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Connect with the Earth Care about our Natural Word Share our Common Home with all

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Starting a school garden A school garden is an open natural environment. It provides an opportunity to discover, wonder, question, exclaim, share wisdom, and most of all, have fun! It connects students with the Earth and with each other. It gives them an opportunity to nurture a living thing, to watch it grow and to share in the harvest. Thinking about creating a garden at your school? Start at the very beginning, with these essential elements: Water Light Soil Pots/raised garden beds/containers e.g. sinks, tubs Seeds/seedlings

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Building your garden bed The easiest way to create a school garden is to build a no-dig garden bed. This is basically a garden above the natural ground, made up of layers of organic matter that rot down into a nutrient-rich living soil. Just add more layers! Make sure that your garden bed site is level and gets at least 5 hours of sun a day. If its not level, fill the gaps with whatever organic material is at hand. You need a good mixture of two things: carbon materials in the form of straw, and nitrogen in the form of manures. And in the same way, water and air must both be provide. Remember - the layers break down, so it needs to be regularly topped up with fresh layers. Compost (10cm) Fertiliser (2cm) Straw (20cm) Lucerne Hay (10cm) Newspaper (0.5cm) Fertiliser (2cm) Border (50cm)

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What to plant and how to decorate Fast growing vegetables, such as tomatoes, radishes and snow peas, are popular choices for schools. Students are also intrigued by quirky and colourful plants. If you choose unusual plants for your school garden (such as the magic strawberry plant, pictured right) their imagination will be challenged. Dont forget to decorate to add a sense of fun to the garden space and encourage students to be creative. Have the students help build a scarecrow, green house or even a seating area. Place a chalkboard in the garden to share information with the school community. Add some statues and a garden gnome or two!

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A place to reflect and give thanks Christ is the brightness of eternal glory, the splendour of eternal light, the mirror without spot. St Clare of Assisi Dont forget to create a space in the garden where students can sit quietly to reflect and give thanks for Gods Creation. A useful Liturgical celebration is available on the Catholic Earthcare website.Catholic Earthcare website Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words. St Francis of Assisi

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Plant a herb/sensory garden Herbs grow quickly, smell amazing, and can be a tasty addition to almost every meal. Delight the students senses by planting Basil, Parsley and Rosemary, or even the more unusual Chocolate and Pineapple Mint. Conversations flow freely as students are immersed in the sights, sounds and smells of the garden, and when the produce is harvested and cooked, taste is added to the list of sensory experiences!

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Create, Cook, Celebrate, Document! Suggestions to help engage students in every step of the gardening process: Use QR codes which are linked to relevant websites, to label plants Make simple recipes with the produce Create a Recipe Book or a Calendar to sell to families Write a column in the School Newsletter Use iPads to document photos and the garden story Find ways to implement the garden into all areas of the curriculum Scan the school library to find fiction and non-fiction books to broaden knowledge and imagination Create ways to overcome, water, waste, planting and bug problems Celebrate special seasons and achievements Establish an Environment Team with student leaders

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Tips and tricks Motivate your school community to start a garden by sharing Catholic Earthcares Connect, Care, Share videoConnect, Care, Share video Plant herbs or strawberries etc. in bales of straw (in polystyrene fruit boxes), place them outside learning spaces and invite students to water the plants by emptying their water bottles, at the end of the day Plant Aboriginal Bush Tucker plants, e.g. Lilly Pilly from which jam can be made If revamping the garden, take Before/After photos and celebrate as progress is made Contact Local Councils/Businesses, they may donate e.g. Compost Bin, Worm Farm Compost fruit/veggie scraps, from lunches and canteens

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Place a Stingless Bee Hive in the garden and watch as honey is produced Plant potatoes which have sprouted in old rubber tyres or sacks, build up as a tower as the plant grows cut the lip off the tyres to prevent spiders Squish overripe tomatoes and dry the seeds to replant Save seeds, e.g. Parsley, Basil, Sunflowers and replant Plant Sunflowers so that students can measure themselves against them and watch them grow towards the sun Build a Green House to nurture seedlings Tips and tricks

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A covered Frog Pond surrounded by bromeliads will attract frogs Plastic bottles with the bottom cut off and filled with water provide a drip stream to water plants Plant seeds in paper cups and allow to sprout, before planting out Choose a plant e.g. a rose with the meaningful name St Patrick! Hold a competition to name the garden Decorate pots and sell for Mothers/Fathers Day and Fetes Plant Marigolds/Calendulas as Companion Plants to deter pests and attract bees Tips and tricks

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Where to now? Useful websites Making a Garden www.kitchengardensinschools.blogspot.com www.organicschools.com.au www.kitchengardenfoundation.org.au www.gardenorganic.org.uk/schools Curriculum Resources www.coolaustralia.com.au www.globalwords.edu.au www.edibleschoolyard.org www.aaee.org.au www.gould.edu.au Plant/Seed Resources www.diggers.com.au Funding Opportunities www.environment.nsw.gov.au/sus tainableschools/www.environment.nsw.gov.au/sus tainableschools/ www.environment.nsw.gov.au/gra nts/education.htmwww.environment.nsw.gov.au/gra nts/education.htm Planting Resources www.gardenate.com www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/ Food Resources www.crunchandsip.com.au www.freshforkids.com.au www.weekoftastes.com.au

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Interested in learning more and connecting with your local community? Join a Catholic Earthcare Learning Community near you. Email admin@catholicearthcare.org.au to find out more!admin@catholicearthcare.org.au