Inspirational - that's the children's gardens...
Recent reports show that school gardening boosts child development, teaches life skills and makes kids healthier and happier.
If you want to see what gardening means to children, just take a look at the number of gardens and features at Tatton Park created by scores of schoolchildren, guides and brownies.
Here's our guide to just some of the inspirational offerings at this year's show:
Schools features
Front-to-front gardens - Area A
- Children from the Winsford Education Partnership have built 20 nursery rhyme-themed front gardens.
- The exhibit is being built by 18 schools, one children’s centre and one is for the Head Teachers in Industry ‘Go for it’ Award.
- Each garden has a design based on a different nursery rhyme or children's story.
- The name is inspired by children from the Winsford Education Partnership, who visited last year's show and asked why there were 'back-to-back' gardens but no 'front-to-front' ones!
Planting a rainbow - Area B
- Twenty Busy Bees Nurseries have created a garden inspired by two children's storybooks - Planting A Rainbow and The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
- Each nursery - with support from parents and suppliers - has grown 50 pots of plants or vegetables that represent the colours of the rainbow.
- The children have also painted and decorated large models of mini-beasts and vegetables that are displayed around the garden.
- A large beehive in the centre of the garden highlights both the company name and the 'Save the Bees' campaign.
Tunes & Blooms competition - Area E
- A total of 30 Cheshire schools have each created a planted container with a musical theme.
- YOU can vote at the show for your favourite - the top three containers will be announced on this website after the show.
- All the containers are recycled objects to highlight the issue of recycling.
- The competition is encouraging children to grow and care for plants, as well as using their imaginations in designing the containers.
Growing guiding
Celebrating Girlguiding UK's centenary year, the Growing Girls, Growing Guiding back to back garden is a real community effort. Girlguiding Cheshire Border members, from Rainbows through to the Trefoil Guild, created design and planting ideas.
- Volunteers have sourced and grown plants for the modern cottage garden.
- The garden is full of guiding symbols - spot the oak owl and trefoil seating area, among others.
More on schools gardening