Jack and the Beanstalk and Pokemon inspire young Nairn gardeners
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The winners of a popular school garden challenge have been selected by Nairn and District Gardening Club.
The group announced that Rosebank Primary triumphed in the 12th annual Pallet Garden Challenge.
Jack and the Beanstalk was the theme for the garden created by Mrs Dawson’s P2 class at Rosebank, who grew a selection of plants from seed.
Their entry was a container garden filled to the brim with many edible plants including an artichoke, broad beans, carrots, strawberries, radishes and a courgette, all with luxuriant foliage spilling out of the pallet. The class had used their construction skills to make Jack’s house which was positioned in the centre. Bean plants at the back of the pallet formed a very convincing beanstalk and headed upwards towards a drawing of the giant.
Club chairwoman Anne Vincent said: "The club is very keen to encourage gardening in the local schools and all entrants receive garden tokens from Greens Nurseries. We were most impressed by the quality of the plants at Rosebank and the innovative design of the Millbank entry. It was a difficult choice to select the overall winner."
Millbank Primary was a very close second with their pallet garden being inspired by an animated character from Pokemon called Venusaur.
Their pallet garden had a selection of aromatic plants, including lavender, thyme and dianthus to create the fragrance which is said to becalm those engaged in battle with the Venusaur.
The large flower on its back was represented by a pink umbrella on which a solar cell was placed, powering a ring of LEDs around the ‘flower’.
Ms Vincent said of this entry: "This was a most innovative design showing excellent teamwork from the school’s active gardening club."
Entries from Croy and Auldearn primary schools and Junior World Childcare Group in Nairn were highly commended by the judging team.
The School Pallet Garden Shield and the prizes (garden tokens from Greens Nurseries in Nairn) will be presented at the Gardening Club's annual show on Saturday, August 12 at Nairn Community and Arts Centre.
