VIBRANT: Ana Souto (left), teacher and garden patch co-ordinator Sissy Pickering, Tui products judge Glenn Quinn, Nation Snowdon-Waata, 11, and Kayla Baker, 10
VIBRANT: Ana Souto (left), teacher and garden patch co-ordinator Sissy Pickering, Tui products judge Glenn Quinn, Nation Snowdon-Waata, 11, and Kayla Baker, 10
Featherston School gardeners have captured a finals berth in a national school gardening contest for the second year running.
Glenn Quinn, Tui Products territory manager, was at the school on Friday judging The Garden Patch garden, worm winery, orchard, organic recycling operation, and hydroponics unit at the school.
The GardenPatch began life after the Room 5 class of co-ordinator and teacher Felicity Pickering transformed a disused sandpit and raised area with the help of Year 4, 5 and 6 pupils.
The Room 5 class had written to companies throughout the town and region, requesting donations for equipment and garden resources, and the garden had gone from strength to strength, winning finalist prizes last year and a spot prize of paint this year that is being used to complete a garden fence mural.
Mrs Pickering said the garden boasted new elements, including a bee garden that encouraged pollination, grape vines donated from Martinborough vineyards, recycled elements such as driftwood structures, fishing crates and old tyres, and the expansive mural being painted by volunteer Pun Teofilo and a group of Year 8 boys on a length of corrugated iron fence.
She said produce from the gardens would be used this year for school hangi and the young gardeners had been pleased to increase the productivity of the garden, proceeds of which were ploughed back into the school and the garden itself.
Mr Quinn said winners of the 2013 garden challenge stood to walk away with gift vouchers worth up to $1000 each and a range of garden products.
Judging would be completed by next week and winners would be announced on November 18, he said.
Judges would be looking for innovation, sustainability and community involvement in the winning gardens.
Mr Quinn said a People's Choice Award, with a prize of $1000, would be presented for the first time this year. Votes for the People's Choice Award can be made online at www.tuigarden.co.nz.
