Perhaps the most famous face in children’s gardening, Blue Peter gardener Chris Collins, is working with MyGardenSchool to create a course on horticulture for kids. Aimed at parents, teachers and youth workers, the course is designed to encourage the next generation of gardeners. Included in the four week online gardening course will be top gardening projects, how to grow vegetables, and top ten tips for gardening with children. The course will be available at the New Year, but it is possible to register your interest on the MyGardenSchool website now. (we will shortly be adding a wishlist button to this course in the next couple of days; in the meantime – please feel free to contact us at info@my-garden-school.com)

Chris Collins said: “There is something spiritual about our relationship with the garden, it’s a switch inside us that automatically turns on as soon as our fingers touch the soil. This is nowhere more apparent than when children nurture and grow plants. I have been working with children in the garden for six years, and I can honestly say that there isn’t a single child that’s not enjoyed it.”

Lessons will be detailed here shortly.  But are likely to incude topics as diverse at making a terrarium, ant farms, working a vegtable garden and growing your own flowers to cut.  Some of the following ideas will be featured in the course:

• Edible basket - Grow ‘Tumbler’ tomatoes from seed along with herbs such as Basil , Rocket and Parsley. Once the seedlings are established plant into a hanging basket.

• Get to know fabulous trees . Collect leaves from all the common ones (and rare if you like) then press and dry them , laminate and make a hanging mobile for the kids bedroom.

• Had enough of the ugly plastic compost bin stuck in the corner of the garden? Have some fun and make it into a Dalek. Use recycled materials . Its a great way to teach the golden rule of gardening - nothing goes to waste.

• Build a terrarium - create a mini rainforest in an old fish tank. First line the bottom with gravel then create an undulating terrain with soil. Plant small house plants such as Pipers , Ferns , Spider plant and even Orchids. Then top dress with moss. Put it in pride of place in the living room and get the kids to spray with water mist once a day to keep alive.

• Kids love wildlife and action in the garden. Get wildlife into the garden with habitat piles , bat and bird boxes - how about a hedgehog house and if safe enough a pond.

• Plant a tree as a family and in 20 years time you can all meet up and sit in it together.

• Make a grass man , create legs , arms , a torso and a head out of chicken wire. Fill each part with old tights soil and grass seed , put him together and lie him down on the grass or in a border , water him and watch him come to life.

• Create a mini landscape. Choose a piece of garden 2 meters by 2 meters . Get the kids to measure it , draw a design and then dig it over . Next they can plant it and nurture it. How about a family day out to one of Britain’s famous gardens to get some inspiration.

• Take some hardwood cuttings from Willows , watch them root in water and create a mini Willow arch.

• Painting with plants using summer bedding plants such as geraniums and Lobelia Petunias or even veg like Lettuce and Rocket , create patterns in the borders or beds . How about the shape of guitar or football.

 This course is aimed at parents, teachers and youth workers.  No previous experience needed