Garden Club

Liz Keatings Memorial Pink Lady Apple Tree

The first flower from the Pink Lady Apple tree has bloomed. “If there ever comes a time when we can’t be together, keep me in your heart and I’ll stay there forever.” (Winnie the Pooh). Please be gentle while playing close to the tree. Thank you.

From Seed to Skill: Developmental Benefits of Children's Gardening

Engaging with nature and caring for a living thing, even in a small pot, has profound positive effects on mental well-being and development. 

• Boosted Self-Esteem and Accomplishment: 
  • Kids feel a huge sense of pride when they plant a tiny seed and watch it grow into a flower or a piece of food. This tangible success builds confidence. 
  • The results are instant feedback on their hard work, which is very rewarding.
• Reduced Stress and Anxiety:
  • Being in a natural, green space has a proven calming effect on the nervous system, helping to lower stress levels.
  • The simple, repetitive tasks of watering, digging and planting encourage mindfulness, focusing on the 'here and now' which is a great tool for managing worry.
• Responsibility and Nurturing:
  • Caring for a plant teaches children about the need for consistent care and attention. They learn that a living thing is dependent on them, instilling a strong sense of responsibility.
  • It helps them learn empathy and respect for other living things
• Patience and Perseverance:
  • Gardening is not an instant-gratification activity. Waiting for a seed to sprout, a flower to bloom or a vegetable to ripen teaches an invaluable lesson in patience. They learn that growth takes time and continuous effort (perseverance).

Growing a plant in a pot is an excellent way to introduce all these powerful benefits in a manageable, non-overwhelming way.

Garden Shop Monday 8 th December

In Week 9 of Term 4 which is the Monday 8th December will be the final Garden Shop for the Year. It will be held after school at 3:15 to 4pm. We will have a new selection of seeds and interesting plants. 90% of the things in the shop will be $3 or less. We also welcome the return of pots and packaging for reuse or recycling.

Pic of the Week

The baby spiders in the photograph in the “Hidden Garden” is a sign of a thriving, healthy garden ecosystem. Spiders are essential natural pest controllers and the most effective generalist predators. They hunt and capture a vast array of common pests, including aphids, mosquitoes, flies and caterpillars, significantly reducing damage to your plants and minimizing the need for chemical pesticides. 

Their presence acts as a key indicator:

• Pesticide-Free Zone: Abundant spiders confirm your garden is free from harmful chemical sprays, as they are highly sensitive to them.
• Rich Food Web: A large spider population indicates a diverse and ample supply of insects (their food), confirming the presence of a robust, balanced food chain.
• Habitat Diversity: Seeing various spider types means your garden has diverse plants and structures, supporting wider wildlife. In essence, spiders help maintain the ecological balance, doing the pest control work for you!

Benefits of Your Small Plastic Greenhouse

With funds we raised from the Garden Shop, we have been able to purchase three greenhouses. They are small mini greenhouses and are highly beneficial and cost-effective gardening tool that create a controlled microclimate for our plants.

1. Extended Growing Seasons: The primary advantage is extending the growing season. The greenhouse traps heat, allowing you to start seeds much earlier in spring and continue harvesting later into the autumn, protecting plants from early frost.

2. Protection and Safety: It acts as a crucial barrier, shielding delicate seedlings from harsh weather like strong winds and heavy rain. Critically, the enclosed space provides a physical defence, preventing young plants from being immediately devoured by snails, slugs, caterpillars and other common garden insects. This makes it an ideal spot for 'hardening off' (acclimating) young plants grown indoors.

3. Convenience and Control: Plastic greenhouses are affordable, lightweight and easy to move, offering flexibility in finding the sunniest spot. They allow you to control the growing environment, providing the necessary warmth for heat-loving plants (like tomatoes and basil) and diffusing sunlight to prevent leaf scorch. Remember to ventilate on warm days to manage heat and humidity!

When is Garden Club?

Garden Club happens on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, right after the gates open. We meet at the bubblers on the Churchill Avenue side of the school. 

Garden Club is completely FREE to join! It's a great opportunity to learn to be a lateral thinker with limited resources, get first pick after a harvest, and see some fascinating creatures.

The information shared here is based on our experiences and knowledge, but we are not gardening experts. Think of it as friendly advice from one garden lover to another. Please remember that all gardening activities should be done with adult supervision and that you are responsible for your own safety and decisions.