Green fingered staff and pupils at a secondary school in Kenton have scooped top prize in a national competition.
St Gregory’s Catholic Science College, in Donnington Road has won “Best School Garden” in a national garden competition run by TV gardener David Domoney’s Cultivation Street – a campaign to promote and support community and school garden projects.
In the last six years St Gregory’s school garden has been transformed from two areas of derelict, unused wasteland into a thriving Eco Garden.
The school has developed a memorial garden, vegetable and fruit patch, refurbished the pond and got a beautiful mural painted onto, what was, an ugly looking wall.
The space is used throughout the year for science lessons, a weekly gardening club, reflection in the remembrance garden and as a host for visits from other schools and nurseries.
It also plays an active part in community projects, helping a primary school plant 1,000 daffodils in a local park.
The garden has been recognised by the Eco Schools projects, helping them to become an Eco Schools Green Flag School twice.
Andrew Prindiville, headteacher, said: “The pupils and staff at St Gregory’s Catholic Science College are thrilled to win Cultivation Street’s School Garden category. St Gregory’s Garden not only supports our pupils’ learning across many aspects of the school curriculum; it has become a source of learning and inspiration for other local schools and has been influential in helping us to build partnerships with local community groups. This fantastic achievement reflects the hard work of our dedicated staff and pupils and the wonderful support we have received from our local community.”
Mr Domoney said: “This school has made their big ideas a reality, it must be a marvellous place to learn gardening as a child, the teachers and supporters have created something special for both the children and the community. The reuse of wasteland and carrying work out in the community has a ripple effect. The use of art in the garden with the memorial piece combined with growing gives interest to a wider range of children.”
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