Figure 1.--Gardening is a common actvity at many prep schools. It is an activity that both boys and girls take an interest. A few schools make gardening a competition. The children are usually allowed to chose what they grow, resulting in very eclectic gardens. |
Gardening is a common actvity at many prep schools. It is another activity that was probably more popular at earlier schools. Many schools, however continue to promote the activity. Schools employ a variety of approaches. Some schools once made this a mandatory activity. This is now much less common. It is an activity that both boys and girls take an interest. A few schools make gardening a competition. The children are usually allowed to chose what they grow, resulting in very eclectic gardens.
A number of boys chose to have a garden this term in which they can plant whatever they please; most seem to grow vegetables which they do with a great deal of success and then sell for high prices at the end of term! The Gardening Cup was won this time by Pullin and McDade who not only grew some very good vegetables but also managed to organize a lovely flower bed at the bottom of their garden.
The School Record (Beachborough School), September 1979.
The combination of a new area for the gardens, and a good growing season produced some excellent results this year. The boys were given the old greenhouse enclosure where the newt tanks are. Things started slowly with a cool damp May but large crops of mustard and cress soon appeared in the dining-hall at tea-time. By the end of the term, and especially in the summer holidays, the area was a riot of colour, mainly marigolds, nasturtiums, asters and candytuft. The winners of the competition were were Christopher Walker and Edward Derby with a well-grown and enterprising vegetable garden which included courgettes.
Beaudesert Park Magazine, Autumn 1978.
The other week we went to move leaf mould with Mr Polhill, and just as we turned the truck round to move off and it fell over, so we had to start shovelling again.
John Clough, 11.9, The Bramcote Magazine, Autumn 1978
