Wellbeing Garden
As part of the ‘5 Ways to Wellbeing’, Lydbrook School has been ‘Taking Notice’ of our wonderful surroundings.
This year, we are concentrating on our own school grounds, where we are designing a ‘Wellbeing Garden’ at the front of the school.
We have been inspired by Kate Middleton’s 2019 garden design for the Chelsea Flower Show where she is creating a ‘Wellbeing Garden’.
Introduction
We started with an assembly to introduce the idea of a Wellbeing Garden to the children. They were shown Kate’s designs, together with pictures of our own garden as it is now and the beautiful areas surrounding our school. We then discussed why being outside is good for our own mental health, as well as ideas that could be included in the garden. The children were then told that each of them will be designing their own ‘Wellbeing Garden’, incorporating everything that had been discussed.
Garden Designer - Peter Dowle
The children were introduced to Peter Dowle, a celebrated local garden designer who has successfully competed in the Chelsea Flower Show.
Peter has already visited the school, and looked at the garden with Miss Sprawson to share his ideas. Following the Easter break his company very kindly carried out an initial survey of the area. Peter then looked at the children’s designs and from their ideas, produced a detailed picture of what our garden is going to look like!
We are very thankful to Peter for his help with this exciting project, and we will be visiting his local garden centres to see the types of plants/ learn about what plants need to grow. We are also very thankful to the parents who have helped with clearing the existing site – there was a lot of hard work to do!
Every child completed their own garden design
Peter Dowle's design
All hands on deck
The Jays Class have been busy writing to local companies, asking for their support. The letters included Peter’s design, and what resources we will need. The class enjoyed walking down the local post office to post them!
We have already received many positive responses, and we are looking forward to working with these companies in helping us to deliver this special garden.
Our garden was featured in The Forest Review newspaper on the 8th November, 2019, and about all our hard work we have already carried out.
We are very much looking forward to creating a calm and peaceful place within our school grounds that the children have helped to create themselves.
There will be a grand opening in March/ April 2020, where we will be inviting the local companies who have helped us, as well as parents and local residents.
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powerpoint for wellbeing garden | [ppt 56MB] |
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Advertising our project
The local paper, The Forest Review, published the details of our project.
This helped us to raise the profile of our Wellbeing garden.
Letters from the Jays Class
The Jays got to work analysing Peter Dowle's design and thinking of local companies who could help us with the resources we needed.
They all wrote letters to the companies, and awaited their responses!
Help from local companies
We have been so fortunate to have the help from so many local companies! Their generosity and dedication to our project has been amazing to see.
Special thanks must go to the following companies:
- Hancox D company
- Gladstone sawmills
- Walford Timber
The HRH Princess Anne opens the Wellbeing Garden!
Letters from the Jays class
The Jays class wrote to local and national garden companies asking for help with donations for the Wellbeing garden.
Visits to the garden centres
The responses were AMAZING!!
Children from the Jays class visited many garden centres over the Easter holidays, collecting all the fantastic donations!
Planting
The children in the Jays class spent many afternoons planting the wonderful donations from all the garden centres. A special thanks goes to Jenny Hodgson who helped us with the planting, and taught us about the plants. We think the garden looks beautiful, and we can’t wait to use it in the future.
Enjoyment of being outside
The children and staff have really enjoyed using the Wellbeing Garden, especially in the warm sunny summer months!
Many lessons have now taken place outside, as well as break times and lunch times spent relaxing in the garden. The parasols and beanbags have helped to make the garden feel like a special place, and we can’t wait for the warmer months to return so we can continue to use it.
