Issue 25The Last Word

THE LAST WORD
Growing Our Future GardenersHorticulture and landscaping supported contributions of £2.8bn towards GDP and over 64,000 jobs in Scotland in 2019, with projections indicating this could rise significantly by 2030* as we grow a green economy.
Data also shows however, that the horticulture industry is facing a potential shortage in labour supply that could limit the industry’s capacity to grow. The sector is also struggling to attract new talent and can be perceived as unattractive and poorly remunerated, leading to a reliance on seasonal migrant labour, which has also declined since the pandemic and Brexit regulations.
In order to address the growing skills shortage in Scottish horticulture and to secure the skills pipeline, we need to put horticulture on the curriculum to address young people at grassroots level.
Until that happens though, it is incumbent upon us all to try to engage our next generation in seeing the potential in the horticultural sector and to experience the myriad of benefits which gardening brings, even if the prospect of a horticultural career isn’t appealing.
Gardening offers a multitude of benefits for people of all ages, but its impact on children is particularly profound. Engaging children in gardening from a young age nurtures their curiosity, teaches responsibility, and fosters a lifelong appreciation for nature.
This year, we’ve witnessed some exciting initiatives aimed at involving children in the world of horticulture, ensuring that the gardeners of tomorrow are being inspired today.
Junior Judges at the RHS Chelsea Flower ShowThis year, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show took a commendable step by including primary school children as junior judges for the infamous show gardens. Nine London primary schools were invited to the prestigious event where they announced the first winner of the new RHS Children’s Choice Award.
After enjoying a picnic lunch, the children assessed eight show gardens with a series of questions:

Is the garden a good place to play?

Is the garden a good place to relax?

Is the garden attractive to wildlife?

Do you like this garden?

The award went to The Octavia Hill Garden by Blue Diamond with the National Trust, having been chosen by 64 young judges. Ann-Marie Powell, the winning garden’s designer, expressed her delight, saying, “These are the gardeners and the horticulturists of the future and exactly the sort of people we want to be running all over our garden.”
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The inclusion of children as judges highlights the RHS's commitment to fostering a lifelong passion for gardening and emphasises the unique perspectives that young people bring to the table.
Fun and Learning at Scone Palace Garden FairAt this year’s Scone Palace Garden Fair, a highlight in Scotland's horticultural calendar, three Scottish schools joined the RHS Community Outreach team at the Fair in Perthshire to take part in gardening workshops and enjoy a picnic on the palace lawns.
Around 30 pupils from Guildtown Primary School, Cranhill Primary School, and Netherlee Primary School explored the show grounds, and learned how to sow their own ‘mini eden’ of salad and herbs to take home and grow on their windowsills. They also made wellbeing branches, using foliage to help relax and unwind.
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To coincide with National Children’s Gardening Week, the children also showcased their own gardening projects at the Fair which included strawberries growing in upcycled supermarket baskets, decorated drums containing herbs, and vintage tea sets turned into terrariums.
In an exciting move to encourage family participation, Scone Palace Garden Fair confirmed that children under 16 will enjoy free entry for next year’s Garden Fair in May 2025. This initiative ensures that financial constraints do not hinder the opportunity for children to explore and fall in love with gardening.
Activities to Get Children Gardening
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For parents, grandparents, and carers looking to nurture a child's green thumb, here are a few simple yet effective activities to try during the last few weeks of the summer holidays.

Create a Miniature Garden: help children design and plant their own small garden using containers or a dedicated patch in the garden, perhaps delineated by a few pieces of wood or stones. They can choose their favourite flowers, vegetables, or herbs to plant, care for, and watch grow to foster a sense of responsibility in caring for their own miniature garden.
Garden Crafts: incorporate creativity with gardening by making garden markers, bird feeders, bug hotels, or painted pots. These activities blend art and nature, making gardening more enjoyable and personal.
Nature Scavenger Hunt: organise a scavenger hunt in the garden or local park where children can search for various plants, insects, and garden tools. This fun activity teaches them about different species and the ecosystem while keeping them active.
Growing from Kitchen Scraps: show children how to grow plants from kitchen scraps, like potatoes, carrots, or lettuce. This not only recycles waste but also teaches them about plant life cycles and sustainability.
Story Time in the Garden: combine reading and gardening by sharing stories about plants, animals, and nature while sitting in the garden. Books that feature gardens or nature themes can inspire children to explore and learn more about their surroundings.

Plants to Inspire ChildrenGiving children their own positive experience by introducing them to inspiring plants can create lasting memories.

Flowers like sunflowers, marigolds, and poppies are easy to grow from seed and show the variety of seed sizes and forms.

Introduce a range of sensory plants to engage the senses of sight, touch, and smell like rattling poppy seedheads, furry Lamb’s ear (Stachys byzantina), or smelly curry plant (Helichrysum italicum), lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), and chocolate cosmos (Cosmos atrosanguineus).

Quick-growing edibles can awaken a deep appreciation for food growing and the bigger the variety, the more knowledge is imparted. Radish, Swiss chard ‘Bright Lights’, and lettuce are all quick-growing crops, and courgettes, runner beans, and carrots will introduce children to different growing forms.

Edible flowers are a useful learning experience too to teach children that many plants produce both leaves and flowers which can be consumed from the stalks and flowers of delicate chives to the peppery leaves and blooms of nasturtium.

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Gardening with children is not just about planting seeds in the ground; it's about planting the seeds of curiosity, responsibility, and a love for the environment in young hearts and minds. As we continue to champion larger initiatives that engage children in gardening and push to see horticulture on the curriculum, we can all do something where we can, to encourage a greener, more knowledgeable, and passionate generation of gardeners and horticulturists.

*Unlocking Green Growth, OHRG 2021You can follow our Editor’s garden and gardening on her Blog, Instagram or Facebook feeds to keep up with what she loves in the garden.
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