spiral garden - Eden Project

Wanttotransformyourschoolgrounds?
Somethingstoconsider…
Somethingstoconsider…
TheSpiralGarden
TheSpiralGarde n
Everythingyoualwayswantedtoknowbutwereafraidtoask
Everythingyoualwayswantedtoknowbutwereafraidtoask
Geteveryoneinvolved
Geteveryoneinvolved
involved
·Pupils,staffincludingMTAs,caretakersandteaching
Thinkingofcreatingaschoolorcommunitygarden?Takeastroll
assistants,parents,governors,yourcommunity
aroundourSpiralGarden,whichwedesignedespeciallywithchildrenin
mind.It’saplacewherekidscantouch,smell,exploreandclamber.We’ve
Seewhatyoualreadyhave
Seewhatyoualreadyhave
otherareaswheretheycanrollonthegrassandgrowvegetablessowe
·Don’tthrowthebabyoutwithbathwater.
wantedtomakethisoneabitquirkyanduntidy.
·Lookathowpupilsplay,whattheyuseandwheretheyavoid.
·Thinkabouthowteachersusethesiteforformalcurriculumwork.
TheSpiralGardenisaplaceto:
·Getstartedwithwhatyoualreadyhave.
Inspire
Inspire
Discovernature
·Gotolovelyplaces.Useart/photography/Earth-walkactivities/gamesandanything
Tuckedsafelywithinhedgesandwalls,thegardenhasnooksandcranniesandpathsto
elsetoreallylookatplacesandtalkaboutfeelingtheycreate.Visitotherschools.
encouragechildrentogoonajourney-throughthewillowtunnels,alongtherainbow
path,overtherocks…anddiscovernature.
Integratetheoutdoorsintothecurriculum
Integratetheoutdoorsintothecurriculum
othecurriculum
·Howareyougoingtouseyouroutdoorspace?Howcouldyoudesigninmore
TeasetheSenses
curriculumlinks?
We’vechosensmellyplants,colourfulplants,plantsthatmakethemgo’yuck!’Andthey’rethere
·Geteveryteachertopledgeauseforthegrounds.
tobetouched,plucked,squeezed;wealsoplantedsome’sacrificial’onesespeciallyfortheschools
teamtousefordemonstrations.
TheProcessisaninvestmentintheProduct
TheProcessisaninvestmentintheProduct
·AsktheStudentCounciliftheywouldinterviewthepractitioners.
Learnthroughexperience
·Involveallyearsindifferentbitsoftheproject.
Childrencanalsolearnstoriesandrhymesthroughspeciallychosenplantsandtrees.Patternsin
·Insistthedesignerworkswithpupils,encouragecontractorstodothesame.
natureareinthere,too,intheperfectspiralsoftheammonitesandtheFibonaccispiraloftheCore
·Getartistsinvolvedtohelpbuildpupils'dreams,passionsandimaginationintothesite.
roofjustnexttothegarden.
·Useitallasanexcusetointroducethepupilstodifferentpeopleandtheirdifferentjobs.
Useinallseasons
Celebration
Celebration
ration
TheSpiralGardenhassomethingtokeepchildreninterestedallyear:springbulbs;summerflowers;
·Ifitisn’tworthdoing,itisn’tworthcelebrating.Inviteparents/governors/localpolice/
autumnberries,wintersnowdrops.
thepress.
Useit
Useit
Makeonabudget
·Grow,cook,eat.Readinthesun.Teachintherain.
Likeus,youprobablywanttocreateyourgardenascheaplyas
possible.We’veusedlotsofreclaimedmaterialswherewe
could(abathtub‘pond’,arecycledrubberpath,
bottlesforedging,tyreplanters)whichkeep
Usefulwebsites:
Usefulwebsites:
thecostdownandmakesitmoreinnovative.
