We are three generations of gardeners starting a gardening challenge to see the difference in the ways we garden and grow!
We will all have the same seeds and grow them in our own ways. We will give regular updates and are looking forward to sharing the results. Follow the Garden Challenge with our hashtag GardenChallenge2021!
This year the theme in our ever-changing garden will be a rainbow explosion of colours to represent our hard-working Key Workers. So far we have looked through gardening magazines to find various plants we could use. All the children have chosen their favourite colours and plants, which we will incorporate within the two gardens.
Our BIG project will be to extend our pond area for all our wildlife. Our main pond is in a raised bed but the wildlife need more space so we’re looking to extend it across the bed. The children have asked for a water feature so this might make an appearance.
Over the last couple of years we have had so much success with our raised beds, however we need to make these changes. We are always finding new and exciting ways to garden. We’ll also be putting up the new greenhouse and VegTrugs.
We will keep you posted on the projects, so keep returning to our website to find out how its all gone throughout the seasons.
Following our lovely activity with leaf printing we decided it would be good to use the baby pumpkins, that Georgia kindly brought in, to make pictures.
Tracie set the activity up and the children loved it so much they wanted to print on other materials. When we had finished, Leo asked if we could make other pumpkin pictures. Emma helped the children make a display for our wall.
In August the Wildlife Rangers asked if they could keep some caterpillars they had found. We talked about what they would need for a habitat and that we had to look after them and once they had turned into butterflies we had to let them free.
The first thing the Wildlife Rangers did was look on the internet to how to make the best habitat for the critters, to keep them safe and well. Tracie found a fish tank in the shed which the Rangers cleaned to make into a little habitat.
The Rangers put some gravel, soil and plants into the tank to provide the caterpillars with food. They used an old lid from a coffee jar and filled with water for them to drink.
The caterpillars seemed happy munching away for a few days. The Rangers kept checking the tank every day, they showed the younger Wanderers and Seedlings the tank and told them all about the facts they had found out about the mini beasts.
One day, when the Wildlife Rangers checked on the caterpillars they said they had all gone and asked me if I had let them go? I asked the children to go back and take a good look in the tank. They were delighted to find they had changed into chrysalises. The children kept an eye on the chrysalises every day. In September, the Rangers found one had hatched into a White Butterfly. They were all delighted. Within the week all the butterflies had hatched and were flying around. We decided it was time to set them free.
Everyone watched as Tracie opened the lid. What happened next we did not imagine, they flew out onto Tracie then flew off on their travels!
Today Ivor, Martha and Tracie went on a vegetable hunt to see what they could make for tea. Ivor and Martha both found some onions to pull out and then Ivor found some of the rainbow carrots were ready to munch on.
They didn’t quite make the kitchen because we washed them with the outdoor tap and ate them all up! Martha said they were very crunchy and juicy. Ivor had too much in his mouth to answer.
As it was lovely and warm, we all spent the day outside. We looked around the garden and took photos of our favourite flowers of the week.
We noticed that there were hundreds of caterpillars on our leaves. Unfortunately they had eaten all of our cabbages and nasturtiums. Tracie was not happy.
Martha was brave and handled the caterpillars but Ivor screamed when he went to touch one! hahah Poppy and Chloe made a caterpillar home so they could study them and see what happens while they are in there! Watch this space…
We had so much fun in the park today. Chloe was supportive and encouraged Poppy to climb high. When it got to Chloe’s turn she wouldn’t do it, which was strange because Chloe loves climbing!
Climbing the tree gave Poppy lots of confidence and she said she’d like to do more climbing, maybe even go with Chloe to The Climbing Hangar next time!
This summer the children have been helping us make mini pond habitats around the garden. Our tadpoles have turned into amazing frogs and we keep finding them hopping around the garden in various places trying to get away from our cats.
We decided to make four mini hiding pools for them between the two main ponds. Hopefully they will use them to jump in and hide while going from one pond to the other to see their friends and family.
This cute little cauliflower has been grown from seed by Chloe. Chloe loves to help us in the garden and best of all, she loves looking for all the wonderful insects and making them a home.
I have set Chloe a challenge this summer, to try the cauliflower when it’s ready!
This year Niamh won the fastest growing sunflower challenge. It has bloomed just in time for her 2nd birthday!
Tracie's Treasures 