Why a school garden?

1) Natural, outdoor spaces boost young people's physical & mental wellbeing including:​​

Higher levels of happiness

Better attention

Less anxiety

More creativity

Higher levels of responsibility

Increased empathy

Creates a sense of wonder & awe

More physical exercise

Did you know that handling soil/ microbe releases serotonin in the brain which improves mood.

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2) Time spent outdoors is the perfect solution to excessive screen time which is linked to:​​

​Delayed learning

​Diabetes

Obesity

Sleep deprivation

Behavioural issues

Anxiety 

Social interaction problems

Did you know,  that such is the extreme levels of screen time, 50% of the world population is predicted to be myopic by 2050 (nearsightedness)... we’re changing the shape of our eyeballs!

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3) Outdoor learning nurtures an eco-literate generation emotionally & technically capable of tackling the climate & biodiversity challenges.

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Funding

There are lots of opportunities for funding available to support your project:​​

• ​CLÁR Funding

• Education for Sustainable Development

• Deposit return scheme (container/receipt collection)

• STEM Learning Grant

• Healthy Ireland funding via your local county council

• Per Cent for Art Scheme

• ​Wind Energy Community Funds (see local supplier)

• Standard school fundraisers 

• Creative Schools

• Nature Hero Awards

• Discretionary funding from local county councillors

• Parents' skills bank

• Solar Farm Community Funds (see local supplier)

• EirGrid Community Funds

• Corporate sponsorship from nearby companies​

• TidyTowns Groups

• Intel Pride of Place Competition (Leixlip, Celbridge, Maynooth)

• Drehid Grant Scheme (Kildare only)

• Irish Youth Foundation (various funds)

• Community Environment Action Fund

• ​​Crowdfunding websites (such as GoFundMe)

• Chat to your local county council Environmental Awareness Officer, Heritage Officer, Climate Officer or Biodiversity Officer.

• ​Turn your school garden into a community garden (depending on site suitability; helps funding and upkeep over holidays)

• Community Foundation Ireland

• Change X

• St. Patrick's Day Parade competitions for best displays/ floats.

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School Garden Ideas

Here are some ideas of what to include in your garden:​

- Outdoor classroom
- Pond
- Bird feeders
- Bird boxes
- Bug hotels
- Decaying materials
- Orchards
- Hedgehog house
- Murals
- Spring bulbs
​- Den building
​- Reading benches
​- Maze
​- Nature trail
​- Geodome

- Meadow
- Composter
​- Contemplation area
- Succession flowering
​- Mud kitchens
- Native trees
- Native hedgerows
​- Greenhouse/ Polytunnel
​- Gardening club
- Rainwater harvester
- Sensory Pathways
- Sound wall
- Compass
​- Tree trail
​- Outdoor blackboards

- Raised beds
- Sensory garden
- Wildflower areas
- Pollinator beds
- Night gardens
- Bird baths
- Bee banks
- Wormery
​- Bug door
- Willow dome
​- Music walls
- Wellbeing areas
​- Sundial
​- Outdoor wildlife signs
- Sheltered/ covered area

- Leaf pile
- Log piles
- Wild areas
- Herbs
- Fruit bushes
​- Deadhedge
- Bog garden
​- Fairy Garden
- Bat boxes
- Mini-woodland
- Hens
​- Water walls
- Wildlife Cameras
- Weather stations
- Bird hide