In this article, the author describes the educational potential of a garden project. When the opportunity to visit a school in Amsterdam arose as part of her primary science PGCE course, the author jumped at the chance to experience science learning in another country. The majority of teaching that took place was topic-based, and science was incorporated in this way. Although at first she was a little disappointed to learn that science was not taught as a core subject, accompanying a class of 9 and 10 year-olds to their school garden project on a cold Wednesday morning proved to be an impressive experience, and soon changed her mind. By dealing directly with the earth, these city children came into contact with healthy environmental practices to which they might not otherwise have had access. The benefits of the school garden project were immediately obvious, and the author began to consider how she might incorporate a school garden or other environmental study into the National Curriculum. Ideas for creating a successful school garden project are discussed.