Gardens galore at Cobden

THE latest school to be featured in the Loughborough in Bloom Garden Showcase, a series which aims to acknowledge schools which have expressed an interest in gardening activities, is Cobden Primary School.

The school has a number of garden areas within its grounds including a wildlife area with two small ponds.

Although most of the Cobden children experience the garden areas as part of their school life, for those seeking a greater involvement, a gardening club has been formed.

Part of the wildlife area has been cleared recently by members of the gardening club and they plan to add a bughouse and bird boxes along the route from the main play area to the wild area.

Many of the flower and vegetable beds at the school are raised, enabling access to all ages of child and to anyone with limited mobility.

Each class takes control of a bed, handling all aspects of its maintenance from planting through to harvesting.

Children are encouraged to label the vegetables and flowers planted and elements of gardening are integrated into the curriculum as appropriate. Photographs are taken regularly of the crops as they grow and at different stages of each new development.

Loughborough in Bloom’s Mike Jones said during his visit: “It is easy to see why Cobden has done so well in East Midlands in Bloom. From the children up to the head teacher, there is real enthusiasm.”

Gardening Club organisers, Jane Squires and Barbara Kormos added: “The children love to get involved and get their hands dirty. It is a different experience for them and they really enjoy it.”

Left: Cobden’s young gardeners proudly showing off the revamped wildlife area with Gardening Club organiser Jane Squires, learning support assistant Jayne Robinson and Gardening Club organiser Barbara Kormos. Pictured are learning support assistant...

Pictured are members of the Cobden Gardening Club with some of the raised vegetable beds looking healthy and well maintained.