GROWING GARDEN KNOWLEDGE

HERMIT Park State School has received a truckload of new plants for students to plant in their school’s gardens.

Hermit Park last year applied for the Woolworths Junior Landcare Grant for environmental projects to be conducted at their school.

The school was lucky enough to receive $1000 to purchase native trees and shrubs.

The plants ordered from Yuruga Nursery were divided into three different categories suitable for different habitats throughout the school grounds.

“When I heard there was a delivery truck outside the school with all the new plants I was so excited,” said Year 6 student Pippa Ratuere.

The first area, the arid landscape, is made up of plants that do not require a lot of water and provide food and shelter for native birds and lizards that inhabit the area.

Plants such grevilleas, banksias, native grasses and xanthorrhoea glaucas (grass tree) were selected for this area.

For the second area, the school’s wonderful rainforest, tree ferns, ground covers, crow’s nests and epiphytes such as staghorns were chosen to improve the tropical environment.

It is hoped that native and European bees will benefit from a selection of flowering trees and shrubs.

Leptospermums, grevilleas and the radiant feature tree, Buckinghamia celsissima better known as ivory curl were selected for their wonderful flowers.

Over several weeks the children planted the trees, ferns and bushes in the different locations around the school.

A selection of classes have volunteered to water and keep an eye on the plants until they are fully established.

“I can’t wait to see the new trees flowering and the bees enjoying them,” said Robert Graham, a Year 3 student.