Muintir na Tire School Garden Competition

  This week we focus  on Rusheen  N.S  who received a Gold Medal for their School Garden. This is and continues to be a wonderful garden. The garden covers all the elements including Food Production, Biodiversity, Upcycling Colour and art and is a fun learning place for all the children. We were very impressed links to local heritage. Consider more use of the Irish language and keep up the great work.   Congratulations to all involved at Rusheen National School.   For more Information on the School Gardens Competition  Click Here

  This week we also focus  on Rylane  N.S  who were Highly Commended for their School Garden.   This is developing into a very good garden. The garden covers all the elements including Food Production, Biodiversity, Upcycling Colour and art and is a fun learning place for all the children. We were very impressed by biodiversity areas Hedgehog Hollow, Creepy Crawley Trail, Raised beds using Sods, Great use of Polytunnel, Great labelling and use of Irish Consider link with local Heritage and keep up the great work.   Congratulations to all involved at Rylane National School.   For more Information on the School Gardens Competition  Click Here

 

  This week we also focus  on  Gaelscoil Choráin  who were highly Commended for their School Garden.   This is a very good garden despite the limitations of the site. The garden still covers all the elements including Food Production, Biodiversity (swift Boxes), Upcycling Colour and art and is a fun learning place for all the children. , Good use of Irish language. Consider links to local heritage (Sailing, Fishing ,Moby Dick, Sir Walter Raleigh).The students were very knowledgable.   Keep up the great work.   Congratulations to all involved a  Gaelscoil Choráin   For more Information on the School Gardens Competition  Click Here

  This week we focus  on Muinefliuch  N.S  who were overall County Winners for their School Garden. This is and continues to be a wonderful garden. The garden covers all the elements including Food Production, Biodiversity, Upcycling Colour and art and is a fun learning place for all the children. We were very impressed by links to local heritage, Great use of Irish language and excellent signage. The Pond and Family Forest are gems and the students were very knowledgable. Keep up great work.   Congratulations to all involved at Muinefliuch N.S   For more Information on the School Gardens Competition  Click Here

  This week we also focus  on Maria Assumpta  N.S  who received a Gold Medal for their School Garden. This is an excellent garden and the high standard is being maintained. The garden covers many of the elements including Food Production, Upcycling art and Colour, Biodiversity,and is a fun learning place for all the children. The students were very knowlegable. Good to see wildflower strips and bug hotel. Nice to see fruit trees /Bushes, Consider Composting area, keep up great work.     Congratulations to all involved at  Maria Assumpta Primary School.   For more Information on the School Gardens Competition  Click Here                                            

  This week we focus  on  Holy Family NS, Shanagarry  who received a Gold Medal for their School Garden.   This is and continues to be a wonderful garden and is maturing nicely. The garden covers all the elements including Food Production, Biodiversity, Upcycling Colour and Art and is a fun learning place for all the children. We were very impressed by the great use of space, childrens plans for what they would like to see in the garden, the Hen House, use of the Irish languag, consider more links to local heritage and more fruit bushes, dream big with a polytunnel, keep up the great work.   Congratulations to all involved at  Holy Family NS Shanagarry.   For more Information on the School Gardens Competition  Click Here  ,

Happy St Patricks Day The  Shamrock     The  shamrock  is closely associated with Saint Patrick,.  Shamrock  itself is a young clover, and the name is an anglicisation of seamair óg or "young clover".  Famous stories tell of how St. Patrick used the  shamrock  in his teachings. Preaching in the open air about God and the Trinity, he illustrated the meaning of the Three in One by plucking a  shamrock  from the grass growing at his feet and showing it to his congregation. . The legend of the  shamrock  is also associated with the banishment of the serpents from Ireland by a tradition that snakes are never seen on  shamrock  and that it is a remedy against the bites of snakes and scorpions.  Many myths abound about  Shamrock . One common one is that  Shamrock  is a plant that never flowers. Another is that  Shamrock  does not grow outside Ireland and that if you try and plant it on...

  Cork School Garden 2023 focus on  Beaumount Girl's School This week we focus on Beaumount Girls School who were the Overall Cork City Winners.  The judges were very impressed with the  garden which is developing and maturing well. "Great use of the Irish language . The knowledge and enthusiasm impressed us. Plenty colour and art and upcycling. The choice of and vegetable quality was excellent. Thanks for the brown bread which was lovely and we loved the old fire pot and old range on display in a link to bygone days.      Keep up the great work."     Congratulations to all involved at  Beaumount Girls School For more Information on the School Gardens Competition  Click Here   Enter for 2024 here    https://forms.gle/ eniRw7MbRoUdmjYe7

  Cork School Garden 2023 focus on Gaelscoil Uí Drisceoil N.S This week we focus on Gaelscoil Uí Drisceoil N.S who were Best in Category Winners. " The judges were very  impressed, that   t he garden is developing and maturing nicely. The enthusiasm and knowledge of the children was amazing. Labeling and use of Irish was excellent.   Very good use of colour and art   and we loved the pergola. Great overall Garden.     Maybe consider reinstalling water butts and more bee friendly planting. Keep up the great work."   Congratulations to all involved at Gaelscoil Uí Drisceoil N.S For more Information on the School Gardens Competition  Click Here   Enter for 2024 here    https://forms.gle/ eniRw7MbRoUdmjYe7

