On 21st October, we had another visit from Bishop Aldhelm’s C.E. Primary School children. This time it was for ‘hands on experience’. Eleven enthusiastic hand-picked children came with two teachers, Kelly Hawkins and Kirsten Langridge, ready for a spot of gardening. First they walked past the 180 metres of rock garden (with three ‘designer’ Bug Hotels), on to the Spring Garden, by the pond. There waiting for them were bags and bags of daffodil bulbs, donated by volunteer gardener, John Hallett. In advance, David Reeves had turned over some patches of soil under the shade of mature birch trees, between their surface roots. He instructed the children on planting, which way was ‘up’, and where was easiest to dig. Then the children swarmed over the site with enthusiasm and trowels. While David was on site to give advice, and the first verse of ‘Daffodils’ by William Wordsworth.
The children ran out of useable space in the Spring Garden, so we moved on to the mixed border at the start of the path around the pond. There, they crammed some more bulbs in between the existing plants. A good morning’s work, and they went back to school, chattering and litter picking. Scott Tait, head teacher, said they had returned with ‘a real buzz’. So we hope that they had found it enjoyable, as well as making a useful contribution; and that they will return in the spring to see ‘their’ daffodils in bloom. We believe that it is never too early to install a love of gardening and nature generally.
