A recent family gardening workshop at Kinnego, Oxford Island, attracted 40 participants including children, parents and carers, and could have filled three times over, according to the organisers.

The event was held at the Natural World Products No-Dig Garden, located at the Bushcraft Centre. It was run by the Natural World Products Community Outreach Team in partnership with Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council.

Participants took part in a range of hands-on activities. These included searching for insects in the pollinator garden, crafting wildflower seed balls, harvesting vegetables, playing a game called “Spud in the Mud”, and sampling home-grown tomatoes, cucumbers and freshly baked bread.

The No-Dig garden was established nearly three years ago to demonstrate the benefits of using peat-free compost. It now serves as a site for educational workshops and grows food year-round. Sharon McMaster, Community Growing and Outreach Manager for Natural World Products, said the garden was created as a resource for education and outreach, and the community programme provides environmental education and gardening experiences for all ages.

Natural World Products processes household food and garden waste into peat-free compost and supplies communities across Northern Ireland.

Further horticultural workshops are planned for the autumn at the No-Dig Garden. Details will be posted on the Natural World Products website.