Gardening probably covers more experiences and outcomes than any other activity in schools. The trick is to spend time planning how a class of 33 children can get the hands on experience needed. Start small, be prepared to experiment and put a gardening calendar in place to ensure the basic jobs are done when needed. Creative STAR can provide a basic gardening course for your school which helps with these practicalities along with ensuring clear learning outcomes.

The Plants, Garden and Schools Listmania gives you the books Juliet has found most useful. In addition to these, ask around your staff and parents. There may be keen gardeners. Inverary Primary School has a very organised approach and repays volunteers with produce from their gardens. Remember that gardens link to many projects. For example, a Victorian garden can have heritage vegetables. A Dig for Victory garden brings alive this practical aspect of coping during the Second World War.

Wee Green Fingers This blog post looks at the different native and wildlife friendly plants which can be used to enhance the biodiversity value of your grounds.

Planters and Raised Beds The sheer array of planters and raised beds you can use is dazzling. This blog post looks at some of the considerations that need to be taking into account when considering the play and learning value of containers!

Composting Composting is one of the miracles of gardening. It's also a very good way of demonstrating sustainable approaches to gardening. Setting up a composting system is well worth the effort and surprisingly low maintenance.

Ponds in Schools Whether it is in a bucket or as big as village pond, these features add beauty and wildlife value to school grounds. This post shows you the range of possibilities and also where to go for more advice.