Pattison College awarded highest level in the Royal Horticultural School Garden Awards
Pattison College achieved the award in just 12 months.
Pattison College has been awarded Level 5, the highest level, in the Royal Horticultural School (RHS) Garden Awards. The school started at Level 1 in September 2022 and has achieved this fantastic result after just 12 months. The work has been led by the schools’ Gardening Clubs and Eco Team, supported by the school’s Facilities Manager and Senior School Science Teacher and Wellbeing lead.
On the journey to the Level 5 RHS Garden Awards Pattison College children and staff:
- Showed that the garden was a haven for wildlife by digging out the overgrown pond, relining and filling it with captured rainwater and adding suitable plants. After receiving a donation of frogspawn, the pond is now teaming with life and at least 5 frogs!
- Researched how to plant trees and planted a mini orchard of 8 trees with more to come.
- Secured a donation from the Woodland Trust to plant a hedge around the orchard and meadow.
- Set up stalls at the Christmas Fair selling the seeds from sunflowers grown over the summer as well as hyacinth bulbs.
- Invited parents and neighbours to an open garden at the end of term, gave talks on the journey of the garden over the past 12 months and explained how to grow vegetables to this interested audience.
- Ensured the garden project is 100% self-funded through the sale of produce grown in the garden as well as stalls at the Christmas Fair. Funds raised have enabled the team to buy two greenhouses.
The Pattison College Gardening Clubs and Eco Team hope to join in the RHS Big Food Share next year and donate excess fruit and vegetables to the local food hub to help those in need.
Graeme Delaney, Head of Pattison College, said “I am incredibly proud of our Gardening Clubs and Eco Team for having their work recognised by the Royal Horticultural School Garden Awards. To achieve Level 5 of the Awards after just 12 months is testament to their hard work and creative thinking as well as the fantastic support and encouragement they have received from Mr Hanks our Facilities Manager and Mrs Patria our Senior School Science Teacher and Wellbeing Lead.
He added “With this project, Pattison College children have turned a piece of unused school garden into a wildlife meadow, a vegetable patch and an orchard. Not only does the end result look fantastic, but the produce that the children have grown in the vegetable patch has been enjoyed by the whole school community”.
September '23