Celebrating the launch of 'Growing Spaces' – our new guide to designing inspiring outdoor learning environments.

Five minutes to to sow, five days to grow. There is something quietly magical about watching a seed grow.

Long before children understand words like biodiversity, sustainability or climate resilience, they understand the excitement of discovering the first tiny green shoot pushing through the soil. They learn that living things need care, patience and time.

They begin to notice the changing seasons, the insects that arrive, the weather that helps or hinders, and the satisfaction of nurturing something from seed to harvest. These simple experiences are often the beginning of something much bigger. They nurture curiosity, build confidence and encourage a lifelong connection with nature.

Those ideas lie at the heart of a new publication from Community Playthings, Growing Spaces – Designing Thoughtful Outdoor Learning Environments, co-authored by Davies White and Clare Devlin, an education consultant specialising in outdoor learning. The publication explores how thoughtfully designed outdoor environments can enrich learning, improve wellbeing and inspire children to discover the world around them through play, exploration and nature.

Why cress?

Inspired by the publication, we've launched the Grow Happy Cress Challenge. It isn't really about growing cress. It's about giving someone their very first success as a gardener. It might be a child sowing seeds in an eggshell, a family sharing egg and cress sandwiches at the weekend, or colleagues growing microgreens on an office windowsill. Whatever the setting, the experience is the same: taking five minutes to sow a handful of seeds and discovering, just a few days later, that something wonderful has happened. We hope that small moment becomes the beginning of a lifelong love of nature

Cress (Lepidium sativum) is one of the easiest and quickest edible plants you can grow all year round. Whether you're five or ninety-five, all you need is a handful of seeds, a little moisture and a bright windowsill. In just 5–7 days, you'll be harvesting fresh, peppery leaves to add to sandwiches, salads and soups.

Cress is the perfect first growing project for any beginner because success comes so quickly. It can be grown on damp kitchen towel, cotton wool or compost, making it ideal for homes, schools and workplaces where space is limited. Children especially love creating 'Cress Heads' using eggshells, yoghurt pots or recycled containers, watching their funny green 'hair' appear in just a few days.

For those more interested, cress is one of a family of edible microgreens, alongside rocket, pak choi and radish. Packed with flavour, vitamins and antioxidants, these miniature vegetables prove you don't need a garden to enjoy growing your own food. Just a sunny windowsill is enough to produce a delicious home-grown harvest and perhaps inspire a lifelong love of nature.

How to grow your cress

Growing cress couldn't be easier. Whether you're using a flower pot, a yoghurt pot, an eggshell or simply a saucer lined with damp kitchen towel, success is only a few days away.

• Your Grow Happy cress seeds
• A shallow tray, saucer or recycled container
• Damp kitchen towel, cotton wool or seed compost
• A bright windowsill
• A little water

Within 24 hours you'll usually see the first signs of germination. After 5–7 days, your cress is ready to harvest and enjoy in sandwiches, salads, soups or sprinkled over a baked potato. If left to grow for around a month in compost, cress will continue producing larger leaves before eventually flowering.

Fresh cress has a peppery flavour and is delicious in:

• Egg & cress sandwiches
• Cream cheese bagels
• Mixed salads
• Omelettes
• Soups
• Jacket potatoes

Your Free Copy of Growing Spaces

To celebrate the launch of Growing Spaces – Designing Thoughtful Outdoor Learning Environments, we'd love to send you a complimentary printed copy, together with a packet of FREE Grow Happy seeds.

Simply complete the short form with your name, postal address and tell us a little about your outdoor project or aspirations. We'll pop everything in the post while stocks last.