The community native garden is powering ahead at The Sir Henry Parkes Memorial Public School, but help is needed to keep it flourishing over the school holidays.
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All the students have had an opportunity to participate in establishing the new landscape, be it through planting, mulching, watering and more.
Each class is also painting rocks to edge the planned ‘yarning circles’, which will host painting, poetry, chatting and even boxing activities.
It’s hoped the students’ involvement will encourage ownership of the garden.
With school breaking up for Christmas on the 19th, the school’s Kim Rhodes is organising a roster of volunteers to water the gardens over the holidays. With the shire currently under water restrictions this means watering by hand, and in the cooler parts of the day to get the most benefit.
In any case there’s no irrigation system in place yet. This along with water tanks will be included in the next phase of the project, once funding becomes available.
The Commonwealth Bank and Granite Borders Landcare – contributing $10,000 and $8800 respectively – are leading some great support for the project from local businesses and organisations.
Parents and other family members and Tenterfield community members are encouraged to contact Mrs Rhodes at the school to be included on the watering roster.
She’s also leaving buckets near the garden so that anyone with a spare few minutes – be it waiting to collect children or walking by – can pull a few weeds and just leave them in the buckets for later disposal.
A small contribution of effort from a lot of people can have a big impact, Mrs Rhodes said.
“So it doesn’t become arduous for any one person.
“People might be free on a Sunday afternoon and just want to have a look around and check the progress, and see how quickly the natives grow.”
Around 300 native trees, shrubs and groundcovers – from Mole Station Nursery – have already been planted out, with more to come at the beginning of next year. The plantings will include some bush tucker to educate the students on indigenous foods.
Mrs Rhodes is hopeful of a good plant survival rate, with only 10 or so plants succumbing so far. The success rate will of course be enhanced by more people coming on board to lend a hand.
“You don’t have to have children at the school,” Mrs Rhodes said.
“We just need some help from the community to keep the garden going.”
The school is seeking a commitment of only an hour or so every couple of weeks. Contact the school on (02) 6736 1401.
