Future Gardeners

Dear Gardeners,

It’s been a very wet start to the year here in Somerset. The no dig garden continues to drain well, and the large pond is brimful. January has seen already 144 mm of rain. Although that’s a lot, it’s no more than we had last February, for example.

While we shelter from the rain, it’s a perfect time to plan for the year ahead.

I’ve been working with Premier Seeds Direct to put together my seed recommendations. These include individual varieties and the monthly collections, in smart paper packets. Having seeds ready helps to ensure that we sow everything at the best time. Coming up in the middle of February are many seeding opportunities, including onions, spring onions, spinach, cabbage, cauliflower, beetroot and fennel, and herbs such as coriander, parsley and dill. 

Someone who takes seed selection very seriously is George, whom I’ve had the pleasure of meeting a couple of times. Do read below about his journey and experiences of growing.

We also have some exciting ideas for the year ahead for our Future Gardeners. I mentioned previously the Oxford Real Farming Conference and the panel discussion we had hoped to run there. Sadly, our proposal was rejected. Instead, we’re planning a free webinar to replace that slot, so do keep an eye out for more details.

The working title is “How can we gardeners work with landowners and farmers to serve our youngest generation and secure regular access for them to be in nature and learn to grow?” We’re planning to hold this in March and will share more information in the next newsletter.

Lara Honnor will be taking part in the webinar and is playing a significant role in teaching adults how to run children’s gardening clubs. You’ll find details of her adult classes in this newsletter. Lara also has great plans for 2026 so there will be more updates from her in the coming months.

If you have a story to share that could inspire children or adults to get growing, please do email Nicola at [email protected].

Happy gardening,
Charles

I’m George, a 12-year-old keen gardener who loves the great outdoors and being in nature, especially among trees. For me, gardening isn’t just a hobby, it’s how I learn, how I feel calm, and how I understand the world.

Our first real introduction to gardening came when we helped care for our elderly neighbour. She kindly allowed us to use her vegetable beds and greenhouse, and the space became very special to us. I was around two years old at the time, but even then I loved being outside, being in the soil, sowing seeds, and watering plants. It didn’t feel like something I was learning it felt like something I already knew.

Discovering the magic of growing

During lockdown, like many families, our lives changed completely. School stopped, routines disappeared, and the world felt uncertain. At home, we created our own allotment area within our garden, and this became a turning point.

It was during this time that we discovered “no-dig” gardening and learned about the importance of soil and compost. We began watching videos and learning from experienced growers, such as Charles, who understood how nature works. Our first year growing food was incredibly successful, helped by good weather. It was inspiring and gave us something positive to focus on during a very difficult time.

Lockdown was especially challenging for children, with the disruption of school and normal routines. For me, the garden became a place of calm, focus, and learning. My passion for gardening grew stronger and stronger.

Gardening and school

When I returned to school, I found formal lessons challenging. Sitting still and learning in traditional ways, with no outdoor access, didn’t suit me. I suggested to my teachers that we set up a gardening area within the school.

Over time, my plan came together. Although it was only a tiny area, it was somewhere children could see things grow. All the children loved it. Gardening created excitement, teamwork, and pride, and it showed just how powerful horticulture can be in an educational setting. It showed me that when children are trusted and given space to learn differently, they often surprise you.

Sadly, as interest and demand grew, I couldn’t remain as involved as I would have liked. My daily access was reduced to just once a month, as I had to share the space among the 30 children in the class. We searched for local community gardening projects to join, but as lockdown eased, many opportunities disappeared as things returned to normal.

A new path begins

Over time, it became clear that formal school was no longer supporting my needs or my desire to think outside the box. Although this felt daunting at first, it turned out to be the best thing that could have happened.

At home, I thrived. I spent my days tending to my garden, planting seeds, watching them grow, and learning in a way that suited me. I gained knowledge and inspiration through YouTube, learning from gardeners such as Charles Dowding and Jamie Walton, which deepened my understanding of soil, seasons, and sustainable growing.

We discovered a local, lottery-funded children’s gardening club in Glastonbury called Growing Roots, which I love. The leader is a wealth of knowledge, gentle and kind. I was hungry to learn, and being part of a supportive community project helped both my confidence and my garden grow from strength to strength.

My garden became part of my everyday learning - reading in a tree, practising seed maths, observing wildlife, and gaining knowledge through experience rather than textbooks.

