Ysgol Gynradd Machynlleth - Forest Garden

Our school garden was established around 6 years ago through the help of "Sustain" (Elemental Earth), parents and pupils. We soon found that the ground we had to work with was very stony and compressed due to heavy traffic when the school was built. It is sheltered, cool in summer, but cold in winter and in fact gets very little sunshine at all during the winter months.

Picture 1 - This year our Reception class kept butterfly eggs, and they followed the process from egg to caterpillar, to chrysalis and on cue at the last week of term the chrysalis hatched into butterflies in the class. They were then released into our school garden to accompany our other visitors.
We soon found that the ground we had to work with was very stony and compressed due to heavy traffic when the school was built. It is sheltered, cool in summer, but cold in winter and in fact gets very little sunshine at all during the winter months.
The main feature of our original garden was our willow "millennium" dome providing shelter from the sun and a focal point for imaginative play. Unfortunately after a few years the "dome" became diseased and had to be cleared.
We had an artist in residence working with the pupils to provide a garden mosaic which is the focal point for the next phase in our school garden development.

Picture 2 - Eight Junior Department pupils relaxing in the shade during break time next to the mosaic that tells the story of creation.
Our dragon from local stone is now overgrown and disappearing beneath the grass, but archaeologists of the future may be able to unearth a mystical slate dragon lying beneath the surface.
The food which we grow in our garden are mainly berries, blackcurrants, raspberries, gooseberries, strawberries and blackberries. This year our reception class collected blackcurrants and made a "smoothie" to accompany some ice cream which was welcome at the end of a hot day.

Picture 3 - Two Year 5 girls find shade around a blackcurrant bush. "Don't tell anyone, were just tasting them to see if they are ripe!!!"
Classes often have forays into our garden to observe mini beasts. Although we have seen evidence of visiting badgers we have yet to see any during school hours!

Picture 4 - This butterfly looks at home!
Birds regularly visit our garden and a good selection of them come in to visit our bird table during the winter months. Our bird boxes are not yet occupied but we are hopeful that the 8 which Year 6 built this summer will be used during next spring. Our Integrated Centre (After School Club) will be installing a Web Camera in one of their bird boxes in the school grounds.
Our composting area is not yet developed, however during our "Happy Bin Project" this term we have started to compost part of the school waste in the form of tea bags, fruit and paper towels in conjunction with weeds from our garden.

Picture 5 - A Year 6 pupil feeds this year's compost heap and last years compost heap beside it behind the school shed.
What we like best about our garden is the way it changes during the year, the flowers turn to berries, the leaves change colour, the flowers change into seeds.
Our garden provides shelter from the noisy playground, and shelter from the burning sun.

Picture 6 - an adult butterfly bred in the classroom ready to venture into our school garden. Good bye !!!!
All school pupils have access to the garden, and each class has an allotted portion. The Key Stage two pupils have open access to the gardens whilst Key Stage One and Reception pupils visit under the guidance of class teachers.

Picture 7 - Three year six pupils looking after a plant in a recycled plastic pot.