Tag: growing

Posted in Garden Classroom, Seedlings

Gardeners’ World Recommends…

Posted on by Tracie Dowling

Every Saturday morning and my day off, first thing I always do is stick the kettle on, get the tea pot out and pop in a bagel to toast.

I then go into the snug and pour out my first cuppa of the day (and I have quite a few!!)

Next it’s feet up, cat on lap and on goes Friday night’s Gardeners’ World. Our Monty Don brightens up the morning. He tells me how to grow all the fruit and vegetables the children love to eat. I have my jotter ready for recommendations and what I need to do for that weekend.

This week our Monty recommended Padron Chillies. Well my face dropped! I can’t stand Chillies, way too hot for me! Monty went on to say they are not hot but fruity!

Our Monty

Shall I give them a go? I chickened out, thinking there’s no point getting them when we have other types chillies growing for the children and our families.

Monday morning who’s ringing my door bell? It’s Granny Smith waving a bag of Padron Chillies!

She says “Our Monty recommended these chillies last night on Gardeners’ World!”

“Really?” I said “I never watch it!” Hehehe.

Monty Recommends Padron Chillies

So I think about it for a while, well if I have to try them, Emma and the children do too!

Georgia did a thumbs up, she said it was delicious.

I Eat Anything! It’s Delicious!

Emma thought it was sweet but it repeated on her.

  • Crunch Crunch
  • Fruity Taste

Sophie and Luke wouldn’t try it at all

  • No Way!
  • Definitely NO!
  • Being Brave
  • Waiting for the Heat

I was so brave, I had two bites! It wasn’t hot in-fact, it’ll be lovely in a Chicken Kebab! Mixed reviews from the children, but thanks Monty Don for recommending the Padron Chillies!

Tracie x

Posted in Garden Classroom, Seedlings, wanderers

Avocado Growing

Posted on by Tracie Dowling

Two years ago we decided to grow an avocado stone. The Little Seedlings tried the Avocado fruit. Only one out of five Seedlings liked it!

We had another go last year. This time we placed the stone into water using a special ‘Avoseedo’ tool. We waited for it to grow and after about nine weeks the stone started splitting.

Avocado

About six weeks later, a small sprout appeared at the tip and roots began to form at the bottom. Two months went by… then the roots and shoots began to get stronger. In June, we planted the small tree into a pot with soil.

  • Avocado
  • Avocado stone

We were given another stone by our neighbour and decided to try growing that too. We now have two thriving trees.

Posted in family, rangers, Seedlings, wanderers

Reflecting on our Growing Family!

Posted on by Tracie Dowling

To Tracie and Emma, Thank you both for the last year and a half, for all your care and fun that you have given Niamh. She loves it at Tracie’s Treasures and has met some lovely friends. We are so grateful for all your hard work and we know Niamh will miss you all! Lots of love, Christine, Gary and Niamh.

We had that #FlashbackFriday feeling this afternoon so we sat down to take a look through all of the lovely cards we’ve received from Mummies and Daddies over the years. Thinking about all memories we’ve had together and the children we’ve watched grow from Little Seedlings right the way through to Wildlife Rangers

To Tracie, Emma and all at the nursery, Thank you for looking after me on a Wednesday! See you all in September, Love Connie xx

  • Remembering Connie
  • Sophie Joining in
  • Georgia Looking at Faiths Drawings

To Tracie and all your helpers, I can’t thank you all enough for the help and care you have given our son over the years. You have all been positive role models and have enhanced his development both emotionally and educational. I will miss you all. Ty will always have great memories and we will ensure he never forgets. We wish you many, many more years in making a positive difference in many more children’s lives. Thank you!!! Love Chelle & Richie xxx

Sometimes our little ones move up to big school. Sometimes they move away. Sometimes they’re only term time. And other’s come just for the holidays!

Dear Tracie, Thank you for taking such amazing care of both Martha and Ivor for years now! It makes me really sad to think of him not coming every week, but he is happy knowing he will get to come back “just like Martha does.” I am so grateful and feel so lucky to have had you there to make them both feel welcomed and happy and secure. All my love, Nina xx

We’re always sad to see our friends depart when they grow up or move away, but we feel lots of love when we’re sent pictures and photographs or cards and thank-yous!

To Tracie, A great big thank you for taking care of Fearne. You make her time at yours so enjoyable and she is coming on so much. She loves going to see you all. Thank you again, love Fearne and Family xxx

We love watching you all grow, learn and develop so we keep this file for all the memories with have with you!

Dear Tracie, we would like to thank you for all the support you have offered we and our children over the past four years. Both Leo and Lily Mai have really enjoyed their time with you and other members of staff. Both of us and the children will truly miss being with you, but we know you will be grateful to help. You are a star, thank you so much. Lots of love from Antonia, Justin, Leo and Lily Mai xxx

We hope to see you all when you’re grown up and to keep in touch! Lots of love from Tracie and Emma! x

Posted in Garden Classroom, Seedlings

Hand Picked Flower Printing

Posted on by Tracie Dowling

While we were all out it the garden, the Little Seedlings kept trying to pick the pretty flowers. We made it into an activity by making some amazing flower prints on fabric and paper. First we got some cotton napkins, placed the flowers on one side and folded the napkin in half to cover the flowers. We all had fun bashing the napkin with a rolling pin.

  • Material Flower Printing
  • Garden Flowers
  • Flower Paper Printing

After a few minutes, we opened up the napkin and carefully peeled off the squidgy flowers. The patterns made by the flowers were very pretty and printed on both sides of the napkin like a butterfly.

  • Sophie
  • Martha

The children enjoyed this activity and extended it by mixing paints to make different colours, shades, prints.

Posted in family, Garden Classroom

Garden Challenge 2021

Posted on by Tracie Dowling

We are three generations of gardeners starting a gardening challenge to see the difference in the ways we garden and grow!

  • Phyllis (Grandma)
  • Tracie (Mum)
  • Gemma (Daughter)

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!

Posted in Garden Classroom

Our Garden Plans – Rainbow Colours!

Posted on by Tracie Dowling

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.