Six gardening ideas for inner-city schools

In the middle of a city, school gardening can make a world of difference, whether it’s a seed tray on a classroom windowsill or a bug hotel in the playground. It offers children and young people a place to connect with nature, learn valuable life skills and have a calming place to escape to. 

1. Create an outdoor classroom 

This 600-square-metre school garden in East London is not just great to look at; it’s a vital part of their curriculum, with teachers often including it in their lesson plans. Science is brought to life when learning about habitats, plant lifecycles and renewable energy, demonstrated with a solar-powered water feature in the garden. Art lessons are taken outside, whether it’s painting daffodils or creating art out of recycled materials, to display in the garden. All the signage and the artwork on the walls is made by gardening club, using pallet wood and bottle tops collected by the ECO warriors. Pupils write nature poems in English lessons, and learn to cook with the vegetables they’ve grown, including carrots, pumpkins, sweetcorn and many more. Rhubarb crumble, jam and potato salad are the children’s particular favourites. 

          

Takeaway ideas: 

• Let the garden inspire English and art lessons, through poetry and painting 
• Bring science to life by explaining plant lifecycles, looking at wildlife habitats and talking about environmental issues such as water conservation 
• Harvest produce to cook with, whilst learning about food production and healthy eating

“The garden space offers children unique opportunities to explore different plant varieties and animal species, and understand the importance of sustainably sourcing food. I have used it as a teaching space for many areas of the curriculum - from art lessons to story times, science lessons and reflective prayer. In a job that can at times be stressful with long hours, the garden offers teachers the opportunity to soak in some daylight and fresh air, which on many days is a saving grace.” - Eiméar Donaghy, KS2 Teacher 

2. Build an inclusive space 

A school garden should be accessible to everyone, including children with mobility needs or special educational needs (SEN). At St Mary & St Michaels, they have wide pathways to allow wheelchair access, a space for children with SEN to dig and explore different textures, and a peaceful reading hut for those needing a moment of calm. Each year group has the opportunity to learn horticultural skills through regular sowing and planting sessions.

           

Takeaway ideas: 

“I work with a child who has learning disabilities. When she gets overwhelmed in the classroom, I take her to the school garden so she can decompress in the quiet. She enjoys walking through the arched path and loves Andy, the scarecrow. She is starting to develop a real understanding of how important it is to take care of the plants, flowers and wildlife.” - Julie Triber, 1-1 SEN Teaching Assistant 

3. Support wildlife in urban areas 

St Mary & St Michael Catholic Primary School has made it a priority to create a space that supports wildlife. From bat boxes to hedgehog highways, they are bringing biodiversity into their urban school, whilst teaching pupils about habitats. They have log piles, a wildflower meadow and a woodland area with native plants. Lawnmowing is kept to a minimum, whilst seedheads and some weeds are left in place, to encourage a variety of minibeasts and pollinators. Water sources can be found all over the school grounds including a wildlife pond, a shallow pool, bee drinks and bird baths. They also have a ‘squirrel café’ where nuts, seeds, fruit and suet balls are provided for their fluffy friends. 

          

Takeaway ideas:

4. Get the whole community involved 

Gardens are a great way to connect with the local neighbourhood. At St Mary & St Michaels, herbs are regularly given to parents, and bulb displays are gifted to a local residential home, church and GP surgery. The school are also planning a seed and plant swap, to share vegetable plants grown from seed. It works both ways, as members of staff and parents donate seeds to the school too. They hold school-wide fundraisers and use the money to improve their garden.

            
Takeaway ideas:

“Matt (our school gardener) was in the garden when we were doing our discovery point on trees. He was able to answer pupils’ questions about saplings and tree canopies, and showed them how to count the rings on the trunks to see if they could work out how old the tree was.” - Tori McCreedy, KS1 Teacher 

5. Take a school-wide approach 

Involving the entire school in a gardening project helps foster a sense of pride. This can be done through simple actions such as creating a watering rota where each year group takes turns to look after the raised beds during break times. At St Mary & St Michaels, every year group uses the garden to study seasonal charges and survey wildlife. The school gets everyone involved by running competitions, such as designing a bug hotel - the winning design is then brought to life by the gardening club and ECO warriors. They also organise ‘design our garden’ sessions, allowing pupils to choose what to grow each season.

           

Takeaway ideas:

6. Be planet friendly 

This London primary school has an eco-friendly ethos when it comes to their garden. Their eco council and gardening club work together to make small changes, like using an organic seaweed fertiliser and opting for peat-free compost. They collect rainwater through water butts, to water plants and top up the wildlife pond. Mulch is applied to plants in the winter and plants are grown from seed as much as possible. This environmentally friendly approach teaches children the importance of protecting the planet, while creating a thriving natural habitat. 

          

Takeaway ideas: 

“Being in a city, it’s vitally important that our children have this space to connect with nature in an urban environment. It is also a place of calm that staff are able to enjoy.” – Samantha Fenton, HLTA/ECO Lead 

With the right planning and involvement, any school can create a green space that nurtures both nature and the minds of its students. St Mary & St Michael Catholic Primary School has developed their school gardening projects by working through the RHS School Gardening Awards. Get started with our free five-level awards scheme today, and receive rewards including seeds, books and vouchers.