Root of matter the

'How important is gardening and nature education from a young age?'

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I live in a small London flat and, for the first time in my life, I don't have a garden of my own. This has made me reflect on how important nature was for me growing up.

Looking back to my childhood, I think of growing tomatoes in containers, rolling down the snowcovered hill of a nearby golf course and learning to ride a bike at a local park. Since then, changes have transformed what it is like to grow up and have a relationship with the natural world; for example, today's children are preoccupied with technology and social media, there are more people than ever living in cities and the cost of living is putting a huge strain on families. These factors, along with others, have contributed to a culture in which gardens, wildlife and plants take backstage in young people's lives.

It's important to recognise that children have an innate connection with nature and for many this connection fades as they grow up.