30th June 2011

WEYMOUTH: School garden open

Holy Trinity School in Weymouth is the largest primary school in the county and one of the newest and is probably the only local school that was built with a large area set aside for a school garden.

The garden is now three years old and will be open to the public at Holy Trinity Primary School, on Cross Road, Weymouth on Sunday, July 17th from 2pm to 5pm.

In the first year the school celebrated the successful installation of the Dorset Cereals ‘Gold Medal Winning, Edible Garden’ which arrived on the back of a lorry from Hampton Court Flower show in 2008. The pupils have really enjoyed the garden, each class now has their own planting bed and there is a very popular after school gardening club.

Last year the school celebrated the official opening of the new wildlife pond made possible by an award from the National Lottery ‘Awards for All’ scheme.

This year staff and pupils have two achievements to celebrate. The first is the completion of the memory corner part of the garden which is an area for quiet contemplation that has scented plants, oak sculptures and an arbour. Holy Trinity Church helped with funding for this area.

Also created this year, was a World War II garden complete with an Anderson shelter which was found in an overgrown state at the bottom of a local garden, dismantled, moved and reconstructed in an area of garden designed to look like a typical 1940s back garden. This will be used by pupils studying WW II. The garden will be officially opened by Mr Ike who kindly let the school have his Anderson Shelter.

The garden also features Dorset’s first living willow classroom planted with willow cut from Abbotsbury Swannery.

There will be plant sales, a miniature garden competition, pond dipping and cream teas. Entry is free but donations to the garden fund are welcomed.