Edible cities-quick crops from pots

Good morning. I work on a city farm and am in the early stages of trying to grow fresh crops for Food banks here in the UK. I've noticed in the past that getting children involved and keeping them motivated to try growing at home I've needed to grow things that germinate easily and can be harvested relatively quickly. I've grown rocket, basil and mixed salad leaves. I've expanded this to edible hanging baskets in the past with tomato and chilli plants once people are motivated. Any tips for keeping people motivated and other easy to grow things ?

Thanks

Looking for a new and interesting vegetable to grow in the kitchen garden or ornamental border next spring? One that is beautiful, delicious and easy to grow? An heirloom that is not well known today but once was favored by English royalty? One that stops adults in their tracks and commands the attention of kids? Who wouldn't love a radish that grows in the air? A radish you can pick like green beans all summer even in high heat, a radish that is pungent or not depending upon how you choose to prepare it, one that is beautiful in bloom and in fruit, rich in history, and intriguing in form, taste and name. While common garden radishes, Raphanus sativus, are grown for their roots, with aerial radishes, it is the seed pod that is edible. All radish seed pods are edible, but varieties of the Caudatus Group have been bred especially for the pods, which are larger, have more flavor than ordinary pods, and produce pods more quickly. Green or purple, long or short, they are highly ornamental as well. Attractive flower clusters precede podding and are white or pinky-purple with pink pollination lines. Some have a darker purple edge. Pods are prolific and can grow straight up like candelabra, or twist and curl. Pods of long purple varieties can have reddish highlights and a lovely sheen.

Edible pod radish!

http://kgi.org/rat-tailed-radish

I really like chives because on a tour (or anytime) people can pick off a leaf and eat it, and kids don't know what it is. Beautiful Flowers, Too.

Mints are also good this way because the grow so fast and are good in pots. You could have a "mint garden" and people could sample different types of mint and see if they could tell a difference.

Edible Flowers are good - who has eaten a flower, but it's a bit of a thrill right? Naturtiums, miniature roses, violas, calundulas, borage.

Bee/Butterfly plants - anything that's going to be covered with bugs can be fascinating. Think blue flowers!

I also think live animals are a big draw for children and everyone... a tiny hen house/run and/or fenced bee hive is very interesting indeed.

Stuff people can eat and stuff people don't know how it grows til they see it is good. Think prolific and easy.

Brambles top the list in my mind. Alpine strawberries are fun and easy. You can start a bunch from seeds and get a bit of fruit the first year.

Snap dragons and other flowers that "do something" - I always was taught to squeeze the cheeks of the snapdragons to get them to open their mouths, and that was fun in the garden.

Kids love Edible Pea Pods on a trellis, too.

Bean pole teepee or something they can climb in/sit on. Weeping mulberry also comes to mind. They want to be IN THE BEDS exploring.

Am I going down the right track here... are any of these what you were thinking?

Emily