The school summer holidays are upon us and it's not an easy task occupying young children for weeks on end at home. If the weather's unkind, there's still a way of getting them out into the garden and one which has the added bonus of giving a healthy boost to their diet. Encourage them to have a go at greenhouse gardening. It's a great way of getting them to take a fresh interest in their food and a subtle means of introducing them to new vegetables, whilst shedding a whole new light on the ones they usually refuse to eat. Most kids will groan at the sight of a plate of vegetables or fruit for a snack, but how different their reaction is when they've grown it themselves. If you're really lucky, even greens will become attractive.



Halls Garden Buildings has a wonderful range of small greenhouses, wall-gardens and cold-frames tried and tested by generations of gardeners. Perfect for introducing young children to the joys of gardening and instilling a passion which will stay with them throughout their life and pass onto their own children, a small greenhouse can provide hours of long-term fun for little more than the cost of a family day trip to a theme park.

If space is at a premium and even a full-sized starter greenhouse such as the smallest Popular is out of the question, why not consider a wall-garden which will fit snugly against the wall of your house. The Halls? range includes three in different sizes and styles in a choice of silver aluminium or green. Compact and easy to assemble, these attractive wall-gardens offer a surprising amount of growing space and will house a number of seed trays, plants and vegetables in pots or growbags. They come with everything you need to get started including staging, shelving and seed trays so all the children have to do is select their favourite seeds and plants. From then on they'll be continually popping out to see how fast their plants are growing, and once the tomatoes or strawberries start to fruit, chocolate and crisps will be relegated to the kitchen cupboard where they belong.

Children love gardening using a cold-frame as their mini greenhouse. Halls feature standard, jumbo, single and double cold-frames, plus a timber version which was recently added to the range. They may be compact, but you'll be impressed by just how much can be grown in such a small area. These are easily accessible for even the smallest child and provide warmth and shelter for young seedlings. Ensure you buy polypropylene rather than glass for complete safety.

Ideal starter vegetables include tomatoes, potatoes, salad crops, broad beans and fruit such as strawberries. Once children taste the difference between home-grown and shop-bought, they'll be converted for life.