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Pay it forward


Use your garden to raise funds


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Crop sales: If you get a bumper crop of produce, be it strawberries in early summer, runner beans in late summer or pumpkins for Halloween, set up a stall at the school entrance.


Cut fl owers: Does your school garden prioritise fl owers? If so, cut them and make bunches to sell.


forward by holding an open day where people can see your space and fi nd out what you’re doing.’ she says. ‘Invite local families – even if their children aren’t at the school – and research your local area to see who else might help.’ This could include allotment associations, local gardening groups and anyone who works in a related industry.


Use your garden for good in your


local community by opening up your produce sale to the public or taking a stall at a local farmers market or village fair. Alternatively, fi nd a way to bring together sections of the community that wouldn’t usually meet. The RHS initiative Grow Social, for instance, encourages pupils to reach out to isolated


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both a learning opportunity and good for the environment.


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Orchard: Planting fruit trees has an obvious reward: edible


goodies, which can start being harvested within just a few years, be they pears, apples, plums or whatever children may favour.


Water butts: Having a good supply of water in your garden is essential, but collecting rainwater is especially benefi cial. It’s free, better for the plants, and teaches kids about water conservation.


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Pond: A magnet for wildlife, even a small pond will attract


creatures – but a bigger pond will encourage even more, from hunting frogs, to drinking hedgehogs, to hovering dragonfl ies.


Gardening club: Getting children involved is possibly the most


rewarding use of a school garden, as they’ll get their hands dirty and learn about growing things. Plus, they’ll get to enjoy the results of their labours: fl owers and food.


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Compost: Making your own compost is great for teaching


children what goes into it (from food waste to plant cuttings), how long it takes to make, and why it’s such important plant food.


Shelter: Create a shelter that can be used for taking the classroom outside and giving pupils a place to escape downpours while they continue outdoor learning.


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Campfi re: With the right supervision, a campfi re can be


a marvellous edition to a garden: somewhere to sit and tell stories, toast marshmallows, warm hands or just stare into the fl ames.


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Plant sales: If your strawberry patch is getting too big or children


have grown fruit tree saplings from seed, try selling off any surplus plants.


Fruit juice or smoothies: There’s nothing more refreshing on a late summer day. Make juice or smoothies and sell to parents and passers by.


Compost: If your garden makes a lot of compost from food scraps


and garden cuttings, bag it up and sell it. Peat-free and local!


Produce competitions: Get budding gardeners to enter local contests to


grow the biggest marrow, longest carrot or tallest sunfl ower.


Non-uniform gardeners: Offer a chance for pupils to skip uniform for


the day for a small fee, then come and work in the garden, raising money and learning about gardening in one go.


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Open days and coffee mornings: Charge a small fee or shake your donation bucket at an open day, bringing in the community to see the garden, do some pond dipping or just have a drink and a chat.


Treasure hunts: Charge to open up the school garden to parents who might not have their own outside space but want to do a treasure hunt for their child’s birthday.


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Rent a bed: If there are parents with no outside space outside,


rent a fl owerbed to them.


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