South West

AUTUMN TERM


Planning & designing a school garden
Now cancelled
 RHS Garden Rosemoor
The day looks at the process of planning, designing and running a primary school garden. We will look at how to choose and survey a suitable site and identify the needs of the school before beginning to make changes. While focusing on ways to involve the children in the process from the outset, you should end the day with a clear plan of action for establishing the garden and have a better understanding of what is realistic and practical within your school grounds

 

Spring Term


Growing fruit and vegetables within the school year
26 January 2010
RHS Garden Rosemoor
Frustrated by the short growing season in your school garden? Traditionally, the long summer holidays enabled children to help with the harvest, but what happens to the harvest in the school vegetable patch? This day explores which fruit and veg can be grown within the constraints of the academic year as well as strategies to lengthen the growing season. Sowing techniques, rotation planting, composting and ‘green manures’ will also be discussed. Finally a few tips on fun ways the children can sample the fruits of their labour!

 


Plants for a purpose in the school garden
5 February 2010
Hartpury College
After basic gardening techniques have been mastered, it is important to choose plants that will demonstrate a variety of uses. Starting with food plants, we will move on to look at a variety of plant uses, and carry out some appropriate practical activities. This is an opportunity to raise children’s awareness of the importance of plants. Appropriate to all key stages. Curriculum suggestions relate to KS1 & 2.

 

SUMMER TERM


Wildlife in your school garden
27 April 2010
RHS Garden Rosemoor
Gardens are very significant indeed for the protection of biodiversity in the UK and enable people to appreciate close contact with wildlife. The entire school grounds can be a refuge for wildlife with a few simple management techniques. The day explores practical ways in which birds, beasts and bugs can be encouraged, many for the benefit of your garden areas. You will be shown how to maximise the potential of the grounds as an environmental learning resource as well as fun activities to utilize it. Why stop at a garden when the school could have its own nature reserve?

 


Encouraging creativity in your school garden
26 May 2010
Paddington Farm Trust
This workshop will focus on developing an interest in gardening from pupils through the designing and making of simple but important creative garden features such as scarecrows and birdscarers, birdbaths, water features and structures for climbing plants. The use of such features significantly improves the health of the garden and adds interest and beauty to the smallest garden.