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Iremember having a conversation with ateacher friend who assured me that therewas no way she could get into ‘all that

school garden stuff ’ as she was ‘just no good atit and wouldn’t know where to start’. Thisconversation took place in her own garden.Needless to say she had a well established pond,a flourishing vegetable plot, nicely orderedflower beds and a few bird boxes and feeders.

For some reason we seem to have fallen into amindset that says a school garden is so verydifferent from a domestic garden that we needspecialist training and resources to create one.But whilst there are undoubtedly things that weneed to consider that are specific to aneducational establishment, that shouldn’t be areason not to make start even if resources andexperience are limited.

PondsPonds are a brilliant addition to a school garden– they change throughout the season, they teemwith all sorts of life that can easily be viewed ina jam jar and they are relatively cheap and easyto maintain.

Mini-wildlife ponds are very easy to createwith a washing up bowl, a small amount ofgravel, some larger stones or cobbles and acouple of oxygenating plants from your localaquatic centre.

Locate your mini-pond in a safe area where itcan be observed but not trampled. The keypoint is ensuring that even the tiniest creaturescan clamber in and out of the water so use thestones and cobbles to create landing spots. Youdon’t need to introduce water inhabitants – inthe words of the current RSPB campaign: ‘if youbuild it – they will come’.

Larger ponds are more complex to create butneed not be expensive, seek advice from your

THE WALLS

local garden centre. You may even like to askthem to come along and help you to build it –some garden centres provide local volunteersupport and even reduced price items for theirlocal schools.

The critical thing to be aware of whencreating a larger pond is the strength andsecurity of the liner, there is nothing morefrustrating, time consuming and water wastingthan a leaking pond. It is the source of most ofthe pond related enquiries we get in theLearning Through Landscapes office so doinvest time into getting it right.

Ponds should be teamed with accessibleplatforms so that pupils can dip their nets insafety whatever the weather. Decking in the wetweather can become slippery so do treat with acoat of anti-slip varnish, this is cheap and easyto do. Alternatively staple chicken wire pathsfirmly along the middle of the decked area forbetter grip and a longer term solution.

Wildlife habitatsEvery school, whatever the size of the outdoorspace, can provide a wildlife habitat. Differentspecies require different environments. Moreurban schools should be careful that any boughtfeed does not encourage rats so make sure to useelevated feeding stations for birds.

Bird boxes are easy to make (see ltl.org.uk formore information) and bug hotels can be assimple as a pile of rotting logs. For some wildlifeall you need to do is stop cutting the grass in anarea and throw down a handful of pollinator-friendly wildflower seeds.

The benefit of having a habitat area ismassively increased if there is a space wherepupils can observe creatures’ comings andgoings without disturbing them so always think carefully about hides, seating spots andviewing areas.

Growing spacesEven a school with little more than a stretch oftarmac can enjoy planning and growing agarden. Wheeled pot stands are a fantastic wayto change and adapt your spaces and createmaximum flexibility. Whilst pots do take moremaintenance in terms of watering why not setthis as a challenge for the students?Investigating sustainable irrigation methods isa worthy addition to any KS3/4 curriculum.

Fruit and vegetables as well as shrubs andflowers can all be grown in pots although forlonger term planting it is preferable to find aspace directly into the ground.

Planters can be stood down and emptied overthe summer and then re-filled in the autumn,this is a great way to introduce a sense of seasonand rhythm to your outside areas.

There are some terrific examples of schoolsin very confined grounds using vertical plantingto their advantage. Perfect for any trailing ortumbling consumable planting these can alsolook wonderful if filled with pollinator species.The ‘greening’ effect both looks attractive andcan cool over-heated areas.

Many pupils will not have access to a gardenof their own – for them especially, a schoolgarden is well worth the effort.

IN THE FINAL PART OF HER SERIES ONMAKING THE MOST OF YOUR OUTSIDESPACES, JUNO HOLLYHOCK POINTS OUTSOME NATURAL LEARNING RESOURCESYOU MAY HAVE BEEN OVERLOOKING...

ABOUT THE AUTHORJuno Hollyhock has been executive director at Learning Through Landscapes (LTL) since 2012. Become a member of LTL’s

membership to gain access to the latest news in the outdoorlearning sector, hundreds of downloadable guidance notes,lesson ideas and inspirational images PLUS access to LTL’sexpert advice through email. All of this support to help youmake a difference to your outside space for just £12 per year(plus VAT). Visit ltl.org.uk/membership/member.php.

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