Chris Collins becomes the latest gardening expert to join MyGardenSchool bringing outstanding expertise in horticulture for children
Perhaps the most famous face in children’s gardening, Blue Peter gardener Chris Collins, is working with MyGardenSchool to create a course on gardening for kids.
Aimed at parents and grandparents, teachers and youth workers, the course is designed to encourage the next generation of gardeners. Included in the four week online gardening course will be top gardening projects, how to grow vegetables, and top ten tips for gardening with children. The course will be available at the New Year, but it is possible to register your interest on the MyGardenSchool website now.
Chris Collins said: “There is something spiritual about our relationship with the garden, it’s a switch inside us that automatically turns on as soon as our fingers touch the soil. This is nowhere more apparent than when children nurture and grow plants. I have been working with children in the garden for six years, and I can honestly say that there isn’t a single child that’s not enjoyed it.”
As you might expect with Chris Collins at the helm, the course will be packed with engaging activity, exciting projects and practical approaches to gardening with children. “I’m really keen to get the message out about how easy it is to get kids involved in the garden, and perhaps more importantly, how very enjoyable it is – for both adults and children. That’s why I am so excited to be working with MyGardenSchool. As the courses are online it is possible for people everywhere to be able to access this information, and then get straight out in the garden with the kids and get their hands dirty.”
Gardening is increasingly being recognised as an activity of great educational and social value, and Chris is currently serving on a government committee, ‘The Growing Food in Schools Task Force’ which explores the growing importance of gardening in schools, and its academic influence.
Perhaps more than any other subject, gardening has an ability to draw together the threads of many different subjects across the curriculum. Take the example of creating a small garden for children. Children need to measure and survey the area (mathematics), identify the current flora and fauna (biology), draw the plan (art), prepare the ground (PE), work with others to realise the plan (PHSE) and finally nurture the plants (a key life skill) and witness first-hand the life cycle of plants (biology).
Duncan Heather, the Associate Director, MyGardenSchool and Principal, The Oxford College of Garden Design commented: “It is great to be working with Chris as he has so much energy and enthusiasm for gardening with kids. With over eight years’ experience of working with children, he really brings a unique blend of expertise and experience to the table – and this really makes for an excellent and compelling course. We are really proud to welcome him to MyGardenSchool, where we only have the best garden specialists on staff.”
Chris is not the only star tutor at MyGardenSchool. All of our tutors are outstanding in their field (and gardens), being accomplished gardeners and acclaimed gardening writers.
For example, we have multi-gold medal winner at RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Andy McIndoe with courses in bulbs, shrubs and trees; Stephanie Donaldson, author and Gardens Editor of Country Living magazine with a course on organic gardening; leading garden designer and author, Hilary Thomas with a courses in planting design; photographer and author Sue Bishop with a course on flower photography; and John Brookes, prolific author who is often described as the world's most influential garden designer, with a course on garden and landscape design. But that’s not all. Take a look at our course pages to see our other tutors.
MyGardenSchool is the world's first online gardening school where students can learn from gardening experts about how to do absolutely everything in the garden from keeping bees or hens, landscaping, design, growing vegetables and herbs, building treehouses or growing the perfect roses. And everything in between. Our courses are four weeks long, and video tutorials are delivered weekly, together with course notes and assignments that will be assessed by your tutor. You also get to chat to your tutor online, as well as your classmates, in the 'virtual classroom'. MyGardenSchool will teach you everything about gardening – virtually.
About Chris Collins
In a career that spans 27 years, Chris Collins has worked in gardens throughout the world, including the Royal Botanical Gardens, Edinburgh, Limbe Botanic Garden (Cameroon), Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and Westminster Abbey, where Chris was head gardener. He also worked as a British horticultural specialist at the Mitsukoshi department store in Tokyo. For the last 10 years, Chris has been involved in a number of TV projects including his on programme on BBC2 The Plantsman, and appearances as a garden expert in many other shows including The Chelsea Flower Show, Hampton Court Flower Show, Gardeners’ World , This Morning, Castle in the Country, Garden invaders, BBC Breakfast, Digging for Victory, GMTV , A Garden for London, Garden Rivals, Secret Gardens, Hard Sell, Garden Challenge, Turf Wars and of course, Blue Peter. In addition to his work with Blue Peter, Chris visits schools and undertakes projects with children up and down the country through his affiliations with charities such as the Royal Horticultural Society and School Food Matters. Chris has been awarded the Duke of Edinburgh medal for his services to horticulture, and in 2008 was part of the team that won a silver medal at Chelsea with 'The Garden That Kids Really Want.’
FACTFILE:
MyGardenSchool Ltd is a unique global online horticultural classroom. Whether you want to grow organic veg, create enviable flower borders, nurture that perfect lawn, or simply give a good home to an egg laying chicken – MyGardenSchool offers a high quality range of gardening courses taught by some of the world’s top tutors and delivered right to your green fingertips. For more information, please go to the MyGardenSchool website, or visit the MyGardenSchool blog.
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