The Benefits of School Gardens

Experience and research have shown numerous benefits of school gardens and natural landscaping:

• students learn focus and patience, cooperation, teamwork and social skills.
• they gain self-confidence in their ability and new skills and knowledge in planting and food growing — soon-to-be-vital for the 21st century.
• garden-based teaching addresses different learning styles and intelligences
• achievement scores improve because learning is more relevant and hands-on.
• students become more fit and healthy as they spend more time active in the outdoors and start choosing healthy foods over junk food.
• the school premises is more diversified and beautified.
• Students learn to respect the environment and assume responsibility for its care

The school garden at Corpus Christi was started by our caretaker, Tony Smithers who organised the planting of flowers and shrubs around the school. He was further assisted by Maeve O’Neill, a parent, who is also a landscape designer. Maeve designed the planters in the school with flowers and plants that provide colour and foliage throughout the school year. Individual classes assisted Maeve with the planting. David Murphy, our temporary caretaker is also fully engaged with developing our garden with the addition of new planters and lavender pots. Recently, Michelle Hardiman, a teacher and avid gardener came to teach the girls how to plant and take care of peas, beetroot, lettuce and sunflowers.   We have recently acquired a herb patch and we look forward to developing it also. Corpus Christi will make its contribution to developing the horticulturists and Bloom garden designers of the future!