With the help of my amazing tutor at the time I helped set up a local forest school for home-educated children. I donated my mud kitchen, and the horse chestnut and oak trees that I had grown from seed, helping to create a space where other children could learn, play, and connect with nature.

Why horticulture matters

I am passionate about the belief that all children should have access to horticulture from a young age. Being on the land, learning to grow food, care for soil, and work with nature teaches skills that last a lifetime. Gardening shows us that the future depends on care, patience, and working with nature, not rushing or forcing outcomes.

Learning about soil has been very beneficial. Charles is so knowledgeable – I love the way he doesn’t just garden in the traditional way, he thinks outside the box. In April 2025, Charles visited my local gardening club as a guest speaker and kindly signed a copy of his no-dig children’s book. Later that year, in September, we visited Homeacres and were truly inspired, not only by the garden itself, but by talking with Charles in person.

That same month, I attended the Yeo Valley Organic Festival, where I heard many inspiring speakers, including Charles himself, Francis Tophill, Jason Williams, Lara Honnor, Mark Diacono, and Tom Massey. It opened my eyes to how many people care deeply about growing, organic food, and the future.

Looking ahead

So, what’s next?

I have big dreams. One day, I would love to run my own community garden, supporting other children and teaching them how to grow. I would love to see horticulture properly embedded within the school curriculum.

In the nearer future, I plan to convert more of our garden into growing space and keep saving towards a polytunnel. Having a polytunnel would allow me to grow through more of the year, experiment with new crops, and continue learning about how plants respond to different conditions.

My aspirations for 2026 include growing my biggest ever pumpkin. At the 2025 village show, I won the sunflower competition, along with prizes in other categories. This year, I hope to enter even more categories, and my dream is to one day host my own Giant Pumpkin Competition, just like the recent film Grow, which I very much relate to.

With my feet on the ground and my hands firmly in the soil, I know this is where I belong. Gardening is not just a hobby, it is my passion, my learning, and my future, and I’m very grateful for the knowledge and support that others have shared with me.

If I could inspire any child reading this, my message would be simple:
“Sow seeds, care for the soil, and let nature uncoil.” You never know where it might lead.

Thanks for reading.

George – Seeds and Trees

You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/@SeedsAndTreees

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seedsandtreees/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61583530014596&locale=en_GB

We are proud to offer adult day courses for anyone interested in starting a children's gardening club, creating a children's garden or just looking for top tips on how to engage little beanz in the garden. No gardening experience required. Everyone welcome aged 18+.

Sun 29 March

Sun 12 April

Sun 31 May

Sun 28 June

Sun 19 July

Sun 13 September

Sun 11 October

10am - 4pm. £95. Lunch included.

Would you like to share your experience of growing and gardening with children?

However large or small your project, we would love to hear from you.

We hope that by showing what’s possible, others will be encouraged to get started with their ideas.

Please email Nicola: [email protected]

To help with the planning of a school garden, please see this page of my website.

For a Sowing Timeline in the Northern Hemisphere, please see this page, and for the Southern Hemisphere, please click here.

For starting a new no dig allotment or garden, this is the page.

First Tunnels offer schools a 20% discount. Do see their page here, where they feature the Future Gardeners Forum!

We would like this resource list to grow and turn into a toolkit to help set up and run a successful growing space for children, so if you have any resources you think would be helpful, please email Anna, [email protected]

Below are the contact details for the Future Gardeners Forum speakers, 2024 and 2025. Do follow along with their projects via Instagram or their websites.

Alby Jones, @nodigkid

Beth Rochford, @rootzup

Karen Waterston, @thegardenofideas

Helen Cross, @grow_cook_inspire

Tom Houghton, @thecommunitygrowers_cic, @thebostonmarketgarden

Hannah and Ross, @lettinggrow

Lara Honnor – Skool Beanz 
@skoolbeanz

Jess Creasey – Cornwall Grows CIC 
@cornwallgrows

Phil Brown – Headteacher, Bottesford Junior School 
Website: https://www.bottesfordjuniors.com/school-garden/

Sarah Alun-Jones - GROW
@wearegrow
https://www.wearegrow.org

Dan Romans-Hay – Woody School Farm, Streatham
@woodyschoolfarm
[email protected]

Matt Willer – The Papillon Project
@thepapillonproject
https://www.thepapillonproject.com