Frog lodge and bug box won judges’ hearts
Jayne Britton and Jayne Wright hold the Silver-Gilt certificate, flanked by staff and Holbeach in Bloom committee members, and the children. (SG241012-04MD)
Young gardeners at a Holbeach pre-school surprised their nursery teachers by scooping a silver-gilt East Midlands In Bloom award with their green fingers.
The leafy patch around the Victorian school building in The Chase which houses Small Saints Pre-School is carefully tended by children aged from two to 11.
In Bloom judges were so impressed when they looked round it on their tour of the town in 2011 that they recommended Small Saints should enter a separate Best School Garden award category this year.
The rest is history.
Jayne Britton, who runs Small Saints with colleague Jayne Wright, said: “It’s been a terrible year for the garden weather-wise and we thought if we got bronze at our first attempt we’d be very lucky.
“Instead we won silver gilt and a great report, highlighting how all 170 children who were with us this summer, including those up to 11 who came before and after school, were fully involved in gardening.
“The judges were specially impressed with how we encourage wildlife - the children have bird, bat, bee and hedgehog boxes, logs and piles of leaves for bugs and even a special frog lodge in an old flowerpot.
“The judges also remarked on how the children grow and pick fruit and vegetables, help to make jam from our own plums and take part in garden recycling and compost-making.
“It’s all down to the children - they are very keen gardeners!”
Holbeach in Bloom committee members presented the Silver Gilt certificate at the school.
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Weather for Spalding
Wednesday 22 May 2013
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 4 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 5 C to 10 C
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