Pupils pocket top prize in garden design competition

Pupils from Harrysmuir Primary School, Livingston Village Primary School and Moore House Academy have shown their budding design skills by winning the seventh annual Pocket Garden Design Competition, run by environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful.

Following the huge success of the online showcase in 2021, when 38 design winners were displayed to allow a public vote, this year 340 entries were received from across Scotland.

Of these 45 have won a place in a digital showcase.

Schools developed environmentally friendly designs for a tiny garden telling a story, reflecting the themes of the 2022 Year of Stories, One Planet Picnic and Wildlife Gardening.

Stories are a vital part of culture and community from well-loved tales of family and friends to famous fictional characters: they all give a sense of place, history and belonging.

There are fables, legends, folklore, news stories, novels, fairy stories, investigative journalism, and myths to draw inspiration from and the young people celebrated that through their imaginative competition entries.

Children, from as young as three, were challenged to design a colourful and sustainable garden.

Finished gardens will be available to view in an online showcase, where the nation will also be able to vote for their favourite Pocket Garden.

Harrysmuir Primary School’s edible garden is based on the story of‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’and features Willy Wonka.

Scents and colours are the focus of Livingston Village Primary School’s garden – a sensory delight telling the story of the Hogwarts herbology classroom from‘Harry Potter’.

Moore House Academy pupils created a beautiful garden dedicated to the memory of a fellow student, through a powerful retelling of‘Alice in Wonderland’.

Nicola Davidson, education and learning officer for Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “This year’s competition has encouraged children to tell their own stories, a wonderful part of our culture, through their garden designs.

“We are delighted that schools and young people in West Lothian are finding the benefits of this competition in learning, teaching and celebrating things that are important to them and their environment.

“The Pocket Garden designs we received were practical, creative, challenging, sustainable and full of fun!”

Ella McClellan, Outreach Co-ordinator for Scottish Book Trust, who was involved in the judging, said:“I was delighted when I was asked if I would help to judge this year’s Pocket Garden design competition, because it combines two things I feel really passionate about, reading and nature. Both share really positive commonalities.

“Reading books that you love and spending time in nature are both proven ways of reducing stress and anxiety. Delving into new worlds through books, or discovering the vibrant wildlife around you, can also help you to feel less isolated and lonely.“

The winning Pocket Gardens will be available to view in the digital showcase from Wednesday, June 8, at www. keepscotlandbeautiful.org/pocketgarden.

Voting for the nation’s favourite Pocket Garden will be open from June 8 to 20.