THIS month Fryer’s Garden Centre is supporting a campaign to encourage children into gardening.

The National Children’s’ Garden Week takes place between May 26 and June 3 but gardening projects are being posted every week in the run up to the event which is also supporting the charity, Greenfingers.

This national charity is dedicated to supporting life-limited children and their families who spend time in hospices around the UK.

As part of this we’ll be holding a colouring competition for children to enter to raise funds for Greenfingers.

Children are the future – so the line in the song goes – and getting youngsters involved in gardening at a young age, hopefully will set them up for a life-long love of outdoor spaces.

With two bank holidays and children’s half term this month, there are plenty of opportunities to get gardening and to get children involved.

Plants which are great for little hands to work with and for instant colour and foliage are summer bedding plants.

Often bought in multi-packs, these plants are ideal for planting now through to June. Varieties include begonia, marigold, lobelia, petunia, verbena, stocks, cosmos, dianthus, sweet peas..the list goes on.

Osteospermum (otherwise known as the cape daisy, its name not surprisingly originating from South Africa), is also a great buy right now.

A low growing, evergreen shrub with unique petal shaped, daisy like flowers and a central vivid eye that is attractive to pollinators. This plant is ideal for rockeries, borders, flower beds and containers

With all summer bedding plants, I recommend buying in bulk so to create an impressive, closely planted display of block colour – or use to brighten up borders, containers or summer hanging baskets.

Perennials are also perfect for use in summer borders, can live for many years (with proper care) and so provide colour through much of the year.

Geranium, perhaps one of the most popular perennials is a gorgeous summer bloom, versatile and very low maintenance, this plant looks fantastic when planted in bulk in borders or plant in containers for immediate colour.

This plant can also work well indoors. Look out for geranium rozannne, voted the Chelsea Flower Show Plant of the Centenary (at the 100th Chelsea Flower Show).

This is one of the best purple, perennial geraniums which will give you flowers for months to come.

Dahlias are another favourite of mine. Take a look at the shape of the flower head, held on top of long stem, making dahlias ideal for use as cut flowers.

Gorgeous too in summer borders and containers, these are an easy to grow plant perfect for any size garden or outdoor space.

If you fancy creating a statement in your garden this month, the Japanese maple tree is one to consider, boasting brilliantly coloured, distinctively shaped foliage throughout the year.

Roses too are a popular buy this month, not least as the perfect gift for the many wedding anniversaries that take place in May (note to self to remember in-laws’ anniversary). With a royal wedding imminent, look out for in store displays of wedding themed plants too.

Houseplants are still as popular as ever and in fact only the other day my daughter asked if she could have a pet...cactus

Grown-ups may want to watch out for the much awaited streptocarpus ‘three sisters’, showcased at last year’s Chelsea Flower Show but only now readily available to purchase. This beautiful houseplant, combines white, pink, purple and blue petals on a single plant.

The three plants which make up this plug are genetically identical except for the flower colour – they bloom at the same time and over the same long period so to create instant impact and colour.

Vegetables and herbs are still popular buys this month too and are the perfect way to get children to eat their greens.

And remember if they have been involved in the growing and nurturing of the vegetables, they may be more tempted to eat or at least try them!

So happy gardening to both young, old and those in between and, if you can, please support Greenfingers and National Children’s Garden Week.