(within two to six weeks) you can pot the seed in a small planter with rich, peat free compost.With careful pruning and repotting for growth, your avocado plant can grow as tall as 20m high.It may not bear fruit within the first ten years – or ever – so

Plants to chooseTouch Children love the soft, woolly texture of Stachys byzantina (Iamb's ears), and stipa tenuissima (soft grass) feels quite feathery.Sight Fuchsias are bright and vivid and children adore popping the flower buds. Pansies, daisies

nature, and makes it aesthetically appealing. Here are top tips for attracting insects and animals into your garden: Grow pollen-rich plants Nectar- and pollen-rich plants are a favourite of bees and butterflies. It’s best to have at least two pollen

Ensure your garden has a wide variety of flowers, plants and even weeds, all of which contribute to our ecosystem and will attract a wide range of animal life.Try to create a nest-like structure by growing hedgerows or thick foliage for insects

.Green fingered children can hone their horticultural skills by joining in a morning planting session with  hints and tips on how to nurture growth, then mark a seed pot and visit each week to see how much the plant has grown. Those who have worked up an appetite

, and fun and games for participants. For further information, see www.eastereggtrails.co.uk5 Get plantingLots of flowers and vegetables can be planted in spring – and this can be a great yearly project for your children. Nasturtiums and sunflowers are both

for small creatures and birds.3. Make a compost heap Compost is not only great for recycling and for the soil, but also as shelter for useful creatures like the slug-hunting slow worm.4. Sow a wild flower meadow Or you can just allow a patch of grass to grow

spot. If it is sunny, all the better, as sun speeds up the decomposing process. You need a balance of 'greens' and 'browns' to reap the best compost. Greens are wetter and quicker to rot and include vegetable and fruit peelings, tea bags, plant prunings

in the woods, foraging is an activity that children and parents can enjoy together. Some parents might be hesitant because of possible dangers. It’s true that some plants can scratch or sting; others can be poisonous and there is also the chance of pollution

red flowers bloom from May to September and close at the first sign of rain. It grows to 25cm.4. Meadow Sweet (Queen of the Meadow) This sweet-smelling plant (left) can be found in marshes and near water meadows between May and September