Galway primary schools have been invited to pick up a trowel and get planting for the 3rd annual Woodie’s Budding Gardeners competition.
The annual campaign encourages children to discover the joy of gardening and cultivate a new lifelong hobby.
This year, there are two groups that can take part – junior cycle, which includes junior infants to second class, and senior cycle, from 3rd to 6th class.
The winning school in each category will scoop the top prize of €2,000 each that can go towards looking after and improving their school garden.
Schools can register online at woodies.ie and the first 2,000 teachers to sign their class up to take part will receive a free starter kit.
For 2023, schools and classes across the country have been asked to take on a garden project – create a garden no bigger than 1.5 metres x 1.5 metres.
The class can decide what type of garden they want to work on and where to put it. It could be big and bright flowerpots grouped together in the yard, revamping an existing vegetable patch in the school, or maybe it’s some recycled containers growing herbs in the corner of a classroom.
The project will be completed in three easy phases; Sow It, Grow It, Show It! The first phase is about planning what the school garden will look like, where it will go and what is the theme.
Phase two, ‘Grow It’, begins on April 10 and this stage encourages students to look after their gardens. The final stage kicks off in May and is all about judging the hard work of students across the nation.
Before the end of the school year, Woodie’s garden expert Brian Burke will present the winning classes in both groups with a cheque for €2,000 to spend on their school’s garden as well as a Budding Gardeners plaque and trophy.
Throughout the competition, Brian will have lots of helpful tips for the Budding Gardeners at www.Woodies.ie/Budding-Gardeners.
