Judges praise young gardeners
30 September 2010
The dedication of scores of young gardeners taking part in the 2010 Britain in Bloom competition has been recognised with two special awards.
- The Young People’s Award - Douglas, Isle of Man
- The School Award - Portchester Northern Community School, Fareham, Hampshire.
RHS Britain in Bloom Young People’s Award:
Douglas, Isle of Man
The community of Douglas has put the involvement of young people at the forefront of its “in Bloom” campaign. Six schools have been involved, taking part in the Big Douglas Tidy up in October 2009. Enrichment Week at Ballakameen High School saw 100 pupils creating new flower borders at their school, and tree planting at Douglas Municipal Golf Course last winter was carried out by pupils from Manor Park School.
Teenagers have taken ownership of an open space – the Snake Pit – and are creating an area for free-running with assistance from the Isle of Man Youth Service, while students from Isle of Man College are designing the tiles to be used in the Hutchinson Square refurbishment. RHS Britain in Bloom judge, Mark Wasilewski, said, “All in all, this is an impressive commitment by young people to environmental and horticultural programmes within their own community“.
The judges were delighted to meet the 1st Oncan Brownies who have planted and tended their own floral boat on the promenade, and the 7th Douglas guides celebrated the Centenary of the Guiding Movement by designing and planting an excellent carpet bed in the sunken gardens.
RHS Britain in Bloom School Award: Portchester Northern Community School, Fareham, Hampshire
The school’s extensive garden was created under the guidance of local Bloom volunteer Heather Scott. Wildlife areas, recycled greenhouses and solar energy panels help the children to learn about sustainability, while the allotment gives youngsters the opportunity to grow their own. All the children’s vegetables are served up in the school cafeteria.
“We have up to 300 children using the garden every week – from after school Brownie clubs to children taking part in outdoor lessons” said Heather. “We’ve just helped to create a beach in one section of the pond garden, so that year-5 can use it to study the geography of coastal regions.
“The children really love working in the garden and we’ve had lots of positive feedback. I’ve even had a few children ask if we can set up another garden in the local secondary school, so that they have a garden to enjoy when they move on! We’re hoping to look at this as a project in the future.”
RHS Britain in Bloom judge Andrew Jackson, who visited Fareham, was full of praise: “Many schools have areas where plants are grown and children can take an interest in their cultivation; at Portchester Northern Community, horticultural and environmental features are integral to the whole ethos of the school.
“From the attractive landscaping, perennial and herbaceous planting, annual baskets and children’s pots at the entrance, you’re led through vegetable, flower, environmental and biodiversity ‘gardens’, all with explanatory notices and name labelling on the plants. Rainwater is collected, electricity generated, birds and insects housed, and green waste composted; nothing is missing. The results are truly inspirational and the children have an unparalleled opportunity to absorb their surroundings. We congratulate the school for their fantastic achievement.”