Spring is in the air in the Environmental garden at Millfield Science and Performing Arts College:

The 600 hundred plus trees planted as tiny whips just over  eighteen months ago have now grown into the beginnings of a one metre tall hedgerow. Paths have been cut through a variety of grasses to pass close to a selection of broadleaf trees, planted over the last three years, that hopefully one day will provide a small section of woodland canopy for future students to study and enjoy.

Students who chose to work in the garden as their weekly enrichment activity have been busy moving tonnes of earth and stone, widening paths to enable wheelchair access, part of a long term plan to give good access all around the garden. A raised bed looked after by a lunchtime gardening club has managed to provide a few fresh vegetables for the school canteen, but perhaps most pleasing of all has been the success of the pond. The pond was created just over a year ago, and earlier this year a group of Environmental Science students returning from a field trip to Hothersall Lodge brought back with them a bucket containing “pond dippings” from the lodge’s own pond. The contents of this bucket were tipped into our own pond (after breaking the ice that had covered the surface) and we then waited and watched. Our patience was finally rewarded when we were able to carry out our own pond dipping with some Year 8 students who were amazed to find a variety of life in the water including water boatmen, damsel fly larvae, whirligig beetle’s, tadpole’s and some very tiny stickleback’s - yes spring has definitely sprung! Roll on summer.

The Environmental garden pond & new path