Young Gardener of the Year

We know we have some budding young gardeners out there who have been helping parents, Aunts and Uncles as well as Grandparents in their gardens. Or you may have been doing some gardening at school with your friends. Whether you?ve been growing some beautiful flowers, trying your hand at some veg or even finding ways to introduce wildlife into your garden ? we want to hear about it! The competition is open to under 16?s and we would like to see a photo, as well as a little bit about why you love being in the garden and what?s inspired you. We have three categories you can enter into, so there are three chances to win! We also have a special line up of judges too! Three very talented and inspiring gardeners are taking Instagram by storm, teaching their tips and tricks as well as showcasing their beautiful gardens.Luke aka The Pink Gardener As his name suggests, Luke loves Pink and we really mean it! From his stunning garden filled with pink Dahlias and Roses, he will be sure to wow you with his pink socks, t-shirts and sunglasses ? if it can be pink, Luke is all over it! This budding gardener is all about sharing the love that plants and gardening has given him. Based in Shropshire with his family, Luke shares his gardening hacks, plant favourites, as well as throwing in a bit of dad-dancing for good measure. Luke and his daughter will be showing us some top tips, so keep an eye out on our Instagram! What do you need to do to impress Luke as a judge? ?Enjoy it! Gardening is my therapy and all I want to do is spread the joy of it, so if you can tell me why you love it, that?s the most important thing!?Dan aka Dandys Garden If you haven?t already seen Dan?s garden, you need to! It?s been 6 years of hard work and tremendous love, but his outdoor space in Westerham is a woodland oasis, full of beautiful flowers, ornaments, lighting, and a walkway through the middle so you can take in all the beauty! He also has an eye for floral design and colour! His other venture of @dandys_florals showcase some stunning wreaths, floral sprays and centrepieces. What do you need to do to impress Dan as a judge? ?Make sure you add your personality to your garden! Whether it is adding your favourite colour or painting your pots, your garden is your space and adding a bit of ?you? into it is special?.Lisa-Marie aka The Kitchen Gardener Based in Oxted, Lisa-Marie is a garden landscaper by trade, helping people to discover their dreams in a new home. She has also been part of an award-winning team who showcased a beautiful ?Nature Resilience? Garden at Gardeners World Live in 2021, which won a Silver Merit medal ? she knows her stuff! As a Mum of two, Lisa knows just how important it is to encourage children into the garden, as well as growing your own food too ? so she is super excited to discover young gardening talent. What do you need to do to impress Lisa as a judge? ?Me and my 5-year-old son Eden love watching all the bees and butterflies visit our garden, so I would love to see you encourage more wildlife to your space. It can be as simple as planting pollinator friendly plants like Lavender ? they are a bee magnet!?[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The competition categories are:

• Under 8?s
  • You could win? a Peter Rabbit Gardening Set, a set of solar lights and a box of wildflower seeds
• Under 12?s
  • You could win? Set of Kent & Stowe Gardening Tools, a set of solar lights and a box of wildflower seeds
• and 16?s and under
  • You could win?a £30 Polhill Gift Voucher

Send your gardening photos and creations to marketadmin@polhillcentre.co.uk Entries close on 31^st August, winner is announced 4^th September.

Growing salad leaves

Children love the magic of planting seeds and watching them grow, and opting for edible plants can be a great way to encourage trying new foods, and learning about where food comes from. Salad leaves are a brilliant choice for children; the seeds are very easy to sow, it?s relatively low-maintenance, and it grows really quickly - meaning kids can begin to see results in just a few weeks. Salad leaves are very content growing in small containers, too, so they?re ideal for small gardens, balconies and window-boxes. Opt for ready to plant salad seed mixes to offer children a few different varieties to try. To plant, you can fill a pot with compost, or plant straight in the ground or in containers. Children can sprinkle the seeds straight on the ground, sprinkle a thin layer of compost on top, and then water. In late May with plenty of sunshine and regular water, they will be ready for harvest within just a few weeks.

Create a mini-garden for wildlife (and fairies!)

Mini gardens are a great project for children; they give a project for little hands and minds to focus on and build, and can also be used to help educate children on how to encourage wildlife to your outdoor space. Include small wildflowers, a water source and a mini rockery to encourage different wildlife, like bees, birds and butterflies. You can even use the project as a way to teach children about sustainability, recycling and repurposing materials. Small foil trays or bottle lids make great ponds, for example. To start creating a mini-garden, fill a container with a wide brim full of soil, and start building! Sticks can make excellent mini fences, and little stones can be used to make patio areas, stepping stones (for fairy feet) or tiny rockeries. Planting small flowers and plants look wonderful, and also help to attract various bugs - opt for small varieties that don?t grow too big. Wildfowers (synonymous with fairies!) are also a great option for those wanting to incorporate flowers into their mini gardens. Have little ones sow seed mixes in miniature ?flower beds? and tend to them until they grow. These will attract butterflies, bees and other pollinators, helping children to learn about the ecosystem and the importance of supporting wildlife.

