
MORAY PRIMARY SCHOOL pupils are preparing to exhibit their green-fingered skills after winning a national garden design competition.
Seafield Primary School in Elgin has been named as one of the national winners in the Keep Scotland Beautiful ‘Design a One Planet Picnic Pocket Garden’ competition.
The winners were selected by members of the Garden for Life Forum – and the pupils will now go on to plant and grow their winning designs at Gardening Scotland, the national outdoor living event taking place at the Royal Highland Showground from June 3 to 5.
‘Eco Schools’ from around Scotland were invited to enter the pocket garden competition, in which pupils were invited to design a colourful and exciting pallet-sized garden using plants that could be eaten and attract biodiversity.
Designs had to reuse materials that would otherwise have been discarded, with eighteen winning schools selected for their innovative, sustainable and deliverable designs.
Eve Keepax, Food and Environment Officer, said: “The Design a One Planet Picnic Pocket Garden Competition is a practical and fun way for young people to test their skills and utilise their knowledge in growing food sustainably.
“This expertise will be useful for life, work and leisure, as well as central to a low carbon future. We are delighted that schools had the opportunity to participate. It is exciting to have received so many high quality designs from right across the length and breadth of Scotland.”
The Pocket Garden Competition, run in partnership between Keep Scotland Beautiful and the Garden for Life Forum, attracted 80 entries from over 40 Scottish schools and nurseries.
Deborah Long, Chair of the Garden for Life Forum, added: “The Garden for Life Forum members have been delighted by the enthusiasm schools across Scotland have shown for the One Planet Picnic Pocket Garden Design Challenge.
“We are delighted that so many schools got involved and have submitted such a wide range of innovative and thought provoking designs. It is gratifying to see how future generations are getting to grips with environmental issues and how we can all help nature in our gardens and school grounds.”