Birmingham gardens offer kids workshop

As more and more people of all ages take up gardening as a hobby, Birmingham Botanical Gardens has announced it is to introduce the rewarding pastime to kids.

The Gardens and Glasshouses, which were opened to the public in 1832, will run workshops over the school holidays to give children some "creative fun" and encourage them to take up gardening on a regular basis.

The Nature Summer Week of childrens activities will begin on August 4th and will see kids visit the gardens at Edgbaston where they will take part in a range of activities including creating a tree character, making model spiders and learning about plant life.

The workshop for eight-year-olds is already full, according to Education officer Deborah Knott and the one for eight-to-twelve-year-olds is filling up fast.

Encouraging children to take up gardening not only adds another string to their bow in terms of knowledge, but also introduces them to a thoroughly rewarding hobby from which they can go on to make a living.

The news comes in the same week that a 10-year-old boy was named Wigan s Top Gardener.

Lewis Gray is already selling his own hanging baskets after scooping the £150 prize.