Gardening facilitates outdoor learning, boosts wellbeing and helps children understand climate change. So, should a school garden go to the top of your wish list, asks Carol Rogerson
fi ngered groups
Green-
Children at work in the garden at Ashmount Primary School in London
I
ntroducing children to gardening at a young age encourages them to develop skills and habits that will last a lifetime. It’s good
exercise, helps children understand the link between plants and their food, and teaches the importance of sustainability. Gardening has been proven to benefi t mental health, with an ever-growing body of research suggesting it reduces stress and helps concentration. With schools looking for more
ways to get pupils outside, a school garden can enhance the curriculum, helping develop numeracy, literacy and self-expression. There are social benefi ts too: ‘School gardens provide a space for young people to develop their teamwork and communication skills,’ says Alana Cama, schools and groups programme manager at the Royal Horticultural Society. ‘For those without a garden at home, a school garden can be a green haven. It’s a safe and accessible space.’
First steps If your school has asked the PTA to
help start a garden, or you’d like to propose it, fi rst identify the funding, skills and resources you’ll need. Keep the benefi ts at the forefront of your approach and offer practical solutions to any barriers. Cama believes a well-thought-out plan
14 SPRING 2022
pta.co.uk
is key to getting school staff and parents on board from the start: ‘A lack of practical know-how about how to design, build and maintain a garden, or what plants to grow, can feel like a huge challenge if you don’t have experience. Find out if any parents have the appropriate knowledge or run a garden-themed fundraiser to pay for an expert. ‘When it comes to funding, there
are grant-giving trusts who can help, and some big organisations, such as Tesco also offer grants for school gardens. Crowdfunding is another good option.’ She points out that many schools have successfully connected with local garden centres and DIY stores to source garden supplies. ‘Freebay, Freecycle and Facebook
are also excellent places to fi nd good-quality used equipment. Never underestimate how much you can build from recycled materials – wooden pallets can be turned into planters or raised beds, and plants can be grown in almost any container, from tins to old shoes.’
A garden for all A fl ourishing garden needs regular
time and effort, but Sarah Alun- Jones, farm and outdoor learning director at GROW, an agroecological farm and outdoor learning hub at
The Totteridge Academy in North London, thinks this is ‘precisely what makes it such a good community project’. With school children off-site during the school holidays, at weekends and in the long summer evenings, there are plenty of times when community volunteers can help tend a garden. ‘Encourage people to come
10 ways to
Make the most of your garden
1
Sensory garden: A garden space designed to stimulate the senses, with aromatic plants, surfaces with distinctive textures or objects that make sounds, can offer special experiences, particularly for children with SEN.
2 3
Mud kitchen: Younger children especially can get endless fun and stimulation from playfully combining water and earth.
Wildfl ower area: Creating an area of wild fl owers gives
pollinators – notably bees and butterfl ies – what they need. It’s
MAIN IMAGE: RHS/LUKE MACGREGOR; STRAWBERRIES: BERGAMONT/
ISTOCKPHOTO.COM ADDITIONAL WORDS: DANIEL ETHERINGTON
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