We are so excited by our new Growing Space. The kids are absolutely loving working with nature. We have posted our photos in the updates below, and we will keep posting more photos as we keep working with the space in the coming days and weeks. Our next steps are to build arches so our climbers will grow up the very ugly stone wall, we are also moving our Wendy house to invite children into the growing area, and we are waiting for our bulbs to appear. We have planted an apple tree, and we have more herbs and fruit arriving. The children are already harvesting herbs, raspberries and strawberries for forest schooling and to take home.
So far, 32 children have engaged with the space, together with their teachers and families. We have invited back our alumni children to help us too.
We had an amazing day discovering new muscles and building the planters in the classroom. The planters are now filled with soil and bulbs with the climbers arriving soon.
Hi everyone!
Update that our planters have arrived, and Pascale and I will be at nursery from 9.30am this Saturday 28th October to construct them and to start creating the Growing Space in case anyone is able to join us. We would LOVE the help :)
best wishes, Laura
Update! We have submitted a design request to WoodBlocX who make amazing bespoke planters, to try and green the wall and to create a growing space in the main garden. We have tested also and think we can move the Wendy house easily, so we can then create visibility and draw straight into the growing space so it becomes more of a central focus for the children's time outdoors.
Getting there!
Hi everyone,
We met again and agree positioning of the Wendy house and shed to create visibility though to an expanded growing space. Let's get planting!
Laura
Thanks Pascale. When works for you? We could do one afternoon anytime from 1 - 3 if that works? or from 11am on a Monday or Thursday?
Yippie! Let's organise a meeting next week. This week unfortunately will be difficult. Hope that's possible for your next week. Let's plan for your project in Rocklane and get it started!
Hi everyone!
An update that Pascale from Growing Space kindly joined us for a great first meeting in the garden. She saw immediately the potential for the space. The two aspects to tackle are the huge train wall which we cannot do too much with but we could use trellis planters to grow up the walls without drilling into the walls or affecting them at all.
Then we also felt that the Wendy House blocked visibility into the area where we would grow, and did not draw children in to want to use that space, and when they do use it it is more to dig and to do forest school activities than to grow. By moving the Wendy House and changing the paths we will invite children more into the space and change our curriculum focus to learning to grow.
Both of these will take some work and we will meet again shortly to get started!
Thanks everyone,
Laura
Thanks Pascale. The teachers go home already then but I will message you to find a time :)
Well done for getting on with it so quickly! Now that the site visit is done, let's crack on with he design phase and brainstorm ideas for your space. Would friday afternoon around 4.30pm suit?
Dear Rocklane team! Pleased to see you have unlocked your funding! Let's get started soon on your project and help you get started this September! Looking forward to schedule our first call and site visit! Speak soon!
Congratulations on getting your paid seed! Looking forward to starting with your project soon!
Sunshine! This was taken at 4pm in April but shows that we get good sunlight.
So excited for this project to kick off. So far this summer we have been preparing the ground both the astro, dismantling old climbing frames that would be in the way, and taking up a huge volume of weeds in the soil area.
One more person to add and you are all set!
Thanks Laura!
