| Children's fascination with gardens has been | | | | grants cover a variety of gardening aspects, |
| canonised throughout the spectrum of English | | | | from the simple Youth Garden Grants to Healthy |
| literature. Books like Tom's Midnight Garden by | | | | Sprouts Awards, and the new Wild Oats |
| Philippa Pearce and Francis Hodgson Burnet's The | | | | Gardening with Kids Awards, which will come into |
| Secret Garden have captured childhood | | | | place in 2007. This award is somewhat |
| imaginations across generations and cultures. | | | | emblematic of the initiative engineered by the |
| Recently, there has been a burgeoning movement | | | | NGA, as it aims to reward kids who develop |
| to encourage the growing of gardens in schools | | | | positive attitudes towards fruits and vegetables |
| across America, the impetus for which has | | | | as a result of growing them themselves. |
| generally come from the direction of the National | | | | Along the other activities run by the NGA Kid's |
| Gardening Association (NGA). | | | | Gardening initiative are various classroom activities |
| The NGA was set up in 1973 and prides itself on | | | | on topics as diverse as botany, composting, |
| being a non-profit leader in plant-based education. | | | | language and literature connections, as well as |
| It has played a crucial role in developing both the | | | | science inquiry, the latter of which involves |
| personal mind and the environment by educating | | | | investigations and experiments. The Kids |
| people on the benefits of growing gardens and | | | | Gardening website also offers a variety of |
| highlighting the environmental and therapeutic | | | | resources for students, teachers and parents, |
| power of plant life. Through its initiative, the NGA | | | | such as an Online Teacher's Course, a Parent's |
| have overseen the establishment of numerous | | | | Primer and an all-important catalogue of plant |
| programs, highlighting the opportunities for | | | | diseases and pests. In recent years, the NGA has |
| plant-based education in various public spheres | | | | joined forces with other organisations to help |
| such as schools. | | | | engender the growth of gardening education for |
| The NGA's Kid's Gardening resource is an | | | | children across America; for instance, since early |
| impressive educational facility, and has helped a | | | | 2002, the Hilton Garden Inn has been working |
| large number of children and teachers learn how | | | | together with the NGA to broaden and diversify |
| easy it is to start growing and maintaining a | | | | education programs within schools. From the |
| school garden. Gone are the days of planting a | | | | success of the NGA, it's clear that the importance |
| few seeds in a pot: today, the NGA runs | | | | of spreading plant-life education is a vital ingredient |
| schemes to provide schools and youth | | | | not only in making sure that children develop and |
| organisations with grants and funding that actively | | | | maintain healthy eating habits, but that they |
| engage kids in gardening and improving their | | | | develop environmental awareness from an early |
| surrounding quality of life. These awards and | | | | age. |