Hello Gardeners, I have always encouraged my children and grandchildren to get out in the garden and get growing. So I am happy to say that Haxnicks have been busy helping out in schools this year. Many of our products are easy to use and can be stored away at the end of the growing season. They therefore lend themselves nicely to school growing projects.

Our Rootrainers have been put to good use on classroom windowsills to kick start a sunflower growing competition. 

Our orange Carrot Planters sparked some imaginations when they were sown with purple carrots. Apparently one pupil suggested growing oranges in a purple planter too! the kids were keen to take the carrot planters home with them. The class teacher was particularly happy that they wouldn't need watering over the holidays. 

Our Plant Supports are being put to good use in this primary school garden keeping the sweet peas and runner beans firmly in place.

Competition Time

We also sponsored a Grow your own school garden competition as part of a project funded by the Mayor of London and the Big Lottery fund that aims to cultivate young people’s love for learning, and hunger for knowledge, and develop supportive local communities through food. Designed to get London schools with no previous experience of gardening into growing, this competition involved schools planning their own garden from scratch, complete with an equipment list.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, awarding students from Richmond Park Academy a Haxnicks prize at the Grow Your Own School Garden Competition Awards Ceremony. Photo: Jane Baker/Garden Organic

Congratulations to the prize winners - Our Lady of Grace Catholic Infant School (Brent) and Richmond Park Academy who won a Haxnicks Grower Frame with a Poly Cover, Giant Easy Tunnel and Potato Patio Planters "The Mayor and I want to see every school in London growing food. We've made huge progress with many pupils in the capital now reaping the rewards of outdoor learning. This new initiative will help us go further, reaching more schools and helping existing growers expand." Rosie Boycott - The Mayor of London's Food Advisor and Chair of the London Food Board So as the school year draws to a close, Haxnicks would like to wish all our junior growers happy growing. And of course happy holidays! Goodbye for now, Grandpa Haxnicks