Statistics unearthed following a survey carried out by Hayes Garden World, a Cumbrian garden centre, have revealed that 40% of parents in the UK are not confident planting plants with their children, despite wishing their youngsters would ditch the technology and spend more time outside.

With mobile phone apps and social media becoming more popular than ever before, 86% of parents with children under the age of 18 admitted that they would like it if their child spent more time outdoors. Despite this, a lack of gardening skills amongst parents across the country is hindering this, with parents not feeling confident enough in their abilities.

We agree that there could be a real opportunity for garden retailers to engage young parents in order to influence the behaviour of their children, fueling an interest in nature which could be vital for the future of the industry.

Dr Elena Touroni, consultant psychologist and clinic director of The Chelsea Psychology Clinic, said: “Parents will have the greatest influence in whether children will be particularly interested in exploring nature. Despite this, the younger they are, the more interested they are in exploring generally, so younger children will have a natural inclination to be curious and explore the outdoors. The only way this doesn’t happen is if the lifestyle/ attitude of their parents do not facilitate this behaviour. For example, if you go on walks or stay indoors with parents then they’re more likely to do this in the future.”

Hayes Garden World hopes that, by encouraging young parents to get green-fingered and give gardening a try, more children will engage with nature on a regular basis and help to create a bright future for the industry.

In the meantime, don’t let a lack of knowledge stop you from getting outdoors enjoying your garden space. Stax Trade Centres stock a vast selection of tools, equipment and garden furniture suitable for the hobbyist gardener right through to the professional, including tools to help get children started in the world of gardening.