National Children’s Gardening Week (NCGW), 25 May – 2 June 2019, is fast approaching and it looks like it will be a record year for the number of garden retailers taking part by providing information in-store or running their own events through the week. On Facebook over half a million people have already been reached with fun gardening project ideas, with many more being reached by the free point of sale for the week that’s available to garden centres.
The aim of NCGW is to get as many schools, children and their families involved, gardening and having fun in their gardens. The initiative, which is supported by the HTA’s National Garden Gift Voucher scheme, is now in its 5th year.
The website www.childrensgardeningweek.co.uk features innovative ideas and projects including: Cascading strawberries, The right trousers, Grow a pallet garden, Build a bug hotel.
It also features a listing of member events happening across the country during the week. These include:
Write your name in salad at Patrick’s Patch in Hampshire
Treasure Hunt at ACW Garden Centre in Bradford
Decorate a terracotta windowsill pot at Scotsdales Garden Centre in Cambridge
Seed planting at Aylett Nurseries in St Albans
Miniature Garden Making at Whitehall Garden Centres in Lacock, Whitchurch and Woodborough
This year the ‘Helping Children Grow’ exhibit at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show also promotes the week and showcases some of the fun projects that children and families are encouraged to take part in at home, school or their local garden centre. (feature image – Chris Collins with school children on the garden)
National Children’s Gardening Week Ambassador Chris Collins comments, “It feels like we have come a long way with children’s gardening in the last 10 years. Campaigns like National Children’s Gardening Week have brought the subject of healthy eating, growing plants and mindfulness to garden centres and schools across the country. This year at Chelsea we aim to celebrate this incredible rise in the numbers of young gardeners and inspire even more young people with simple ideas and fun projects to encourage them, their parents and grandparents to have a go.”
NCGW also helps raise awareness of the Greenfingers charity whose logo features on the point of sale and children’s activity sheets as well as the voucher wallets and gift card hangers – providing valuable extra exposure for a great cause.
Follow National Children’s Gardening Week for all the latest news and events taking place.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nationalchildrensgardeningweek/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ncgw_