deadly, don’t led the kids dig up the bulbs. Eating them causes nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Rarely, they can be fatal.

• Lantana – This popular plant for warm climates can be lethal. Eating the green berries, which appear as the flowers fall, affect the lungs, kidneys, heart and nervous system.

• Mountain laurel – (Not bay laurel, which is a cooking herb.) Eating most parts of a mountain laurel can be fatal, following digestive problems, trouble breathing, and coma. Unfortunately, the very common and beautiful azaleas and rhododendrons are related, and should be off-limits for the garden with young children.

• Oleander – These beauties are hardy and easy to grow–and extremely poisonous. The milky, sticky sap affects the heart. A few unsuspecting campers have used the branches for hot dog or marshmallow skewers with unfortunate results.

• Privet – The leaves of this popular hedge can be a digestive irritant. But eating the berries can be fatal.

• Winter jasmine – Ingesting this vine causes digestive problems, but can also cause more serious nerve damage, and can be lethal.

• Yew – There are many types of Yew, and most of them are not generally fatal. But since every part of the plant except for the berries are toxic to children and pets, and because they CAN be lethal, they may be best avoided. If a child is going to have a reaction, it is often very sudden and violent.

The first day of spring has arrived. As such, it?s time to start thinking about your garden. Gardening can be a great project to get your kids involved in, especially after the snow has cleared and they?re clamoring to get outside. Whether you have a few pots on the balcony or back porch, or a big backyard garden plot, you can start planning ? and planting ? now.

Starting plants from seed is an inexpensive way to get a lot of plants, and also teaches kids about horticulture. Planting a seed and observing it grow over time is rewarding and brings a sense of accomplishment. When to start seeds indoors depends on two factors: what type of seed you are trying to grow and the last expected frost date for your zone. A handy way to help determine how early you can start certain seeds based on your region?s last frost date is the Weekend Gardener?s Grow Guide. This tool will tell you what you can plant now so you can jump start your spring vegetable garden. Or, if you?re lucky, you might live in a region where it?s already warm enough to plant directly into the ground.

You can find a variety of seed packets in most grocery, big box and home improvement stores. I suggest using organic and non-hybrid (aka, ?heirloom?) seeds, as they are a more sustainable way to grow fresh produce and taste better. In addition, the ripening process for heirlooms is staggered, which means you will get produce that ripens on an ongoing basis. Many hybrids were bred to ripen at the same time, which optimized mechanical harvesting. Seed starting kits are readily available as well. Or, you can start seeds yourself by planting them in small containers, such as empty yogurt or pudding cups. Follow instructions on the back of the seed packet for planting and watering, and before you know it you?ll have plants ready to place in your garden!

Pregnancy legends say whatever you eat in your first trimester will be your baby’s favorite foods later in life. As my husband and I both sat here devouring the sweetest Florida oranges you could ever want to taste, I cringed thinking about my future food bills – specifically, the price of fresh fruit!

Pre-pregnancy, I loved vegetables. Fresh green beans, canned peas, broccoli, cauliflower, even brussel sprouts and lima beans. You name it, I’d eat it; raw, steamed or saut’ed with garlic and butter. I ate a relatively balanced diet, but never shied away from my greens.

I realized around week 5, when I finished my steak and brown rice and left my salad sitting in its bowl, that I had lost my taste for vegetables. “Since when do I leave my salad for last?” I moaned to my husband. “Our future child won’t like vegetables, and it’s your fault!” My husband likes only a handful of vegetables, all raw, and corn in any form except creamed.

Concerned about not eating enough healthy foods during pregnancy, I ransacked the produce section of Stop n’ Shop. “If the kid doesn’t like vegetables, he’s going to eat fruit!” I came home with oranges, apples, grapefruits, blueberries, strawberries, bananas, and kiwi fruit.

I’ve been making a smoothie in my Magic Bullet once a day with a banana, five to seven strawberries, a handful of blueberries and a cup of non-fat milk. Not only does it calm the nausea and fill me up for a whole two hours, it’s probably one of the healthiest foods I actually have a desire to eat.

I started to get worried this morning about my fruit stock. Last night, I ate the last banana and the last apple and my strawberry supply was running dangerously low.

When my husband came home from work with bananas and oranges, I hugged him as if he had given me diamonds and the keys to a new car. I dug deeper in the grocery bag and found sugar snap peas, one of the few foods on his list of ‘approved vegetables.’ I tossed them aside in hopes of revealing a pint of strawberries.

Two out of three isn’t bad, I guess, but if this is a glimpse into the future, I’m thinking we ought to reconsider our vegetable garden concept with rows of tomato plants and green beans. We’ll just need to buy enough land to grow an orchard.