Save the bees

Teaching the next generation about the importance of conserving and supporting wildlife has never been more important, and what better way to do it than at home in the garden. Teach children about the importance of helping bees and other pollinators - and the vital role they play in balancing out ecosystem - by planting some bee-friendly flowers and herbs. Foxgloves, Hawthorn, and Lavender are great options, and grow easily from seeds with minimal maintenance or these are available in our plant area now! These can be planted in well-draining soil from seeds in late Spring or repotted in the summer; just make sure they are well-watered, and soil is never dry, and that they have plenty of sunlight. Be sure to take some photos or make a tally of any bees/insects or butterflies you see visiting your garden. You?ll be surprised how much you see when you start looking![

Plant (and race) sunflowers

Sunflowers are a great flower to plant with children; the seeds are easy to sow, they grow quickly and certain varieties can grow more than 6 foot. Being part of growing and caring for something which can grow as big as yourself can be so rewarding for children, and watering them every day and seeing the results teaches them about responsibility. Why not try adding an element of competition to your family sunflower project, by having a ?sunflower race?. Plant your sunflower alongside your child?s, or have siblings do the same, and see whose grows the tallest! Sunflowers need plenty of space and sunlight - at least 6 hours of direct sunlight a day is ideal. Sow seeds in well-draining soil. You can loosen the soil in the chosen area by digging it up and removing any weeds, rocks, or debris. It is also beneficial to dig in compost or well-rotted manure to improve its quality, especially if the soil in your garden is clay-heavy. When sowing the seeds, dig a small hole - about 1-2 inches deep in the soil. Place one sunflower seed in each hole and cover it with soil. Space the holes around 6-12 inches apart, depending on the specific variety of sunflower you're growing. If you want to grow multiple rows, leave about 2-3 feet of space between the rows. After sowing the seeds, give them a gentle watering to ensure the soil is evenly moist. Avoid overwatering, as excessive moisture can lead to rotting. Maintain moderate moisture levels throughout the growing process. As sunflowers grow tall, they may require support to prevent them from falling over. Consider installing stakes or using a trellis to provide support for the plants as they grow. Sunflowers are relatively low-maintenance plants, but they still require some care. Water the plants regularly, especially during dry periods, to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. Mulch around the base of the plants to retain moisture, suppress weed growth, and regulate soil temperature. Monitor for pests like aphids or snails and take appropriate measures if necessary. Fertilise the plants occasionally with a balanced fertiliser to promote healthy growth. Sunflowers typically bloom around 70-90 days after planting, depending on the variety. You can harvest the flowers when the back of the flower head turns yellow and the petals start to dry out. Cut the flower head from the stalk, leaving a few inches of stem attached. Hang the harvested flowers upside down in a dry, well-ventilated area to let them fully dry before saving the seeds or using them for decoration.

Attract birds

Bird watching can be a magical experience for children, and feeding and caring for wild birds is a great way for them to engage with the outside world. Installing bird feeders in your garden is a fantastic way to encourage birds to pay you a visit, with a wide variety of bird feeds available, you have plenty of options to entice different bird species. Suet balls are an excellent option for feeding a variety of garden birds. While they?re commonly associated with feeding birds during the winter, they can be used year-round as a quick and easy way to provide birds with much-needed energy in the form of fats and protein. They are also very easy to use, so are ideal for little hands and fingers. Place them in suet feeders, or on bird tables to attract robins, blue tits, and long-tailed tits - as well as many other species of bird. Other great options include sunflower hearts - which are one of the most versatile food for birds and can also be sprinkled straight into ground feeders or onto tables, as well as used in any seed feeder. Dried berries and other fruits are also a great option for hydrating birds, which becomes especially important in the warmer months, and are a firm favourite with blackbirds. Alongside feeders or open food sources, a bird bath is also a great way to attract a number of different bird species to your garden. Birds will use these to drink and keep hydrated, but they will also use them to bathe and wash their feathers so they can fly properly. If you don?t already have a dedicated bird bath, you can fill a washing up bowl with fresh water and place it on a sturdy stand. Replace water every 2-3 days. Consider setting up multiple feeding stations to attract a diverse range of species. If you have a tree in your garden, hanging bird feeders from its branches is a great option. Alternatively, you can choose a freestanding feeder if a tree is not available. Additionally, some birds prefer feeding from the ground, such as blackbirds and chaffinches, so providing a ground feeding tray would cater to their needs.