For any Bloom campaign to be sustainable it is vital that young people are encouraged and educated to care for their local environment at an early age.

The schools competition is seen as an ideal tool in which to help implement.

Does your school have a garden area in its grounds which the pupils help to maintain? If the answer is yes then enter next years  Derby in Bloom Greenfingers competition for the chance to win some fantastic prizes.

2008 Results

1st – Woodlands Community School

An excellent project, although in its early stages has been developed to a very high standard. There is a large wild flower meadow ‘The Jubilee Meadow’ which is now two years old and full to the brim with a broad range of flora.

There is a well designed wildlife pond which was originally made using puddle clay. Initially there were lots of problems on which the school have worked very hard to overcome. Now the pond is developing nicely with a good range of bog plants growing in the margins.

The students are very enthusiastic and fully involved in the school gardening club and the development of these resources.

Congratulations to Joan Pearson, Ian Sanders, the staff and the pupils who have developed an excellent range of wildlife resources for the school.

2nd – Oakwood Junior School

Last year this school gained a highly commended award in the competition. This year the school have taken their outside resources to new heights. There are a board range of vegetable plots growing crops to a very high standard, arranged by crop type Legumes, Roots and Brassicas. A board range of soft fruit is also grown by the pupils.

There is extensive composting and recycling activity; the wormery and the unusual containers continue to be developed.

A new wildlife area has been developed over the past year. Neatly fenced off with lots of mowed paths within, enabling students to explore the area without causing damage.

There is an excellent wildlife notice board with all activities carefully recorded by the pupils.

Dave Hill has played a major role, with the help of the pupils in the development of these wonderful resources.

3rd – Wren Park Primary School

The school is surrounded by numerous wonderful raised beds. Each class plans and develops each bed on a different theme. The beds are all maintained to a very high standard. The use of colour and the layout of each bed is generally excellent. Some beds show powerful imagination – one bed was developed on the theme of the artist Claude Monet.

Plant sales help to maintain the gardens which include a sensory garden, butterfly garden and vegetables areas.

Recycling is an important theme in the school. This even extends to using excess water in students water bottles to water the garden!

Parent helpers Amanda Key and Tracey Smith play a major role in the management of these resources.

First Time Entrant – Markeaton Primary School

Excellent raised vegetable plots growing a broad range of crops. The beds initially came into being as a result of pupil discussions on pollution. Transporting food results in pollution therefore growing food locally in school reduces pollution.

Pupils produce very good records in their books including discussion on the safe control of pests and diseases. The pupils were very enthusiastic about their plots and are very keen to discuss the crops growing on them.

Highly Commended – Silverhill Primary School

Well laid out raised vegetable plots growing healthy crops. The students were very enthusiastic and keen to talk about the crops in production. There are also some plots of soft fruit and top fruit. All of the crops are well balled.

Compost is produced for the plots via the schools compost bins.

The school is very keen on learning from the environment. There are number of activities to encourage wildlife including Hedgehog, bird and bat boxes. There are also log piles to encourage insects. There is a beautiful wildflower meadow in its first year and a pond in the process on construction.

Highly Commended – St. Clares School

Well laid out vegetable plots growing very healthy crops on a legume, root and Brassica rotation. There is also a polythene tunnel growing a broad range of vegetables and at the same time enabling the pupils to work in all weathers. Biological and environmentally friendly methods of pest and disease control are clearly evident.

Composting is practised on a grand scale. The pupils make attractive hanging baskets which they sell.

Garden Grant – Bemrose Community School

The school continues to manage its students designed kitchen garden very well. This is managed mainly by an afternoon garden group enthused by Barbara Hegartly. Vegetables and fruit are all evident. It is also good to see that links have been developed with food technology were the vegetable plot forms part of the course for some students.

A lavender hedge has been created along the edge of the plot to add a new dimension.
The grant is provided to help further the fruit garden and also to develop a wildflower garden.

Design a Plant Pot – Molly Isaac – Borrow Wood

A beautiful decorated plant pot made from recycled materials

The 2008 School Green fingers was sponsored by the Derbyshire Building Society .

See the 2007 results  - 52kb

See the Green fingers entry form  - 476kb (Entry now closed)

Back to Derby In Bloom page.

Contact us

For more information contact Derby City Parks.

Telephone Dawn Dagley 01332 716518

Fax 01332 716512

Minicom 01332 256666

email parksadmin@derby.gov.uk