Kevin New
Plant Power
Potty for Plants
Trees and flowers are types of plants. This section will mostly focus on flowers and why they are important. If you want to learn about trees visit our tree- mendous section. Discover lots of activities to make you go potty for plants and also find some identification guides down below to help you name what plants are around you.
Why are they important?
Plants are important for many reasons! For us we wouldn't be able to survive without them: most of our food comes from plants, but they also give us oxygen (which is what we need to breathe!). They are really important for other animals to eat too, as well as insects who eat the nectar that comes from flowers, some animals also make their homes in plants too. Can you think of any other reasons?
By growing lots of plants including trees you can help all kinds of wildlife!
Grow your own
Have a go at growing your own plants. Watch how a plant can grow from a tiny seed. Don't have any pots? Try the activity below. If you wanted to see the roots grow try recycling an old plastic bottle cut in half.
Watch your seedlings grow! Note: If you don't have any soil you can empty the contents of tea bags into the pot and it will work the same! No seeds? Why not collect your own? Try a dandelion seed!
Discover and Explore
Get your detective hats on!
Choose a grassy area in the garden (or if not somewhere local like a park) that has been left to grow. Count how many different flowers might be coming up through. Are there any insects there too? Now compare it to a nearby spot that has been cut. Is there a difference? Write down your findings. Hint: You don't have to study the whole area just choose a small square... maybe use 4 sticks to mark out a square on both patches of grass, then what is inside the square you then look at (you could also use a hula hoop or a piece of string to make a circle).
Butterfly Feeder Experiment
Don't have a garden? Or still waiting for your flowers to grow? Try making your own flower! Some insects prefer a certain coloured or shaped plants - you could design different coloured and shaped flowers and see which ones are more popular!
Flower Spotter
If you are out on a local walk, why not bring one of our identification charts below and have a go at working out some of the names? If the flower you find is not on our guides, why not take a photo of it and come home later to google what it might be? Type in some key features like; Colour; The shape; How many petals? Does it have leaves?
Download Flower Identification Guides
Spring Flowers ID
Summer Flower ID
Thanks to Player's of Peoples Postcode Lottery for supporting the production of these online resources
Join the conversation
We are regulary posting ideas for things to do on our Facebook page. If you've taken part in any of these activities, take a photo and get an adult to share it with us and help inspire others to get involved!
