HGS Kids Gardening Club
AS SEEN ON THE BBC!
A central ambition of the Britain’s Biggest Living Garden project is to put kids right at the heart of it. Not only is gardening, and spending time outdoors great for their physical and mental health, but training and inspiring the next generation to show that the small actions they take outside make a huge difference will also create the custodians of our environment for decades to come.
Our kids gardening club launched in April 2024 based in a patch of un-loved lawn adjacent to St Judes church in Central Square. Since then over 100 children, their parents & carers and a team of volunteers have transformed the space into a vibrant, beautiful, wildlife friendly and productive garden that is open to the the community all the time, and now welcomes a continuous stream of visitors every day. We have also developed a communal woodland garden next to the St Judes Inspire centre, and in 2026 have another third garden space planned!
HGS Kids Gardening club on BBC London
The HGS kids garden now features the only communal, open to all, wildlife pond in the area (complete with its own waterfall), and full of newts and frogs; raised beds growing a host of fruit & vegetables; a herb “spiral” made from reclaimed bricks; a packed greenhouse; the popular “amazing maize maze” beds and a log circle complete with fire-pit for roasting marshmallows. The club is generously supported by donations from HGS RA, HGS Trust, HGS Hortsoc and other local supporters; generous discounts from Finchley Nurseries, Sarah Raven & Equigrow and a continuous stream of tools, plants and materials donated by the local community. Our woodland garden has a central seating area, a meandering path and an ever popular swing!
Any child who attends more than 10 sessions is eligible to become a junior member of the local Horticultural Society and will be awarded our coveted green hoody. We also seek as many adult volunteers as possible to help maintain the garden and run the sessions.
The club meets every Tuesday from 4-6pm, with refreshments generously provided in the vicarage. You can come late or leave early as works best for your schedule but we look for a regular attendance commitment so can plan accordingly.
Kids and their carers are partnered with regular volunteers to complete various tasks around the garden and learn new skills with plenty of chance to run around and have fun as well as regular harvesting (and eating) of produce. We also often host specialist wildlife workshops with visiting experts both in the garden, and around the local area. The club aims to be fully inclusive, open and welcoming to all.
Details
Open to kids aged from 1-18
Tuesdays, 4-6pm. Occasional additional sessions
Every week - rain or shine, school holidays or not
We require a parent or guardian to attend with all children, and maintain responsibility for their child’s safety. To make the garden safe and inclusive for all, we ask that carers are also in charge of their children’s behaviour - maintaining respect for the garden, the other children and the volunteer helpers
Ideally children (and adults) will come prepared with their own gardening gloves and spade.
Please see this as a regular commitment for your child rather than an occasional drop in, so we can plan accordingly
Whilst there is no set fee, it would be great if families can contribute what they can towards any running costs -for tools, materials etc. So simply pay what you can. We suggest a £25 donation per child per year.
If you have any questions, or would like to volunteer to help, then please e-mail biodiversity@hortsoc.co.uk
HGS Kids Gardening Club on Gardeners’ World
