A community garden designed and constructed by students from Newcastle-under-Lyme College (NULC) was officially opened today.
Landscape gardening students have created a community garden at Newcastle Fire Station on Knutton Lane. The garden was officially opened by NULC Principal Karen Dobson on Monday 1 July at 2.00pm.
Representatives from Newcastle Fire and Rescue and year 6 pupils from St Mary's Primary Schools attended the event at Newcastle Fire Station. Following the ribbon cutting, the primary schools pupils took part in a planting workshop with Level 1 Horticulture students where they each got to take a potted plant home with them.
Nick Anderson, Lecturer in Landscape Gardening at NULC, said: “The garden will be open to the local community and provide a relaxing environment where youngsters will also be able to benefit from the educational opportunities provided through growing their own vegetables.”
The completed garden will be used as an outside space for local primary schools where children will have the opportunity to plant, watch things grow, learn about different plants and gain an interest in the attracted wildlife.
The garden includes a wildflower area and a tomato crop for the children to develop. The area is wheel chair friendly and includes a paved area for the children to use as an outdoor classroom and community learning environment.
The enterprising students wrote to local construction suppliers with a wish list including timber for raised planting beds, trellis for climbing fruit and compost bins as well as a number of other items. Local suppliers including Emery’s Builders Merchants, S Keeling Timber, All Turf and Euroflor have all generously donated materials enabling the students to construct the community garden.
The Level 1 qualification in Landscape Gardening launched in September 2012 at the College and has gone from strength to strength with students gaining work placements at leading local visitor attractions including Biddulph Grange Gardens and the Dorothy Clive Gardens.
Nick added: “The vocational qualification in Landscape Gardening complements the College’s existing construction provision and allows learners of all ages to gain a recognized qualification with skills in gardening, landscaping and issues effecting the environment.”
To find out more about studying Landscape Gardening visit www.nulc.ac.uk or contact the Information Point on 01782 254254 or email info@nulc.ac.uk.
