A NEW club to introduce young people to gardening, outdoor learning and the benefits of spending time in nature has launched locally.
The monthly club at Daisy Nook Garden Centre, on the Tameside-Oldham border, is open to children from across Greater Manchester.
Run by owners J.Parker’s, the sessions started last weekend and will take place once a month. They are designed to help children develop basic gardening skills while encouraging curiosity, creativity and teamwork.
Organisers say the club is about more than learning how to grow plants. Each session will introduce children to soil, plants and caring for outdoor spaces, while also giving them time to explore nature, work together and learn outdoors in a relaxed setting.
The initiative builds on a growing number of educational and community-based projects delivered by J. Parker’s at Daisy Nook and in local schools over the past year.
Maz Lees, Gardening Club Lead at J. Parker’s, said the inspiration for the club came from gardening with her own children.
“Through gardening with my own children from a young age, I’ve watched their eyes light up when a seed they’ve sown sprouts, a butterfly lands nearby, or they find a ladybird that is now their pet!
“Those moments of wonder and discovery showed me how curiosity truly blooms when children are given space to explore, create and get their hands in the soil. This club aims to nurture that same joy, giving every child a chance to learn, grow, and experience the magic of connecting with nature.”
Daisy Nook hosts at least 24 free talks each year on topics including gardening, wellbeing and the environment, all open to the public.
In October 2025, the centre welcomed TV gardener Frances Tophill, who led a hands-on workshop for 50 local schoolchildren. The following week, J. Parker’s worked with a primary school in Sale Moor to design and build a sensory garden known as the ‘Zen Den’, providing pupils with a calming outdoor space to learn and play.
Further projects are planned for 2026, including an international-themed garden border celebrating the multicultural make-up of another local school community, with education and inclusivity at its centre.