::: hush garden … continued
Oh boy have the children been busy in the hush garden this past week!
Here’s how it looked on the last day of term one.
Then during the holidays we purchased some lovely native plants …
built a raised garden bed at the top end of the garden …
marked out a rough plan of where we wanted the dry creek bed to flow…
and positioned some of the native grasses, just to see how it might look, so when the children returned for the new term, the real fun and hard work could begin.
However, this is where disaster struck! Oh not for the Hush Garden, that is looking amazing. The disaster is Donna’s computer chucked a hissy fit before she could edit the photos into this post and now she can’t recover the photos off her computer … aarrrgggghhhhhh!
BUT … we still want to invite you in for a look around!
These photos are of the finished make over . (The gum tree and rocks in the center are what we started with) …
then we built our dry creek bed … yippeee …around them …
with a small rustic bridge …
and some beautiful new plants including …
Australian native grasses …
flowering gum trees …
and shrubs …
as well as gravel paths and wooden posts for interest.
We just can’t show you the photos of the children at work … You know the ones … Where the children scooped and barrowed soil and plants. Dug, planted and watered in the trees, grasses and schrubs. Carried stones and hauled rocks. Tipped pebbles and Lilydale toppings. Then shovelled, smoothed, swept and raked it all and … ohhh … how disappointing that you can’t see them hard at it … #*@/:& computers!
The dry creek bed begins up beside the old weeping willow tree (top left of photo) and travels down under the small bridge, full circle around the rock garden and disappears behind the large rock (bottom right of photo)!
So … while you imagine all the ground work in action, Donna will seek help to recover the photos … we’d really love you to see them because …
we are so proud of the way the children worked and are absolutely thrilled with the result!
The children love it …
and have been very busy …
exploring their new play space.
They enjoyed the planting side of the make over so much that we have ventured a little further into the playground and planted some new flowers and grasses …
inside some tyres to create a new border along the concrete path.
(Fortunately, these photos were still on the camera … phew!)
This irresistible play space will continue to be a work in progress and the next job will be to incorporate more plantings as well as garden art which the children will be invited to create.
We’re thinking – painted ‘totem poles’ using these very interestingly shaped branches will look great so we’ll work on that with the children over the next week or so …
and of course we’ll have a crop of mushrooms to harvest this week also.
So while Donna seeks help with her photos … please watch this space!
How absolutely gorgeous! What very lucky students to have been a part of that.
Oh wow, when you guys say you are going to do something you just get right in there and do it don’t you! One half of me is dying of envy and the other half of me is filled with admiration and inspiration
Its perfect, just perfect. And the best bit is that it really looks like it BELONGS there and has been there forever. The plants you have chosen work so well – especially the grasses. The little bridge (where oh where did that come from ?); the posts; the stones; the rocks; the shape of the creek bed – perfect. I love the idea of painting the posts – I think I read somewhere about painting totem poles, I’ll see if I can find it for you.
The kids look so involved – I bet they are loving it and feel a real sense of pride that they helped to create something permanent in your garden.
Congratulations to you and the kids – and happy playing!
Wow. Can I come play? Well, I’ll be there in spirit.
Well done! ANd the play has just begun!
Thanks guys! We are really thrilled with the whole outcome … and we’re so please you like it too! Oh and Jenny about the bridge …( shhh … just between you and me … it is simply three sleepers cut to fit over the creek laying side-by-side!) Ridiculously simple but so effective don’t you think? We’ve set to work on the ‘Totem Poles’ today but after discussing them with the children we have decided they should be called ‘Friendship Poles’ instead. We’ve also been busy creating mushrooms today …. oh my goodness … just wait until you see how divine they look sprouting up and around the creek bed. As we said before … keep watching this space!
Another great job Donna and Sherry. Katie is RAVING about the garden and what they have been doing with it. She cant wait to show dad. Look forward to seeing the pics of all those mushrooms. It looked fantastic today! Love the idea of the poles being Friendship poles too. I have been inspired to do something in our garden so the kids can walk through it….love it!!!
Thanks Shaz it’s great to know we can inspire our parents too! We’ll post the mushrooms on Friday … so watch this space!
I’ll bet those are some proud children. And I bet they care for it so much more since they had such an active hand in making it happen. I really love it.
I can’t wait until Friday!
Wow! The garden is perfect!! So very awesome!!
Thanks Guys for your lovely comments. We’re very proud of the great job every one put in and are thrilled with the over all result. As we mentioned we didn’t have a plan … (we’re very much the “fly-by-the-seat-o-ya-pants” kinda girls) … and we reckon that sometimes just going with the flow and seeing where things lead produces the best results, and in this case we reckon it did!
And Tom … I think you’ll love the mushrooms … thanks for introducing Doug, and his idea to us! Cheers
What a great play and learning space you have created for your lucky kids! You should be proud of what you have achieved….I think you are right in allowing it to evolve. Sometime this produces the best results. Keep up the great work!
Thank’s Ruth! What great timing. We’re heading on over to your lovely school tomorrow with our kinder children for a visit to your prep, 1, 2 class room where you also have a wonderful play based learning environment. Oh and of course we’re looking forward to exploring your irresistible dry creek bed too! See you there.
What a spectacular natural playspace for your children’s engaged and sustained play. Children really do love meaningful work, don’t they. You are magnificent teachers who obviously believe in your children’s right to active participation in their own special places.
What a wonderful garden! Thank you so much for this post. We have a tiny backyard that is in dire need of help, but after seeing this today, I am totally rethinking my vision for it. I would love to do something like this in our backyard.
::: We’re happy we can inspire you Eryn … Good luck with your project.