  There’s a wise old GIYer I know who says that the “sap starts to rise” in gardeners in March. It’s an odd expression and I yet I completely get what he means by it. The sap is of course starting to rise in plants, but it feels like something is stirring inside us GIYers too – spring is in the air everywhere we look and the desire to get out there and stick your hands in the soil is palpable. They say that when soil is broken by a spade or fork it releases endorphins – this might explain why GIYers are such a happy bunch, we’re basically high on soil all the time. True or not, there is something that I’ve noticed over six seasons of GIYing – I have started to be more in tune with the seasons. When you grow your own vegetables you sort of have to be. Mother Nature has her own pace and it’s a (sometimes maddeningly) slow, methodical, inexorable one – she refuses to be rushed. Every year my excitement gets the better of me and I sow seeds in January and February but it is only now in...

  This week we focus  on   Gaelscoil Charraig Uí Leighin   who received a Best in Category award for their School Garden.   This is and continues to be a wonderful garden and continues to mature nicely. The garden covers all the elements including Food Production, Biodiversity, Upcycling Colour and art and is a fun learning place for all the children. We were very impressed by links to local heritage, great use of Irish language and excellent signage. The students were very knowledgable. We were especially impressed by the new additions i.e the water harvesting and native hedge and tree planting.  Keep up the great work    Congratulations to all involved at  Gaelscoil Charraig Uí Leighin   For more Information on the School Gardens Competition  Click Here                                        

  This week we also focus  on Dromleigh N.S who received a Gold Medal for their School Garden.   This is a very good garden despite the limitations of the site. The garden still covers all the elements including Food Production, Biodiversity, Upcycling Colour and art and is a fun learning place for all the children. We were very impressed by the links to local heritage (Plough) and good use of Irish language . The students were very knowledgable.   Keep up the great work.   Congratulations to all involved at Dromleigh National School   For more Information on the School Gardens Competition  Click Here

  Cork School Garden 2024 focus on Ballmoney National School T his week we focus  on Ballymoney N.S who received a Gold Medal for their school garden.  The judges were very  impressed   by this wonderful garden. The garden covers all the elements including Food Production, Biodiversity, Upcycling Colour and Art and is a fun learning place for all the children. We were very impressed with the links to local heritage. Keep up the great work.         Congratulations to all involved at Ballymoney National School   For more Information on the School Gardens Competition  Click Here

   Cork School Garden 2024 focus on Castlelyons N.S This week we also focus  on Castlelyons National School who received a Gold Medal for their School Garden.  This is and continues to be a wonderful garden. The garden covers all the elements including Food Production, Biodiversity, Upcycling Colour and art and is a fun learning place for all the children. We were very impressed by wildflower areas. Consider getting a polytunnel to extend planting season, maybe more upright planting to disguise around biogas area. Keep up the great work.          Congratulations to all involved at Castlelyons National School   For more Information on the School Gardens Competition  Click Here

Daisy Dreams How to pick a star performing daisy for your School  garden. School gardens should be relaxed, free flowering and fun; they can. and with plants that bees love; there are no rules, just plant what you love to create a garden that appeals to you. A School garden just wouldn't be the same without patches of great big  daisies  blooming right throughout the season and into autumn. Did you know that  daisies  love sunshine? You shouldn't plant them in the shade – they hate it. To smile and perform, they really require warm sunshine. Daisies  love to be dry. Most people over water them at the beginning of the season, so try to avoid doing this. Go on, have a  crazy  summer – grow some  daisies ! This is also why they are great in school garden as they will not need much watering during the school holiday. Did you know  The word 'daisy' comes from the Old English dæges-eage, meaning 'day's eye. It is easy to se...

   This week we focus  on   Walterstown National School who received a Gold Medal for their School Garden.  This is and continues to be a wonderful garden. The garden covers all the elements including Food Production, Biodiversity, Upcycling Colour and art and is a fun learning place for all the children. We were very impressed with amount of colour and art, Lots of natural biodiversity areas, Great nature walk, All classes involved. Keep up the great work.   Congratulations to all involved at Walterstown National School   For more Information on the School Gardens Competition  Click Here  

  This week we focus  on   Strawberry Hill National School who were Commended for their School Garden.  Very good first entry and kids very knowlegable. The wildflower area is great for wildlife and the nature trail playground is a wonderful asset. A polytunnel would make a huge difference to your planting season. You would be able to start planting in the polytunnel earlier and plant out when weather permits. Great potential. It would be great if you got more parents, local TidyTowns and Mens shed groups to help out with new beds, more colour and art from recycled materials and maybe a water butt. Keep up great work.   Congratulations to all involved at Strawberry Hill National School   For more Information on the School Gardens Competition  Click Here  

  This week we also focus  on  Timoleague National School who won Best in Category  for their School Garden .  This is a very good garden despite the limitations of the site. The garden still covers all the elements including Food Production, Biodiversity, Upcycling Colour and art and is a fun learning place for all the children. We were very impressed by the links to local community garden and its use for teaching gardening and all things biodiversity. The new pathway helps with this. The students were very knowledgable. Keep up great work.   Congratulations to all involved at Timoleague National School   For more Information on the School Gardens Competition  Click Here