Grow a Magic Garden | How About Orange

June 18, 2007

Grow a Magic Garden

I bought this little kit for $4.99 at Art Effect, thinking it would be a goofy little thing to add to somebody's care package sometime. But... it kept calling my name, and against my will, I succumbed to the urge to open it up and try it out myself. And it turned out to be FASCINATING! The kit comes with flat, boring paper shapes you open up and stand in a tray, and then you add various packets of clear liquid to each tray compartment. In 2 hours, you start to see pink buds. In 12 hours, it looks like this!

I'm amazed. Some kind of salt crystals grow. But why? How? Must be magic. This crappy picture I took does not do it justice. You should get yourself one. Or if you're too dignified, at least give one to a kid you know.

34 comments:

Jennifer said...

This is way better than a chia pet! Wow what a gift that would be for someone special!

Anonymous said...

We did something like this when I was a kid with ammonia and bluing and salt. Not quite as cute as your little scene there, but fun none-the-less.

eshu said...

i want one!

greetingarts said...

Oh yeah, my kids would go bonkers for something like this! Especially the *pink* trees... I can see why you couldn't resist.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations!

Anonymous said...

that looks so cute!!!!

Christie said...

I KNEW there was a reason I had kids- so I can to cool stuff like this!
I am now on the hunt for one of those kits(in Australia)!
Thanks for your blog lots of inspiration, Christie

m∃ said...

These are so fun! I'm sure I had one exactly the same when I was younger, so keep looking Christie - you might be in luck! (I'm in Australia too). PS: I've just found this blog, and have been enjoying it heaps!

Lola said...

That is so cool.
I want one!

Jesse said...

They're great! I had one a few years ago and when it ran out I was intrigued enough to make my own. (Google 'crystal garden' for some recipes). It's fun to cut your own shapes out of blotting paper to make weird trees.

Sweet Olive Press | Helen said...

kids are the most fabulous excuse to do things grown-ups "shouldn't" do.

my husband is eagerly waiting till our baby girl is big enough to take to chuck-e-cheese
(did I spell that right? I'm not from here)

Anonymous said...

YAY! I gave one of these as a gift at a kid's party a year or so ago, and was really curious how it would turn out. SO COOL! Now I'll have to go get one for me ... er ... my kid. ;)

Anonymous said...

thanks for trying it and sharing it with us - showing us how cool it is too have one!

I think I have to get some to give as gifts.

Anonymous said...

We did one of these last year! For a X-mas exchange I bought this, a crystal growing kit, and magic rocks- I ended up winning my own gift back but it was okay- it was the best one there! We still haven't grown our own crystals or done the magic rocks but we couldn't resist the magic garden, it's so cool!

Melissa said...

Wow! I'd never even heard of anything like that. How cool!!!

Wendy said...

That would make an excellent science project! Thanks so much for the info; I'm ordering one now.

Amy M. said...

It's good to maintain your childlike enthusiasm. And this is cool!!!

Meari said...

That is SO cool!

Diane Gilleland said...

Yaaaaay, it's so nice to find other adults who share my love of these! They rank right up there with Magic Rocks.

Cloggsy said...

I want one, I want one!

What a neat idea

Unknown said...

fun! i seem to remember doing something like this in elementary school with salt crystals..

Anonymous said...

oh my ! is that ever crazy!
:)

Myrannda said...

This is my first time to comment, but I've been reading for months. This is so cool!! I wonder if my 2.5 yr old is big enough...

Thanks for all the cool things you post - you've given me inspiration time and time again!

Anonymous said...

that's too cool!!! :)

World Wide Alternative said...

I know I'm being a party pooper, but that looks kinda poisonous. Eeeeeek! ;)

Jessica Jones said...

The box says it's nontoxic. That's good, because I actually tasted just a speck of it to confirm that it was salt. :)

Anonymous said...

I hade something like this as a kid and I really want another one now.

Kathleen Rietz said...

I remember something like this when I was a kid. So cool!

Anonymous said...

Oooh! I remember doing this as my Chemistry introduction in high school in Singapore! Way too much fun! :-)

Anonymous said...

When I saw this post I was about to cry. I didn't see this things since I was 5. I try find them every where but I don't think they made here any more. But it was nice to know that it still exists. It brings me such good memories.

Anonymous said...

i was given one of these as a white elephant gift several years ago, and it's both fascinating and disgusting. the way it grows on itself sort of reminds me of mold...

Anonymous said...

The Fowlers, if u r in Melbourne, head to Ishka in Fitzroy for those growing mini g ardens or u can get them from those Asian $2 shops.
When I was a kid the school bookshop sold those and this was back in Malaysia.
I've been a long time lurker. Love ur stuff n orange ^_^

KatieJ said...

oh my goodness- we made these when I was a kid- I thought they grew on charcoal? I need to call my mom and find out how she did it... I remember growing them in old Cool Whip containers.

Sid said...

haha this is amazing. oh I linked to you blog in a post that i did about the mr picassohead since i found is via your blog. =) and i think im going to buy me a magic garden