Bromet Primary School in Watford celebrates official opening of its new garden (From Watford Observer)

Bromet Primary School in Watford celebrates official opening of its new garden

9:00am Saturday 15th May 2010 in

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Green-fingered children have transformed an overgrown corner of their school playing field into their own fruit and vegetable garden.

Herbs including chives, rosemary, mint and thyme sit alongside rows of broad beans, radishes, peas and strawberries.

Onions, raspberries, carrots and beetroot are also growing under the watchful eyes of pupils from Bromet Primary School, in Oxhey Road, Watford.

The garden was built with a £15,000 donation from Local Food, part of the Changing Spaces programme funded by the Big Lottery.

Money for the project was also received from Three Rivers District Council and Watford Borough Council.

And today (Friday), Councillor Ron Spellen, chairman of Three Rivers District Council, officially opened the garden in front of the school's gardening club, parents and guests.

Year 6 pupil Saffron Richardson, a member of the school's gardening club, said: “We all share everything. It's a group coming together and working on something really, really hard.

“I enjoy the colours and the smells that we create in our garden. I love seeing everyone happy.”

The children have created their garden with help from Jo Brew, of Get Set Grow, and volunteers from Oxhey Hall Horticultural Society.

Jo, whose daughters Annika, six, and Sophia, five, are pupils at the school, said: “There was just wasteland and thick grass here. We thought it would be good to have a garden for the kids and also the community so people can come and help.

“It's been quite inspiring because so many people have helped.”

John Friend, chairman of Oxhey Hall Horticultural Society, added: “We can get it going. Then they can enter things into our shows and get some of their parents involved. So it's a two-way project.

“When we started this we asked the children to draw pictures of what they wanted it to look like. They all wanted to grow pumpkins. Nobody put cabbages or Brussels sprouts.”

Yvonne Graves, headteacher at Bromet, said the garden had brought a new aspect to her pupils' learning.

“It links so well into the curriculum and just brings it alive for them. Children no longer think strawberries come from plastic boxes in Tesco.

“They're excited about growing their own things and seeing them come to fruition. The children have been hands on and we hope it will go from strength to strength.”