Garden efforts bear fruit

Featherston School pupils have transformed an old sandpit and bare paddock into an abundant garden that has made the school a finalist in a national contest.

Teacher Felicity Pickering said earlier this year she had come across an advert for the annual Mitre 10 Mega and Tui School Garden Challenge.

She said her Room 5 classroom eyed a disused sandpit and raised area to plant their contest garden with Year 4, 5, and 6 pupils in her Room 5 class writing to companies throughout the town and region requesting donations for equipment and garden resources. "We had no money and Mitre 10 Mega liked a letter one of the kids sent and turned up there with a truckload of stuff," Mrs Pickering said.

"That was in August and today we have six raised gardens, an orchard, a glasshouse, a pumpkin patch, worm farm, compost bins, scarecrows, bird feeders and hanging flax baskets," she noted.

Mrs Pickering said several companies including Mitre 10, Davis Sawmilling and Tui Garden products had donated equipment, as had individuals. "Whenever we needed something, we were taken care of. It's been amazing. We have all sorts of fruit trees - apples, figs, blackberries, plums, grapes - it's like a fruit salad out there. One day it'll feed the kids as well.

"We're also labelling and selling Worm Shot as a fertiliser and some of the kids are looking at labelling and marketing lemon cordial and we'll be selling produce from the gardens at our upcoming gala."

Mrs Pickering said she had not expected to reach the finals of the contest and had promised Room 5 pupils an ice cream if they did.

The rest of the school also had pitched in with the development of the garden, she said, with 5-year-olds watering the crops at lunchtimes and older children working through a range of tasks from concreting to selling Worm Shot online.

Featherston School principal Phil Robertson said pupils at the school had taken ownership of the garden and their hard work was also helping the children to cultivate a variety of life skills. "They're learning to take pride in their work and learning the benefits of working together. There's also a real sense of ownership and belonging. It's their garden."

Winners of the garden challenge stand to share gift vouchers up to $1000 each and a range of garden products. Judges will view the garden today, and the winners announced this month.