Kitchen Gardeners Give Headmistress a View

West Twyford Primary School gets a garden make-over courtesy of HSBC

The Kitchen Garden project, which used to run the Chiswick House Kitchen Garden, has started helping schools to create mini-Kitchen Gardens on-site within school premises. The walled gardens at Chiswick House are now run directly by the Trust responsible for running the whole park, and remain closed for the present.

HSBC had awarded the Kitchen Garden project a grant to further its educational and horticultural aims, just before the walled gardens closed in 2008, and it has now decided that these funds can be used to create mini on-site Kitchen Gardens.

Staff from HSBC and volunteers from the Kitchen Garden project are on hand to help schools kick-start their projects.

The first garden was created this week at West Twyford Primary School. Overgrown conifers and cordylines were removed and re-planted elsewhere. A new garden including raised Kitchen Garden beds, a pool and bog garden, sensory beds, insect hotels, compost heaps and work areas were created, designed by Jeremy Featherstone. When the children return from their Easter break, the seedlings that they sowed last term will be ready for planting in the new garden.

Headmistress Rachel Martin’s office will have a new view. Instead of looking out over a tired hedge and a few over-grown shrubs she will be able to see the tasty vegetables grown by the children and keep a beady eye on the newts in the new pond.

Ms Martin commented: "We would really like to thank HSBC and the Kitchen Garden project for their hard work, and the very welcome funding."

April 15, 2010