The charity that ran the walled gardens at Chiswick House has turned its attention to school gardens, since handing over running of the walled gardens to the Chiswick House and Gardens Trust.

In association with HSBC, who are providing funding and manpower, the project is creating mini-Kitchen Gardens – one a month – in local schools. This month it was the turn of Cavendish School’s to get a magical makeover.

Fourteen bank managers from HSBC’s West End branches worked really hard last week to build a series of brightly coloured raised beds in the school grounds, on Edensor Road, Chiswick.

The response of the children as they caught sight of the new garden said it all. We heard; “Wow”, “Look at what they’ve done”, “That’s great” and “That’s sick” (sick being the new “wicked” - signalling great admiration!).

Mick Flaherty, Deputy Head commented, "I think the kids weren’t far off the mark. The transformation is truly fantastic. The very next day saw a crowd of children wanting to “do some gardening” at lunchtime. We’re thrilled with it."

The Kitchen Garden project will have a stall at the Bedford Park Festival on Sunday 13th June, when it will be helping to launch a new fruit harvesting project, and selling a variety of locally produced plants and produce.

If your school is interested in having a mini-Kitchen Garden, come to the Festival and have a chat, or contact the Kitchen Garden on info@kitchengarden.org.uk

May 31, 2010