There will be plenty of barbecues going on this Memorial Day weekend – if you’re hosting, you’ll need more than just meat. If you’re attending a back yard party and need something healthy, fun and kid-friendly to bring, you can’t get more festive than this flowering garden. It’s also perfect for kids’ birthday parties, when you’re prepared to go more all-out on the snacks, but still want something healthy. What kid doesn’t adore watermelon? A flowering garden of it can double as an edible centerpiece.

To make one isn’t as difficult as it looks – small flower shaped cutters easily cut blooms out of watermelon slices, and bamboo skewers make stems. To complete the look, popsicle sticks make a wooden picket fence – if you don’t have a hot glue gun, white craft glue should do the trick. Get older kids involved in this part – and small hands will love punching out the melon flowers.

If you’re looking for something a little more dramatic, check out this watermelon T-Rex!

Flowering Watermelon Garden

formula and photos courtesy of the National Watermelon Promotion Board – check their website for more creative carving ideas!

1 oblong seeded watermelon
1 small yellow watermelon (or substitute mini red watermelon or pineapple)

Tools:
Flower shape cookie cutters
Melon baller
15-20 Skewers for flower stems
40-50 Popsicle or jumbo craft sticks for picket fence
Toothpicks
Hot glue gun
Green food coloring and pipe cleaners (optional)

1. Wash the watermelons. Cut a ¼ inch slice off the bottom of the oblong watermelon to provide a stable base. Cut the top 1/3 off the watermelon lengthwise to provide the flower bed.

2. Cut out flat pieces from the flesh of the slice and from flesh from the flower bed piece. Use cookie cutters (or free hand cut) for the desired shapes for flowers. Be sure to cut shapes from the yellow watermelon as well. (Shown are daisies and tulips.)

3. Soak skewers in green food coloring, and set on paper towel to dry.

4. Use a small melon baller to create flower centers from both the yellow and red watermelons. Assemble the flowers by attaching the center balls with toothpicks. Place entire flower head on tinted green skewers. Insert skewer flower stems into base flower bed. Be sure to alternate colors and feel free to experiment with other colorful fruits like cantaloupe or blueberries.

5. Fill the basket flower bed with the rest of the fruit in flower shapes and balls. Shape a couple pipe cleaners into leaves and carefully attach to the skewer stems.

6. Using extreme caution use a hot glue gun to attach the Popsicle sticks around the flower bed as shown to create a fence for the garden. Garnish with other fun shapes such as butterflies or honeybees.

For a How-To sequence photo of this carving, email info@watermelon.org.

Fun with Colors and Shapes: Food inspired by Kids Books!

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