Kentish Express Ashford & District
Wildlife garden offers perfect spot for a story
Kingsnorth Primary School’s celebrations to mark its 150th anniversary continued on Sunday with the opening of its new wildlife garden and a Victorian themed fair.
The event organisers had the weather gods smiling on them as a sunny afternoon saw crowds of people enjoy arena performances by the school choir, school maypole dancers, the Woodchurch Morris Men, a hawking display and a street dance troupe. Staff and outside stall holders wore Victorian dress to add to the atmosphere.
The school’s much awaited wildlife/sensory/spiritual garden was formally opened at the fair by Jade Farrin, Mary Daly and Marie Russell, all representing local Tesco stores.
The school’s garden project was realised using a £12,000 grant from Tesco and Groundwork UK via the “Bags of Help” scheme run in Tesco stores.
This garden project is the culmination of over 15 months of planning and preparation and will be a place of quiet reflection and learning for the school and church communities to use for years to come.
The garden includes a unique prayer labyrinth, a wooden boat in a “beach” themed area, seating and raised flower beds with sensory plants, wind chimes and a bug hotel, a storytelling area with a“storyteller’s throne”, and a pond supporting rare great crested newts and slow worms.
The garden also boasts a 6ft high carved wooden cross, which was designed and fashioned by Steve Andrews, a local chainsaw artist.
This cross and the garden works were blessed recently during an unexpected visit by Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury. The garden has also benefitted from unusual driftwood signs provided by Shells Driftwood.
The school’s front garden was also redesigned to compliment the frontage of the old Victorian school house, with plants and resources donated by Dobbies in Ashford.