Damian Eubanks, 10, holds a watermelon grown in the patch that used to be his mother's flower bed. Being the parent of a young child can be difficult, having to be on alert for everything, from what the youth is watching to the items brought in the house.

Rarely does Cherokee County resident Brenda Eubanks have to stress about these issues, partly because her 10-year-old son Damian is usually with her.

The two of them share a common bond — both love to spend time outside in the family's garden.

"Whenever I would go outside, (Damian) wouldn't be far behind me," said Brenda Eubanks. "He learned to water and check the plants, mostly because he likes to see how things grow."

For the past few years, Brenda has planted a flower bed in front of the family's home in rural Cherokee County. The garden was something she took pride in, knowing it was work done by her and members of her family that kept it looking good.

However, the local woman was caught off guard when a place so dear to her heart would also be the site of her son's first brush of success in the garden.

"I couldn't believe it when a watermelon patch had overrun my flower bed," Brenda Eubanks said. "Every year he plants something, but we think nothing of it. Next time, I'll definitely listen."

Damian in recent years began planting tomatoes and pumpkin seeds around the family's yard on his own. However, he had only seen limited success, coming close to achieving his goal of bringing in a pumpkin harvest last year.

But the local youth changed course this year, deciding to plant watermelons to help satisfy the craving for one of his favorite fruits.

"I started planting pumpkins because I like to carve them," Damian Eubanks said. "But I wanted to do watermelons because they are something I like to eat."

According to his mother, Damian cares after the plants for himself. In recent months, the youth has brought in several watermelons, including one that weighed more than 25 pounds.

He expects more within the next few weeks.

"Some of them are ready to be picked," Damian Eubanks said, "but I already started another plant not too long ago."

While the youth's success brings a smile to her face, Brenda is ready to have her flower bed back.

"His watermelon patch has taken over the flower bed," Brenda Eubanks said. "To stop that, I have a new rule prohibiting anyone from dropping seeds in the (flower) bed from now on."