Greenvale Primary School Newsletter

Schools for Nature Project

Sujata Symons

Hume City Council Schools for Nature Project

We were one of 8 schools participating in the Hume City Council Schools for Nature Project. It has taken a year of planning and tentatively booking in dates for planting and on Friday 20th November, we were able to finally plant our garden at the front of the school. Melissa Doherty from Hume City Council assisted with the seedling delivery and garden bed preparation the previous day and the Year 4 students were eager to plant their seedlings. They Year 4 teachers, students, pre-service teachers, education support staff, Joe and myself were all available to assist the students with their planting.

 

Each class had the opportunity to plant 1 or more native seedlings.

 

Some of the plants included:

  • Inland Pigface
  • Wallaby Grass
  • Lobe-Seed Daisy
  • Cut-leaf Daisy
  • Hoary Sunray
  • Minnie Daisy
  • Fringe Myrtle
  • Woolly Tea tree
  • Running Postman
  • Purple Coral Pea 
  • Common Tussock Grass
  • Kangaroo Grass
  • Spiny-headed Mat-rush
  • Golden Billy Buttons
  • Fragrant Saltbush
  • Rosemary Grevillea

Students were also given 3 species of daisy to take home and plant in their own gardens.

  • Common Everlasting Daisy
  • Milky Beauty-heads
  • Sticky Everlasting

 

The day concluded with over 200 plants being planted in this area of the school. We are also working on creating a sign to acknowledge the grant given to us by Hume City Council. This was decided through a “Name the Garden Competition” for the Year 4 students. The students had to include their garden name, Schools for Nature, Greenvale Primary School and 2020.

 

The winning name and design is a combination of two entries by Jordan and Setayesh from 4JS. Jordan came up with the name “Manerlong Native Garden” with Manerlong being a Wurundjeri word for bee and Setayesh created an attractive design template which will include the phrase “Ultimate Place for Pollinators.” This winning entry will have their name and design on a custom-made sign. 

 

Thank you to all of the Year 4 students for their enthusiasm, engagement and interest in being Citizen Scientists.