Every year our horticulture students work on the school allotment and on the patio garden in the heart of the school yard. They grow vegetables, fruit and flowers, often from seed. They tend these plants all through the school year and often take home the fruits of their labour! Sometimes the vegetables are passed on to local community food projects. This year our onion crop is being donated to Khepera, a community interest company, (part of the green futures global food network) a social enterprise that uses all profits to support the community.
Another favourite gardening highlight is the opportunity to enter the annual Aylesbury in Bloom competition. This competition is open to various communities: local residents, companies, organisations and schools. This year our students were thrilled to win, not only a Silver Gilt, but also the coveted Best Over All Garden prize in the school category. Despite three heatwaves this season, we managed to keep alive a variety of plants: strawberries, broad beans, onions, pumpkins, courgettes, cauliflower, lettuce, sweet peas and various cottage garden flowers. The judges commended the wonderful array of pollinator friendly flowers and especially the fantastic work done in the Fed garden with produce being used in the Fed kitchen café, selling scrumptious lunches to staff and students. The judges also commented on the way students are integral to the sowing and nurturing of plants throughout the year. They also applauded our efforts in attracting wild life through our construction of a bug hotel, bug houses, bird feeders, bird houses and a well-placed bird bath. We look forward to a new season next year with plans to build a sensory garden and a new herb garden. Happy gardening.
