Gillian and her children are returning to the garden this summer to grow even more of their own food using two PlantBox living walls.
Last year, the children turned their living walls into vertical allotments by packing one with a mix of salad leaves and vegetables, while the second was teeming with thirty-two strawberry plants. After last summer’s success, the children have decided to do the same again this year.
“My children are certainly seeing the benefits of growing their own food. PlantBox has certainly been a key factor in enhancing our growing space—it has been so versatile and easy to maintain.
“We have also been asked by the “Village Flower and Produce Show” in our local village to show what can be achieved in a small space and to promote the benefits to youngsters of seeing the whole food produce cycle. In addition to this, we will be entering the 2022 Produce Show which my children are thoroughly looking forward to!” — Gillian
It is so wonderful to see the children getting involved with planting and growing their own fruit, vegetables and herbs, and to see their enthusiasm grow with their crops. Children of all ages get a real satisfaction of seeing something they have nurtured grow. They are also more likely to eat what they have grown, too—it’s a win-win!
Highlights
- Brings nature into a small urban space
- Inspires and educates children about nature and food
- Suitable for fruits, vegetables and herbs
- 16 PlantBoxes — 64 plants
- Freestanding or mounted to walls, fences or railings
- Futureproof — can be moved or extended
- Watered by hand or irrigation system
- Only restraint fixings required
- Made in the UK from 100% materials
- 1% of sales pledged to environmental causes
How to educate children about nature in a small space
Gillian wanted to educate her children about nature—there was just one problem. All she had to use was a small urban garden. With this in mind, Gillian decided to make the most of her unused wall space, which, she soon realised, she had a surprising amount of.
With the help of two PlantBox living walls, Gillian encouraged her children to engage with the great outdoors by creating two vertical allotments. One PlantBox was stacked high with a mix of salad leaves and vegetables, while the other was packed with 32 strawberry plants. The family decided to do something clever with their crops of strawberries to ensure they had a continuous supply of delicious fresh fruit, which you can find out more about below.
The children were super-excited to watch their home-grown crops grow day by day and to be able to pick their first strawberries of the season. With home-grown strawberries that good, we’re not surprised!
It has been so heart-warming to see the children enjoying every step of their growing journey and to see them being inspired to get creative in the garden, both with the space they have available and what to grow. We can’t wait to share more of the family’s growing journey in the coming months.
The family’s top tip: The strawberry plants contain a mixture of early, mid and late crops, which are divided among the troughs. This ensures the whole family can enjoy a summer of freshly-picked fruit.
Why you should grow your own food
As well as encouraging children to engage with nature, growing your own food is an excellent way to reduce food waste and support the environment. By slashing food miles to food metres, you are reducing the reliance on long-distance transportation of food, which guzzles fossil fuels and emits large amounts of carbon dioxide.
Growing your own food is also incredibly enjoyable and satisfying, and that’s before it has even hit the plate! You don’t need a huge amount of space—a kitchen surface, beside the back door or an unused windowsill can all be turned into a personal fresh food aisle. There are lots of delicious fruits, veggies and herbs that make great home-grown crops, many of which are suitable for first-time growers. Simply let your taste buds be your planting guide.
How PlantBox makes growing your own food easy
Suitable indoors and outdoors, PlantBox allows you to create your own vertical allotment—grow large amounts of herbs, fruits and veggies in the smallest of spaces. PlantBox also makes caring for your home-grown crops easy: go weeks between watering and know when to top up.
A RHS Chelsea Sustainable Garden Product of the Year 2021 Finalist, PlantBox is made from 100% recycled materials and is designed to best fit your home. 1% of PlantBox sales is pledged to 1% For The Planet, a global organisation that supports non-profits who are tackling our most pressing environmental issues. Join the growing revolution for a greener future! Find out more.
