Indigenous Gardens:
The aims of the School Indigenous Gardens are the following:
- To introduce learners and the school community to the rich biodiversity of South Africa
- To utilize the gardens in the school curriculum where educators have to teach about Biodiversity.
- To attract more wildlife to the garden e.g. birds, insects and animals.
- To plant water wise plants that are more adapted to the South African climate and in this manner save resources.
The gardens usually start with a number of workshops to introduce the team, which consist of a gardener, teacher and learners to the concept of indigenous gardening. After each workshop there is an assignment and by completing the assignments the schools gradually plant their garden. There is also a skill involved, as the children also need to make their own garden design. They are provided with a chart from which they can choose plants, which are grown in our own Community Connect nursery.
To date we have developed eight such gardens in Mamelodi. All of the school Youth Clubs are involved. It is a great pleasure to watch the gardens develop over the year to a point where our schools are changed towards a greener healthier environment.
