As community champions, we've invited local school children to ‘dig in’ to a new Summer Gardens project at Festival Place.
We’re coordinating a host of green-fingered activities and workshops in partnership with the Beardy Gardener, Leigh Johnstone, and we’ve asked six local schools to each plant a barrel garden on a nominated theme, which will then be on display throughout the summer at Festival Place.
Pupils from Marnel Junior, Park View Primary, Fairfield’s Primary, St Bede’s Catholic Primary, Winklebury Junior, and Cliddesden Primary will enjoy a free in-school horticulture and art workshop at each of their schools, and then 10-12 children from each school will also attend a free interactive theatre show at The Anvil and a planting workshop here at Festival Place.
Each school has been allocated a different theme for their barrel gardens, including ‘Gardens for a Changing Climate’ and a ‘Friendship Garden’.
The Beardy Gardner will lead horticulture workshops for up to 30 children in each school, helping them to learn about different plants and choose the best ones to suit their theme. Alongside the horticulture sessions, characters from theatrical events creator Bakehouse Factory will lead fun art workshops, the results of which will be used to decorate each school’s planter.
Groups of 10-12 children from each school will then meet the Beardy Gardener again for a special show at The Anvil Theatre on July 11 before heading back here to Festival Place to plant their barrels.
Basingstoke’s ‘artWell’, a not-for-profit organisation who believe everyone is creative, are also in on the action. They are working with local artists to create a sculptural centrepiece and some large-scale canvasses to complement the school children’s gardens.
Beardy Gardener Leigh, who created a community Giving Garden at Festival Place last summer, said: “It will be wonderful to work with the children to teach them all about plants and help them choose the perfect selection to suit their barrel garden themes.
“It is vital that we engage the younger generation with nature, and I hope they will love this fun way to learn about plants and give them inspiration to create their own gardens at home.”