Hillview ELCC

The plants beside our garden give a safe route for wildlife

A water cascade

Wet weather wellies for wildlife

Looking after the plants that are high up...

...and for the plants that are lower down.

🌿What was your favourite part of creating your garden?

Creating our pocket garden has been a truly joyful experience. We loved researching and designing the space, learning about a wide variety of plants and flowers along the way. By involving our families and wider community, we sparked meaningful discussions and shared ideas. The enthusiasm grew, with some children even continuing their planting journey at home alongside their grandparents, extending the learning beyond our setting.

🌿Did you face any challenges and how did you respond to them?

We faced several challenges while creating our pocket garden. Cold weather initially delayed planting, followed by a heatwave that caused some plants to die without weekend watering. We adapted by replanting, adding white stones to reflect light and retain moisture, and exploring delayed watering systems. When a key staff member moved on, we enlisted parents and families during Outdoor Classroom Day, whose fantastic support helped complete the garden and inspire continued community involvement.

🌿What did you learn whilst creating your garden?

Through creating our garden, we developed valuable knowledge about a wide range of plants and their benefits for wildlife, including those that support bees, moths and other species. We also learned how to successfully apply for funding, securing support from Learning through Landscapes. This allowed us to purchase a bee hotel and other resources to enhance our garden as a welcoming habitat for wildlife, enriching both learning and biodiversity.

🌿Did you have any links with your local community or a Pocket Garden mentor whilst creating your garden?

We built strong links with our community and pocket garden mentor. Jenny kindly advised us on growing carrots in shallow containers and even sent seeds suited to our needs. Following Outdoor Classroom Day, a family connected us with a local gardener who now supports our pocket garden and other neglected areas. This partnership has inspired future plans, with a vegetable patch set to begin development in the summer.

🌿What will happen to your garden after the competition has finished?

Our pocket garden will continue to grow beyond the competition, taking pride of place along our entrance pathway. We plan to develop the space further by adding more perennials and evergreen plants to ensure year-round interest. We also hope to expand into the back section, creating space to grow tomatoes. This ongoing development will keep the garden evolving and enriching experiences for children, families and the wider community.

🌿Is there anything else you would like to share?

This is our first ever entry and we are incredibly proud of how our pocket garden has grown into a rich, shared learning experience. It has supported children’s curiosity, encouraged teamwork and responsibility, and strengthened our connection with the natural world. It has also inspired the development of other areas within our garden. Most importantly, it has brought our community together, creating a space that inspires and celebrate everyone’s contributions.