Gardening guide for children to enjoy during National Children’s Gardening Week

With National Children’s Gardening Week around the corner (24 May to 1 June 2025), British Garden Centres is encouraging families to get outside and get growing with a selection of easy-to-grow plants perfect for children.

This annual event, supported by the Horticultural Trades Association, is about inspiring young gardeners to discover the joys of growing plants, learning about nature, and having fun outdoors.

Whether you have a big garden, a small balcony, or just a windowsill, there’s something for every child to try, and the team at British Garden Centres has put together some plant ideas that are easy for kids to try.

Gardening is a brilliant way for children to learn new skills, get some fresh air, and watch something grow from seed to flower or vegetable. It’s also a great way to spend quality time as a family, away from screens and gadgets.

Here is a range of simple and colorful plants that are perfect for young gardeners of all ages, that are easy to grow and quick to show results, perfect for keeping children interested and motivated.

Sunflowers

These iconic giants are a firm favorite with kids. The seeds are large and easy to handle, and sunflowers grow fast, shooting up tall with bright yellow petals that seem to follow the sun. Watching these towering plants grow day by day is a real thrill for children, and they will bring pollinator insects to your garden.

Marigolds

Marigolds produce bright orange and yellow flowers that can last all summer and attract helpful pollinators like bees and butterflies. Easy to grow, children will love seeing these bloom, and they are hardy too, so they will last most of the summer.

Nasturtiums

Nasturtiums have cheerful orange, red, or yellow flowers that are not only beautiful but also edible, adding a peppery kick to salads.

Radishes and salad leaves

If you want quick results, radishes are a perfect vegetable for children to try their hand at growing. They sprout in just a few days and are ready to harvest and eat in about three to four weeks. Their crunchy, spicy flavor is a fun introduction to growing vegetables, while growing salad leaves like rocket, lettuce, and spinach will result in satisfaction and can be picked leaf by leaf, giving kids a sense of ongoing success.

Peas and beans

These climbing plants are fun to grow because children can watch them twine around bamboo teepees or trellises, creating a leafy green hideout for them to hide in.

Peas are sweet and juicy, perfect for snacking straight from the pod, while green beans are a tasty treat that will encourage kids to learn about plants and how to grow their own food.

Strawberries and tomatoes

Nothing beats the joy of picking your own fruit! Strawberries are easy to grow in pots or garden beds and produce sweet, juicy berries that children love to eat fresh. Cherry tomatoes are similarly rewarding for children to grow, with bright red fruits that ripen quickly and taste delicious straight off the vine.

Mint and cress

For indoor gardening in the kitchen or even in their bedroom, mint and cress are ideal. Mint is tough, fragrant, and can be picked regularly without harm, making it a great sensory plant for children to explore. Cress grows incredibly fast – often in just a week – and can be grown on damp kitchen paper or in small pots, giving instant gratification that they have grown something themselves.

Julian Palphramand, Head of Plants at British Garden Centres, said: “Your local British Garden Centres store has everything you need for National Children’s Gardening Week and provides a wide range of easy-to-grow plants and tools that help children discover the joy of gardening. We believe that encouraging young gardeners to connect with nature not only nurtures their curiosity and confidence but also plants the seeds for a greener, healthier future.”

British Garden Centres (BGC) is the UK’s largest family-owned garden centre group with 73 centres around the country. The group is owned and led by the Stubbs family, who also own and operate Woodthorpe Leisure Park in Lincolnshire.