A brief guide
School gardening can involve anything from a few recycled containers on a patch of tarmac, to a complete rethink of your whole outdoor area. Ensure your success by careful planning, involving the maximum number of stakeholders, and making use of the many resources available to help you. This brief guide outlines the steps you need to take.
Get inspired. Visit other schools that garden successfully; plunder the internet for ideas and information; register with the RHS Campaign for School Gardening; contact other helpful organisations, not forgetting your LEA. Imagine where you could be in three year’s time and write a brief action plan and timetable for what you hope to achieve.
Share the vision. Involve everyone you can in developing the vision for gardening at your school – not just pupils, teachers, support staff, parents and governors but local advisers, organisations and businesses. Sell them the benefits of gardening at your school, and get your ideas incorporated in the school development plan. Set up a small steering group.
Scope your project. Working with all your stakeholders, agree what kind of garden you want, making it personal to your school. Think first about how you want to use it eg for a gardening club or for every pupil; to support particular school objectives or teach specific curriculum areas. Then decide what type of garden would meet these needs eg a productive vegetable garden, a sustainable wildlife garden or a decorative sensory garden.
Marshall your resources. Carry out a school grounds audit to decide which areas could be suitable for gardening. Think about accessibility, security and services such as water and storage. Seek out skills among your school community to help realise your plans – not just gardeners and builders, but individuals with budgeting, fundraising and organising skills. Draw up a budget, seek donations of money, materials and time, and start applying for grants.
Make it happen. Continue to involve pupils and all other stakeholders throughout the project. Choose who will oversee the creation of your garden, and who will manage its future use. Carry out a detailed survey of your chosen location(s) checking what may be underground as well as the soil type, light and moisture levels, and existing plants worth keeping. Draw up plans to show the physical structure of the garden, and to explain how it will enhance learning opportunities and the school environment. Refine your action plan and get started!