Our school garden was designed by Mark Foenander from Gardiner & Foenander Landscape Architects in consultation with our Parents’ Association and Board of Management. Construction on the garden began in July 2019 with Patrick Lane from Lane Landscaping completing Phase 1. Our aim is to use the school garden as a classroom, to reconnect students with the natural world and the true source of their food, and teach them valuable gardening and agriculture concepts and skills that integrate with several subjects, such as math, science, art, health and physical education, as well as several educational goals, including personal and social responsibility. The aim is for students to become more fit and healthy as they spend more time active in the outdoors and start choosing healthy foods over junk food.
Learning outdoors offers a really important direct experience of nature rather than just reading about it in class. The school garden that we are creating will allow every child to benefit and achieve success in a way that they may not be able to do in the classroom.
The Benefits of School Gardens
Experience and research have shown numerous benefits of school gardens and natural landscaping;
- students learn focus and patience, cooperation, teamwork and social skills.
- they gain self-confidence and a sense of “capableness” along with new skills and knowledge in food.
- garden-based teaching addresses different learning styles and intelligences; our non-readers can blossom in the garden!
- achievement scores improve because learning is more relevant and hands-on.
- students become more fit and healthy as they spend more time active in the outdoors and start choosing healthy foods over junk food.
- the schoolyard is diversified and beautified.
- graffiti and vandalism decrease because students respect what they feel some ownership in.