Photograph of School garden, 1938.
EXTRACT FROM THE SCHOOL LOG BOOK 1937
1937, 9th July – Grade A1 Nature Garden
This is now the best nature study garden in the County. The layout is good, and the crops of flowers and vegetables grown are very good indeed.
Educationally, the scheme is sound and the scholars are kept interested by their keen teacher. Progress made during the year include the introduction of a rock garden and pond. Both have been professionally laid and built.
County Education Officer
NORTH BADDESLEY SCHOOL GARDEN
(Condensed from The Hampshire Advertiser Oct. 8th 1938)
It was the Headmistress’s idea to make the children interested in nature study and to provide as much as possible of the school surroundings for that purpose, and to create something beautiful.
Photograph of School garden, 1938.
Three generations of pond life are available for study, goldfish, snails, Canadian pond weed, water lilies and so on. Surrounding the pond is a rock garden.
Close by is a herbaceous border and beyond is the vegetable garden and seed beds. At the far end of the ground a shallow trench and pool takes the winter overflow from the pond, helping to drain the field. Here bog plants, primulas, irises, wild river plants etc. have been planted.
There is a nature corner in the school, for drawings and collections of shells, fircones, seeds etc. “There is no doubt, if one may judge by results, that such schemes increase intelligent interest in their surroundings and help to articulate a great love of country life.”