Palatine Gardens Tour

As you leave the car park the first thing you are greeted by is the Welcome Wall. The wall tiles were made by Secondary children and base tiles by the Primary school and set in pebbles. This work was done in connection with an Arts week some years ago and it is a lovely introduction to the school.

As a contrast to the wild area this garden of curved lawn and corner beds was very pleasing when viewed from the main drive way. Its shape was further accentuated by the hazel fencing bordering the pond and is a blaze of colour when the dahlias are in flower.

It took two years for the children to dig out our wonderful fish pond (or lake as many people refer to it). It is surrounded by a wildlife area, linked by a wooden walkway which leads to decking over the pond, stepped paving through the wild area and a pond cabin.

There is a bridge between the main pond and smaller pond bog garden and a bank alongside the pond to create a screen from the buildings. There are many buddleia, foxgloves and hollyhocks and trailing plants on the banks. There is a pebble beach and mini deck for pond dipping. There is also a small temporary pond to give the frogs and other creatures a home free from fish and other predators. There are paths all around so that it is accessible all year. We have constructed fencing from coppiced hazel and beech hedging has been planted along the fencing to encourage bird life.

The main decking was constructed by Steven White, a past pupil, who came in for many hours working with other pupils, developing his own working skills. Every pupil in the school (and most of the staff!) were involved, not to mention all the friends and volunteers who have given their time. This was a really exciting project which  transformed the school grounds and the way the children relate to the living world around them.

We  built a cabin alongside the pond and re-sited the bog garden. The original bog garden has become an additional wildlife pond next to the cabin to enable pupils to make closer observations. The cabin is also used as a bird hide with viewing  peepholes and is equipped with microscopes, identification charts, pond dipping equipment and a video microscope. There are work areas for children. Outside the cabin is decking and areas for pond dipping. The bog garden sweeps around the south end of the cabin. A further frog pond has been constructed on the edge of the wild area.

This was our big project in 2000 with a circular lawn, centre bed, pathways, 6 areas of seating and corner beds. It is a lovely restful place for staff and pupils to relax and the seating has been designed with the pupil's needs in mind. It is a popular place for school picnics.

This garden is a place for visitors and parents to use while waiting at school. The grass was dug out and most of the area redesigned with a large raised bed, using railway sleepers to house rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias. There is a curved seat and some unusual plant structures made from sea defences. The whole area is finished with bark chips.

Here we have taken the opportunity to liven up a drab area of the school. The seaside garden changes its theme each year. Last year the theme was fish. There are drawings on the wall and shell and pebble sculptures.

A 'mini beach' has been constructed to look like groynes and planted with palms and grasses. It has pebbles, shells and shingle to represent the beach along with a lobster pot and ropes. Around Easter time the children will paint the wall afresh.

Three years ago we used building rubble from paths the children had broken up to create a curved rockery. Lots of mushroom compost was added. A year later the rockery was fully planted out and a second one constructed using more rubbish and rubble.

Always looking to develop our outdoor curriculum we have made a significant step forward by adding a poly-tunnel on the area next to the garages. This will enable us to teach horticultural skills and provide a covered area to work with plants.

This was our most established garden and frequently chosen by children as a quiet alternative to the playground. The seats and fencing were made by older children. Unfortunately due to the building programme this was one of the gardens that had to go but it has many memories for us.

The Palatine School Garden boasts several native trees (field maple, alder and wild service tree, the last of which is now quite rare in the wild). British native trees are few in number but those we have are vital for conserving our native bird and insect life. They are also disease free and adapted to our climatic conditions.

If global warming persists however, some of our native species might retreat north or even die out. While it is good sense therefore to encourage our native woodland species, it is also important to plant "exotic" species which, as well as adding interest, may also serve as substitutes for some of our native trees.

Furthermore some of these introduced trees are becoming scarce in their country of origin so it makes even more sense to ensure their survival.

Palatine School has been fortunate to be helped by two keen amateur tree growers Bernard and Gerald Clapshoe, whose interest in trees was triggered by the Great Storm of 1987 when so many were lost. They have offered invaluable advice on tree planting and after-care, as well as donating numerous young trees, native and exotic, some grown from expedition seed. We cannot thank them enough.

Some of their donations include the golden rain tree, Chinese pistachio, tupelo, Nepalese alder, Japanese big-leaved magnolia and a variety of pines. They have also helped in the creation of an Indian horse chestnut avenue with a small leaf lime at its centre linking the two schools, and a maple glade in the Millennium Garden.

All of these trees, some rarer than others, are graceful additions to the garden's existing flora and, though in their infancy, will with time and patience delight generations to come in their maturity.

Tree Database

Map of where the trees are
NOTE: This page is very large

The Rockery garden already has a storytellers seat and several circle shapes such as island beds and log seats. It is bordered on one side by a curved path which leads its way through the whole of the gardens and on the other sides by planted borders containing hedging plants and climbers. It is already sought out both by staff and pupils as a quiet and peaceful place to sit and reflect, so we have decided to develop the area as part of our Outdoor Curriculum with the emphasis on R.E. - mystery, worship, ultimate questions, values, and commitments.

The path of life is the link from which one can step using stepping stones of faith towards circles of experiences such as in the sanctuary - a place for reflection with six elements of world religion, the symbols of which will be designed on the walls. The floor will be a series of mosaics designed and made by the pupils as a whole school project. It will not be entirely enclosed to allow the natural elements to flow through. This place will be somewhere for children and adults to go in times of stress and trouble to reflect. In the garden there will also be:

• Storytellers Seat and ancient wood henge.
• Tree of life
• Paradise garden
• Sundial and planets
• A Herb Wheel
• Pool of tranquility