Diarmuid Gavin

With summer here it’s a great time for families to spend some time together outdoors – and what better place to do this than a garden? There are plenty of fun projects, and what’s more creative than growing something new?

While the weather’s nice, it’s the best time of year to get children interested in this healthy and productive hobby – so here are some suggestions...

Sow some seeds: It might seem a bit late in the growing season but there are some quick seedto-maturity plants that can be planted directly outside now. You’ll need your seeds, of course, plus a bit of seed compost and some yoghurt cartons or plastic bottles cut in half with a few drainage holes.

Mustard and cress are the most obvious things to grow and they are still the most magical as they’ll pop up within a week. You will only need some wet cotton wool placed in a container to provide the perfect growing environment for the seeds.

Sprinkle them on finely and leave in a warm, light place.