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East Renfrewshire Council Environmental Regeneration Grant helps to enhance woodland at Glenwood Nursery
School
| "Magic Mushrooms" appear in the miniature woodland |
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| Latest stage of a long term project completed at Glenwood Nursery School |
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In March 1995 our predecessor, the Carts River Valleys
Project, got together with Glenwood Nursery School to celebrate European Nature Conservation Year by planting a "Miniature
Arboretum" of native Scottish trees in a boggy corner of the school grounds.
Twelve years later the wee saplings
had grown vigorously into a dense and tangled jungle, which the Head Teacher wanted the 3 and 4 year old pupils to be able
to use. Certainly, the fence erected to protect the baby trees from grass mowers could be taken away. In addition, however,
works were completed to improve access. All low level twigs were pruned back, clambering bramble and ivy were cut back
and a winding path of concrete stepping stones, designed to look like slices off tree trunks, was installed. As a finishing
touch for the Secret Forest, a seating area of mini mushroom seats was created.
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St. Margaret's Primary School, Johnstone, introduces a sensory garden to its
tarmac playground
| Planting the sensory garden at St. Margaret's |
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| Each sense is represented by the plants selected to grow in one of the beds. |
St. Margaret’s Primary School in Johnstone has grounds which are almost 100% tarmac.
An audit by the pupils identified a demand for more wildlife, better opportunities for outdoor learning and more scope for
imaginative play. Rather than dig up the tarmac, the main response has been the installation of a garden with five raised
beds, each designed to stimulate one particular sense. Each sense is represented by the plants
selected to grow in one of the beds - bringing scent, sound, colour, touch and taste to a tarmac playground. The project received a £10,000 grant from the Awards for All programme of the National Lottery.
| New garden at mary Russell School, Paisley |
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| The garden features raised beds and a good solid path to make the area accessible. |
Mary Russell School, Paisley, creates an easy
access garden
By contrast to some of the very
urban schools in the Carts Greenspace area, Mary Russell School has quite grassy grounds but Paisley’s weather means
that access opportunities are limited to rare dry spells. Therefore a solid surfaced area has been created in the grass, reached
by a 40m path and partially enclosed by four raised beds, which provide pupils with special educational needs the opportunity
to relax, complete curricular work and be inspired by nature. The
project received a £10,000 grant from the Awards for All programme of the National Lottery.
| Kirkhill Primary School, Newton Mearns. |
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| Planting the raised beds in June 2009 |
Eco Gardening arrives at Kirkhill Primary School
Kirkhill Primary School in Newton
Mearns shares with many schools the problems associated with muddy grass but now has an extensive and well developed Eco Garden.
This attracts more wildlife, allows biodiversity education in an outdoor classroom, encourages recycling and
has a mini orchard. Like several recent Kingfisher Schools Initiative projects,
Kirkhill Primary School received a £10,000 grant from the Awards for All programme of the National Lottery.
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