It’s always fun to introduce children to gardening.
As a seasoned gardener we may lose our sense of wonder that a tiny seed can grow into a beautiful big plant harbouring tasty fruits. But the Cricket Green School pupils we’ve been hosting at Mitcham Community Orchard on Thursday afternoons (as part of our Grow, Taste, Eat for Health and Well Being project) were excited to see all the fruits and vegetables ready for harvest. They were particularly enthusiastic about tasting different herbs and tomatoes, and seeing how different apple varieties had different colours inside and out as well as different tastes. We even tasted this year’s prolific harvest of rose hips with enjoyment.
The week after, pruning was on the agenda. The power wielded by a pair of secateurs (under supervision of course) can be quite exciting and steering the wheelbarrow full of prunings to the compost heap without spilling it demands more skill than meets the eye. We’ve also done digging and weeding and used more delicate skills to take cuttings.
The opportunity to leave school premises and be working and learning out in the fresh air makes Thursday afternoons fun for all involved.
Blog by Ruth
Community Gardening Coordinator
Our Grow, Taste, Eat for Health and Well Being project has been made possible thanks to a grant from the Wimbledon Foundation’s Community Fund. Find out more here