28/04/2025

Celebrating National Gardening Week 

National Gardening Week is the perfect opportunity to dig into the joys of gardening with your family. Whether you have a sprawling garden, a cosy patio, or just a few pots on a windowsill, there are loads of ways to introduce children to the magic of growing things. Gardening isn’t just about plants — it’s about spending quality time together, learning new skills, and creating memories. 🌱🌸

Here are some fun and easy gardening tips to help your family celebrate and grow this National Gardening Week:

Start Small (and Simple)

Children love quick results. Begin with easy-to-grow plants like sunflowers, cress, radishes, or marigolds. These plants germinate quickly and are hardy enough to handle enthusiastic little gardeners!

Tip: Create a "seed race" to see whose sunflower grows the fastest!

Create a Mini Herb Garden

Herbs like basil, mint, and chives are perfect for little hands and noses — they're tough, grow quickly, and smell amazing. Plant them in small pots or recycled containers on a sunny windowsill.

Fun idea: Let kids design colourful labels for each herb.

Get Crafty with DIY Plant Pots

Instead of buying new pots, use yogurt pots, old teapots, or even wellies! Let your kids decorate them with paint or stickers. It’s a great rainy-day activity and encourages recycling too.

Tip: Always make sure there’s a drainage hole at the bottom!

Build a Bug Hotel

Celebrate biodiversity by building a simple bug hotel from sticks, leaves, bark, and hollow stems. Stack them up in a corner of the garden to welcome beneficial insects like ladybirds and bees.

Bonus: Learning about garden creatures sparks natural curiosity and a love for nature.

Make a Themed Garden Patch

Pick a fun theme together — maybe a "pizza garden" (with tomatoes, basil, and peppers), a "fairy garden" with tiny flowers, or a "butterfly garden" packed with pollinator-friendly plants.

Tip: Let children be involved in planning and drawing out their little garden before planting.

Go on a Colour Hunt

Challenge your kids to plant flowers of every colour of the rainbow. It’s a brilliant way to teach about different species and the importance of flowers in the ecosystem.

Fun add-on: Create a scrapbook with photos of their colourful garden journey.

Teach Composting the Fun Way

Set up a small compost bin and teach children what can (and can’t) go in. Banana peels, vegetable scraps, and coffee grounds all turn into rich soil for your plants.

Tip: Turn it into a game — who can spot more "good compost" items at snack time?

Final Thoughts 🌻

Gardening doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. With a little creativity and enthusiasm, it can become one of your family's favourite hobbies. Plus, studies show that gardening together can boost mood, teach patience, and encourage healthy outdoor play.

This National Gardening Week, let’s sow the seeds of a lifelong love of nature in our children — one plant at a time!

Happy Gardening! 🌼