Choosing what to grow

If you have never grown anything before, its best to choose plants that won’t mind if you forget about them for a little while. Plants like this are known as ‘hardy’. This means you should have fun growing them, seeing the results and enjoying them with your family.

Easy plants - Herbs

Herbs, in most cases, are tough wild plants which, when looked after, will thrive and romp away. It's a myth that all herbs like full sun, even good old basil likes partial shade at midday. So when planning your garden, you can divide your plants into two sections, those like thyme, sage, rosemary, that like full sun; and those that like partial shade, like rocket, mustard and parsley.

Is your garden too small?

If there is only space for pots, there are loads of fruit and vegetables that will love being grown this way. Tomatoes, courgettes, chilli peppers grow well in pots – so do strawberries, yum!

Inside

You could try mushrooms, they are really easy and grow either in prepared compost or on a special mushroom 'tree' that you can buy. They are very quick and you could be harvesting them in no time.

Something to remember

Growing plants does take time and requires patience. You will also find that the seasons will dictate the kind of food you can harvest, so think carefully about what you will be eating and when. Good luck!