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Department for Children, Schools and Families
The Growing Schools Garden - learning outside the classroom
Designer: Chris Beardshaw
Sponsor: Department for Children, Schools and Families
Contractor: Mulberry Tree Gardens
“Every young person should experience the world beyond the classroom as an essential part of learning and personal development, whatever their age, ability or circumstances.”
This statement, from the Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto, is the inspiration for this garden. Its aim is to show how teaching and learning can take place outside the classroom, within the school grounds and in a wide variety of places and spaces beyond the school. The garden has been designed by Chris Beardshaw, with the support of the Department for Children, Schools and Families, Learning through Landscapes and Farming And Countryside Education.
This garden is distinctive because of the active and creative participation of the young people themselves. Chris has worked with children of all ages from more than30 schools. As well as providing inspiration, they have designed and made many of the garden’s features and grown some of its plants. The design foundations are based on the principle that learning in the broadest sense is the result of a complex blend of life modules. The diversity of modules results in the garden displaying an eclectic blend of habitats and environments where the children from the participating schools have expressed their relationships with these spaces in a creative and original way.
The key modules are a stumpery and evolutionary garden, exploring geological history and the evolution of plants and animals; an aquatic garden representing the development of plants specialised in aquatic environments; a prairie garden contrasting with the water-rich environments. Woodland borders explore the relationships between flora and fauna and the folklore and myths associated with such places. A meadow explores the life to be found in a flowering sward and incorporates an ephemeral labyrinth. A willow nest on a sculpted earth mound allows a space for children and adults to crawl into to find sanctuary; the poetry garden displays a more architectural atmosphere, a zone for reading, performance and creative and language based activities and boulder walls demonstrate opportunities for adventurous outdoor activities.
School architecture designed by AHMM, creates a distinctive and definite presence and demonstrates a modern sustainable learning space. A productive garden illustrates the science behind good plant husbandry as well as zones specifically designated for more long-term herbaceous plants and shrubs that either display herbal, medicinal and culinary uses or offer commercial uses such as dying, cosmetics, plant tonics, etc. This is combined with further areas in which ranges of fruit are cultivated. The boundary fence to the rear of this area allows views through into the pasture and stock areas demonstrating the valuable learning opportunities for young people of farming and the countryside. A study centre constructed using traditional techniques from sustainable materials - straw bale walls clad in lime daub - create an informal teaching and learning space with views over the different habitats in the garden.
Sustainability is an important element throughout the garden. The school and cob building demonstrate traditional and modern sustainable methods including a green roof, solar lighting and cob walls. Many of the garden features are from recycled materials demonstrating how schools can re-use materials in functional, innovative and attractive ways. Many of the schools are actively encouraging wildlife in their school grounds and the garden incorporates some of these features such as a range of habitats for different animals and even a bug hotel.
The garden will be moved to Birmingham Botanical Gardens to be used as a long-term resource to train and advise teachers on exciting, new ideas and a realistic vision of what can be achieved in and beyond the school grounds.
TV gardening presenter Chris Beardshaw has been designing show gardens at RHS flower shows since 1998 and has won three RHS Gold Medals and several Best in Show accolades.