Millions of British children are learning to be ‘green fingered’, by getting stuck in with helping their parents pot plants, mow the lawn and grow vegetables

A survey of 1,000 parents and 1,000 grandparents of children aged 5-12 found a growing movement to get their children to embrace outdoor activities and get away from the TV.
As many as 60 per cent of children are now growing vegetables with their parents or guardians, with one in six naming a sunflower as their children’s favourite plant.
Watering the garden, planting bulbs, and potting plants were deemed the best garden activities to share with a youngster, while 21 per cent enjoy filling up the bird bath.
Gardening Guru, Kate Turner, from Miracle-Gro, which commissioned the survey, said: “It’s amazing that so many youngsters are being inspired to take up such an important life skill.
“Not only that but spending time with loved ones outdoors can be such a special experience that families can cherish for years.
“That’s why we’re working with Greenfingers – a national charity dedicated to supporting life-limited children and their families who spend time in hospices around the UK – to assist with a therapeutic garden within ‘The Nook’, a purpose-built children’s hospice in Norfolk.”
The study also found 47 per cent spent the various lockdowns teaching new things to the young people in their care.
With gardening topping the list, 40 per cent also showed them around the kitchen to improve their cooking skills, and 16 per cent passed on sewing skills.
And 64 per cent of those polled hope their child or grandchild grows up to be green fingered.
A further 43 per cent believe gardening is beneficial to their youngster’s mental health, while eight in 10 want their young wards to spend more time outdoors than inside watching TV.
Top reasons for this are that it’s better for their health (70 per cent) and it helps them burn off excess energy (56 per cent).
But 57 per cent think it’s important for kids

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