This time next week, it will be our last gardening session until September. Oh no! I hear you cry!
We will be back, next term, but don't worry if this blog goes a bit quiet in the meantime. We've got a six week holiday where it will be just me popping in to water the tomatoes and that's about it - which isn't going to make an exciting blog for August!
The children haven't been coming out into the garden these last couple of weeks due to Sports days, Summer Productions rehearsals, bad weather and other activities. However, Mrs Whitley and I have been busy behind the scenes, planning, tidying, sorting, getting ready for the Autumn Term, recruiting volunteers and creating a huge photo display of our past year in the garden, which will be entered into the Cookridge Horticultural Show in September.
The children haven't been coming out into the garden these last couple of weeks due to Sports days, Summer Productions rehearsals, bad weather and other activities. However, Mrs Whitley and I have been busy behind the scenes, planning, tidying, sorting, getting ready for the Autumn Term, recruiting volunteers and creating a huge photo display of our past year in the garden, which will be entered into the Cookridge Horticultural Show in September.
 |
| Our Year of Gardening display |
 |
| More photos! |
 |
| You suddenly realise how much we've done over the year! |
Over the last couple of weeks, the children together with Lee Threadgold have created four huge 10ft puppets for our Olypmic Sport Week which they paraded around the playground last week. They have kindly said that they will donate them to us in September to use as climbing frames for our peas, beans and other climbing plants (ticks a box for recycling and they are too good to throw away, so I'm pleased to make use of them). The children have created them from bamboo garden sticks and chicken wire with long dangling limbs, then covered them in clingfilm and paper mache. We'll remove the paper and clingfilm so we have the wire skeleton which we'll plant into our raised beds, with outstretched arms. They will be a really quirky climbing frame and a great addition to the garden especially when the peas and beans start clambering through them. Can't wait!
Despite it being Friday the 13th, I've had a rather good day - finally we have sorted out the pond modifications which now fall into line with our Health and Safety policy. Simon Walton of Interserve called in to chat about the final plans and will come in during the summer holidays to construct a new fence and reset our stone flags, as well as putting in some safety mesh. It will be ready for the new Autumn term - up to this point, it was in danger of being filled in, but with Interserve stepping in and doing the work for us, it will become an integral part of our garden and a great resource for the children. We can't thank Interserve enough for their amazing generosity and hope to work with them again on future projects!
Then as the school day was ending, a parent called in offering to become a gardening volunteer in response to my flyer sent out during the week. No wonder I went home with a big smile on my face!
It is with regret that I have to tell you that Mrs Whitley, after 3 years of dedicated volunteering in our garden, will be leaving us next week to take up paid work. I, for one, will miss her greatly as she has been my right hand woman and has kept the garden going on my behalf. She has planned, planted, organised, watered, designed, worked with the children, dug, come up with some brilliant ideas, taught me a lot and been a great friend and colleague. She's a walking garden encyclopedia, sharing her remarkable expertise and experience with the children and me! I don't know how to thank her for all her man (or woman) hours she has put in, in rain, snow and sun, for the school to make the garden a wonderful resource for the children who absolutely love it. Thank you Mrs Whitley - we are all going to miss you.
Despite it being Friday the 13th, I've had a rather good day - finally we have sorted out the pond modifications which now fall into line with our Health and Safety policy. Simon Walton of Interserve called in to chat about the final plans and will come in during the summer holidays to construct a new fence and reset our stone flags, as well as putting in some safety mesh. It will be ready for the new Autumn term - up to this point, it was in danger of being filled in, but with Interserve stepping in and doing the work for us, it will become an integral part of our garden and a great resource for the children. We can't thank Interserve enough for their amazing generosity and hope to work with them again on future projects!
Then as the school day was ending, a parent called in offering to become a gardening volunteer in response to my flyer sent out during the week. No wonder I went home with a big smile on my face!
It is with regret that I have to tell you that Mrs Whitley, after 3 years of dedicated volunteering in our garden, will be leaving us next week to take up paid work. I, for one, will miss her greatly as she has been my right hand woman and has kept the garden going on my behalf. She has planned, planted, organised, watered, designed, worked with the children, dug, come up with some brilliant ideas, taught me a lot and been a great friend and colleague. She's a walking garden encyclopedia, sharing her remarkable expertise and experience with the children and me! I don't know how to thank her for all her man (or woman) hours she has put in, in rain, snow and sun, for the school to make the garden a wonderful resource for the children who absolutely love it. Thank you Mrs Whitley - we are all going to miss you.
