A little haven behind the CBS Primary in Mitchelstown won the school the overall first prize in the small garden category of the Cork County Muintir na Tire Cork schools garden competition.
Fourth class students had been working on the garden with their teacher Mr Carey and with help from Mr Cahill, Ms McCafferty, parents and volunteers. The school will be using the prize money to develop, improve and extend the garden.
“It’s wonderful, we are delighted, the whole garden is achieved in a very small place and it is great to have it in our school,” principal Mary O’Callaghan said.
The boys have grown herbs, fruit, vegetables and plants and they use everything in the garden, most recently baking a delicious rhubarb crumble using the rhubarb they had grown.
They have also been spectacularly and inspiringly creative with the recycled items they have used in the garden, giving things like old boots, shower trays, used tyres, a mop bucket and empty containers a new lease of life in the garden.
Things that they have planted include strawberries, herbs, turnips, cabbage, lettuce, carrots and peas and there are also areas for butterflies and bees, a bug hotel and a wormery.
The garden has become such a big hit that many parents have come along to admire it and it is a highlight for the fourth class boys, as it is right outside their classroom and offers a little oasis away from the normal learning environment.