RHSCampaignforSchoolGardening:inspiringandsupportingschoolgardeningwithadvice
www.rhs.org.uk/schoolgardening/
www.rhs.org.uk/schoolgardening/
GardeningOrganic:adviceandresourcesforschoolgardensandcurriculumlinks
www.hdra.org.uk/schools_organic_network/
www.hdra.org.uk/schools_organic_network/
ScienceandPlantsforSchools:resourcesforteachingandlearningaboutplants
wwwwww-saps.plantsci.cam.ac.uk/
saps.plantsci.cam.ac.uk/
GrowingSchools:useoftheoutdoorclassroomforteachingaboutfoodandfarming
www.teachernet.gov.uk/growingschools/
www.teachernet.gov.uk/growingschools/
LearningthroughLandscapes:supportingschoolsandearlyyearssettingstousetheiroutdoorspacesforplayand
learningwww.ltl.org.uk/
www.ltl.org.uk/
www.ltl.org.uk/
Whynottakeawanderroundthe
gardenusingthisleaflet?Inside,
we’vepickedouttheinteresting
thingswe’vedone,andgiven
yousometipsonhowto
createsomethingsimilar
yourself.Lookoutfor
thesignswe’veput
uptogetchildren
thinkingaboutthe
GardensforLife:Promotespartnershipsbetweenschools,childrenandteacherstoshareallthelearningthatcan
plantsinfrontof
comefromgardeningandgrowingfoodacrosscommunities,culturesandcountries
www.edenproject.com/what
www.edenproject.com/what-wewe-do/gardensdo/gardens-forfor-life
life
them.
T heSpiralGardenatEden
heSpiralGardenatEden Weirdplantsbetween
rocksandsteppingstones
EdenProjecttheCore
Spiralgarden
sketchdesignII
19/10/05
Scale1:100
me
Ch
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M
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Minibeasthuntingareas
Ammonitegatheringspace
andareaforclambering
StoryTrees
Potsof
scented
plants
Woven
Willownook
HedgeBox
Climbingrock
Smellplants
Smellplants
ry Sto form
t
Pla
1.Soggyandboggy
1.Soggyandboggy
Wemadethisareallysoggyareabyputting
downapiercedlinertoholdthewater.This
meanswecangrowcarnivorousplants,suchas
pitcherplants,venusflytrapsandnative
sundews.Theseaddagrislytwist-andoffer
anopportunitytotalkabouthowdifferent
plantsgettheirnutrients.
2.TellingTales
2.TellingTales
Allourtreeshavestoriesorrhymes:Fig(Adam
andEveintheGardenofEden),apple(’An
appleaday…’),mulberry(‘Herewegoround
themulberrybush…’)andholly(Christmas).
Childrencangathertolistenontimberrounds
inthemulchedstoryarea.
3.Thebirdsandthebees
3.Thebirdsandthebees
Whyhaveweleftpilesoflogsaround?Because
amessygardenisn’tonlygoodforchildren,
it’sgreatforwildlife.We’vealsoputinthe
favouriteplantsofbutterflies(buddleia),birds
(teasels)andhoverflies(angelica).Lookout
forbirdboxes,bughotelsandabathtubpond,
too.
4.Thewholerainbow
4.Thewholerainbow
Ourbouncyrainbowpathwaymadeof
recycledrubberleadschildrenthroughdifferent
colouredflowerbeds.Aswellaslookingpretty,
it’sagoodplacetotalkaboutwhyplantsuse
colours,petalsandtheirleaves-toshowoff.
5.Smellyplants
5.Smellyplants
Everysingleplantinthisareahasitsownsmell.
Wechosenotonlyperfumedflowers,but
scentedleaves(herbssuchasrosemary,chives
orsage)androots(marshmallow,whose
extractisusedinthesweetsofthesamename,
andhorseradish).Someevensmellinthe
eveningbecausethey’repollinatedbymoths.
6.Weirdandwonderful
6.Weirdandwonderful
Youcancreateawholeamusementparkjust
withplants.Findthesquirtingcucumberthat
burstsopenandshootsitsseedseightmetres,or
themouseplant,whoseflowershavelittletailslike
mice.
Mosaic
Purp
Movable
Timber
Mulchfloor
Logseatedge
le
Entrance
White
Vegetableboxes
Blue
ellow
Y
Green
Orange
Red
RainbowWalkDaisyEntrance
Cob
walls
Bog
garden
Timber
board
walk
Wildlife
attracting
plants
Bathtub
Timbereffect
Turn ov ertolearn mor eabou tcrea tingy ourowng arden...