The Twilight Page

Being appointed as the Eco-lead, or assigned responsibility for the school garden, can be a challenging experience. The DGT Schools Group seeks to help teachers, teaching assistants and parent volunteers develop ideas for the school garden by holding regular Twilight sessions. These sessions are held after school hours in a variety of locations across the county. The sessions aim to tell participants about the work of the DGT Schools group, give advice on how to achieve school gardening objectives and create a network of schools that can share ideas with each other in future.

TWILIGHT TRAINING SESSION AT MILTON ON STOUR PRIMARY SCHOOL

Representatives from 10 schools in the area came together on March 9th and shared their experiences in running a school garden. We were the guests of Steve White who has been involved in the school gardens at Milton on Stour for an amazing 19 years. We were very fortunate to be able to take advantage of his experience and expertise. We are very grateful to the Head, Rhiannon Tidby, for allowing us the use the school premises and making us so welcome.

The session started with a presentation on DGT work with schools, focusing on the reasons why schools gardens are important. Carol Carsley, Chair of the DGT Schools Group, spoke about the work of the Trust and the resources available to schools from the RHS school gardening campaign.

Liz Collins, who is the DGT visitor for the school, introduced our speakers, and we are most grateful for their input. We had three case studies, first looking at a recently completed small scale project in a reception playground at William Barnes Primary School in Sturminster Newton, then at a potential new application from Wyke Primary for sorting out a raised beds area. Our thanks to Hannah Dyke from William Barnes and Nicola Sheere from Wyke for sharing their experiences and initiating discussion.
Lastly we had a presentation from an ambitious new project at All Saints’ Primary School in Bishops Caundle. We would like to thank the Head, Nigel Roberts, and Vanessa Boal (a parent at the school and the extremely talented designer of the new garden area) who shared their plans for their new garden areas, including:

• Growing & Sensory Garden • Calm Space • Wildlife Dry Garden • Outdoor Classroom

• Geography Zone • Natural Play Area • Good practice principles. • Forest School

Although it is unlikely that most schools will be in a position to implement all of these in one go, each section has valuable advice on principles and planning and if anyone would like have more information, a copy of the presentation can be provided.

Steve Fry from the Gardens Group, with garden centres in Sherborne, Poundbury and Yeovil, explained the many ways they can support school gardens with discounts, practical help with planting and education visits. He reminded everyone that there are always plenty of used flower pots available – free of charge - outside Castle Gardens for people to collect. Find out more at What we do - The Gardens Group. It is always worth approaching local garden centres to see if they can offer damaged bags of compost or plants in reduced areas at a discount to schools. We also recommended that schools should make contact with local gardening clubs, who might be able to help with plants or practical help.

Ruth Steele from Shaftesbury Abbey Primary, who is our Schools’ Ambassador for Central and North Dorset, discussed how important it was to get the children involved from the start of any plan and showed us how she gets ideas from everyone on a board to inspire them , before sharing practical ideas and tips. She will be writing these up for our next newsletter.

Christine Stones, who produces our termly newsletter, circulated a questionnaire asking for feedback on the length and timing of the newsletter as well any suggestions for items participants would like to see included. Liz Collins asked about the possibility of setting up a WhatsApp support group as a way of quickly sharing queries and ideas. Several schools have signed up and if anyone would like to be included, or would like more details of any of the presentations, please contact Liz (lizcollins50@gmail.com).

The session ended with a guided tour of the school gardens, including the raised beds, polytunnel, woodland area and amphitheatre to allow Steve to share his considerable experience of maximising the use of the outdoor spaces. Unfortunately the weather was not kind to us, but it was a tribute to Steve’s enthusiasm that no one opted out!

The DGT plaque displayed on one of the raised beds in the school garden. shows the successful comple)on of a project funded by one of our grants to the school over the years.

Participants left with a copy of ‘The Playground Pobng Shed’, as recommended by Ruth Steele in a previous newsletter, a USB key loaded with details of contacts and ideas for garden projects, as well as pots of tete a tete daffodils, kindly donated by Orchard Park Garden Centre, and hopefully also with lots of ideas to consider.

Members of the committee left with huge admiration for the dedication and enthusiasm of all the teachers involved and with renewed determination to help schools achieve their aspirations.

TWILIGHT FOLLOW UP SESSION AT HIGHCLIFFE ST MARK’S

Following our very successful Twilight session for schools in the BCP and East Dorset areas, held in May 2022, Mary Reader hosted a follow up session at Highcliffe St Marks School on 4 May 2023.

Teachers attended from St Joseph’s, Pokesdown, Twynham, Burton and St Mark’s. They all departed inspired by the grounds in the school and how they are being used for Eco Gardening, Forest School and an award winning early learning area. Most of the teachers who attended were new to gardening, but are really seeing the opportunities of including outside areas into the curriculum