GROWING CHILDREN GARDENING PROJECT AT TATTENHALL PARK PRIMARY SCHOOL

Several members of the Gardening Society have been working with Tattenhall Park School staff and children to develop the garden areas within the school grounds.

This all came about from the suggestion that the children could help to extend the local biodiversity opportunities by joining in with the Transition Tattenhall Mini Meadows Project, started in 2022. At the same time, staff at school were keen to develop the Memorial Garden, including a greenhouse and large raised bed. They reached out for support from Jenny Thomson who already volunteered at school.

One very rainy day in late March, Squirrels Nursery and Reception children enthusiastically sowed annual Wildflower seeds and planted perennial wildflower plants to create their own ‘garden’. All provided by Transition Tattenhall funding and donations from Jen Benefield.

The seedlings and plants are thriving with the help of many children with small watering cans and squirty bottles keeping a close eye on progress!

All Early Year’s children and Key Stage One also took wildflower seeds home to share the message with parents and to encourage them to set up a small area or recycled container at home.

A Parish Council grant of £500, applied for by Transition Tattenhall, has enabled the memorial garden area to be rejuvenated. The grant enabled the purchase of tools, a water butt, children’s gardening gloves and much more. Local people and organisations have kindly donated many items to help make this a successful project. Everyone has been so generous.

Spring bulbs kick started the process. Now the garden is full of annual flowering plants and a raised bed gradually filling with potatoes, beans, courgettes, radishes and beetroot and an apple tree.etc. The school holiday club children have helped with various sowing and planting activities.

Our next step forward has been to start a weekly Gardening After School club. Around 15 enthusiastic Key Stage Two children come once a week to learn about how to grow and care for plants. Two Gardening Society members run the club (Jenny Thomson and Fiona Wilson) along with a member of staff. Bug Hotels have been made to encourage biodiversity.

Plans are also in place for Nursery and Reception to have a guided walk with local entomologist, Chloe Aldridge, around Glebe Meadow to discover minibeasts and wildflowers in July.

There’s still a way to go with this school and local community linked project but it’s amazing to be part of what has happened since the first idea of introducing a few wildflower annual seeds!!

Donations of compost, pots, plants, seeds and other items always welcomed!