As the garden industry faces growing challenges—an ageing customer base, sustainability concerns, and the need to attract younger generations—investing in children’s horticulture has never been more critical. Beyond being a moral obligation, it presents a range of untapped commercial opportunities for garden centres, product manufacturers, and the wider sector.
In a recent episode of The Underground podcast, Ross Dyke and Lee Connelly, aka The Skinny Jean Gardener, shared their passion for encouraging children to engage with gardening. Their insights provide a blueprint for how the industry can step up to cultivate a new generation of green-fingered enthusiasts.
The Commercial Opportunity: Building a New Customer Base
Garden centres and horticultural brands have a unique chance to nurture loyalty among families by making gardening accessible and fun for children. Introducing kids to gardening not only creates future customers but also brings families into garden centres, where they’re likely to spend on complementary items.
Ross Dyke’s Get Children Growing initiative, which provides sustainable sunflower grow kits for schools, demonstrates the potential of targeting younger audiences. Affordable and simple, these kits spark an early connection with gardening while fostering long-term interest.
For garden centres, this translates into opportunities to:
- Host family-friendly workshops: Create hands-on experiences that appeal to both children and parents.
- Sell child-focused products: Develop and stock sustainable grow kits, real gardening tools sized for children, and beginner-friendly seeds or plants.
- Promote multi-generational appeal: Market gardening as an activity that bridges generations, encouraging grandparents, parents, and children to shop together.
The Obligation: Securing the Future of Horticulture
The average age of gardeners continues to rise, leaving the industry vulnerable to stagnation unless younger generations are engaged. Encouraging children to garden isn’t just about selling products; it’s about safeguarding the future of the sector.
As Lee Connelly points out, gardening is an educational powerhouse:
- It teaches children responsibility, patience, and sustainability.
- It offers practical lessons in science, maths, and environmental awareness.
- It connects children with nature, helping to combat screen fatigue and foster mental wellbeing.
But without active investment, these benefits will remain out of reach for many children. Horticulture must become part of mainstream education to truly make an impact, and the garden sector has a vital role in making this happen.
Affordable Access: Breaking Down Barriers
A recurring theme in Ross and Lee’s conversation was the importance of affordability. As Lee noted, most families are unlikely to choose a £15 grow kit over a day at a trampoline park. To compete with other leisure activities, the garden industry must prioritise cost-effective options for families and schools.
Some practical steps include:
- Partnering with schools: Supply free or low-cost grow kits and educational materials to introduce gardening to the curriculum.
- Simplifying gardening for families: Provide pre-packaged kits that are easy to use and maintain.
- Encouraging repeat visits: Use competitions like sunflower growing challenges to keep families engaged over time.
Sustainability: Educating the Next Generation
Today’s children are tomorrow’s environmental stewards. Teaching them to garden isn’t just about growing plants; it’s about instilling a respect for sustainability.
Ross’s initiative incorporates sustainable practices, such as peat-free compost, biodegradable pots, and recyclable materials. These choices resonate with eco-conscious parents and set an example for children. Garden centres and manufacturers can take inspiration from this by prioritising sustainability in their products and messaging.
From Obligation to Opportunity
Lee Connelly put it best: “We need to stop paying lip service to getting children gardening and actually make it happen.” This requires a shift from seeing children’s gardening as a niche activity to recognising it as central to the sector’s future.
Businesses can play a key role in:
- Supporting initiatives like Get Children Growing: Offer sponsorships, resources, or marketing support.
- Creating products that excite and educate: From tools to seeds, design items that are practical, affordable, and engaging for children.
- Telling the story of gardening’s value: Use social media, events, and partnerships to highlight the benefits of gardening for families and the environment.
The Time to Act Is Now
As an industry, we’re at a pivotal moment. Investing in children’s horticulture isn’t just good for business—it’s a chance to inspire the next generation, foster sustainable practices, and secure the future of gardening for decades to come.
Let’s stop talking about it and start growing the future, together.
Want to learn more? Listen to the full episode of The Underground Podcast featuring Ross Dyke and Lee Connelly to discover more about inspiring children through gardening.