Creating a Garden in a Term: Mid-April to Mid-July

This resource shows how you can quickly create a simple school garden within just the summer term.

Introduction

Gardens can take many years and many acres to develop, but some gardens, full of different colours, scents and textures, can be created in just three months in any space, no matter how small or large. The aim of Garden in Term is to inspire schools to create their own gardens from which they can harvest produce or flowers or both in just one term. The garden may carry on through the autumn term, or be started again, depending on the plants chosen. Other aims of Garden in a Term include demonstrating life processes and encouraging thought, contemplation, shared responsibility, shared treats and discussion.

The garden should touch on as many aspects of the school curriculum as possible. For example, a plan for the garden can be drawn by hand or using a computer. The numbers of plants needed can be calculated and the success or failure of individual varieties can be recorded using ICT. What do the scientific terms included in the text below — such as germination and propagation — mean?

Garden Elements

There are many ideas below for creating a Garden in a Term. Depending on the size of the site, the size and the class, the ages of the pupils and the time and resources available, all or one of the ideas can be used.

If you do not have the time or the facilities to sow seeds, most of the varieties mentioned are also available from gardens centres and mail order nurseries as small plants.

You can also consult the Garden in a Term calendar for information about what to do and when.

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