Cranberry Academy in Cheshire has been awarded the title of ‘most inspiring event’ as part of the ‘Get Your Grown-ups Growing’ campaign run by the RHS Campaign for School Gardening.
And I had the honour of presenting them with their prize on 1 May: a fantastic Hartley Botanic Wisley 8 greenhouse worth £4000!
Scarecrows made by Cranberry Academy pupils
Get Your Grown-ups Growing is a great initiative for school gardening. Throughout October, schools invite parents, grandparents, carers, friends and members of the local community to help pupils in the garden.
Cranberry Academy made the event extra special. They devoted a whole week to gardening, and challenged each class to design the best scarecrow, wind chime, insect house and recycled planter.
When the grown-ups came along, they helped pupils build two new raised beds and plant 100 spring bulbs, 100 onion sets and sow over 30 pea plants!
The academy now hopes to use the greenhouse to focus on edible gardening. Teaching assistant Jane Sawdon said the school wanted all children to know how to sow, grow, harvest and cook their own food.
The school also plans to install water butts and compost bins, and plant potatoes, vegetables, soft fruit shrubs and a 14 tree fruit orchard.
It’s fantastic to see so many children getting inspired by gardening, and to see parents, relatives and the local community pitching in to help out.
Last year over 1900 schools joined the Get Your Grown-ups Growing campaign. This year’s campaign launched on Thursday 1 May, and I hope even more schools will take part in such a fantastic initiative.
David Domoney is a Chartered Horticulturalist, Broadcaster, and Author. David has worked with a number of the UK’s leading garden retailers as a plant buyer and strategic consultant. With more than 30 years experience, in horticulture, David is as passionate about plants now as he was when he bought his first plant at a village fete.
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