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CHIJ Our Lady of Good Counsel

OUR SCHOOL’S JOURNEY THROUGH

SG50 GARDENING PROJECT

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Before SG50 Gardening Project Photos

Front entrance of eco garden Side view of eco garden

Observing water plants P2 PAL Planting Programme Learning more about aloe vera

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Our Goals Guided by our vision to produce ‘Ladies of the future endowed with knowledge to play a

vital role in environmental conservation’, the staff, parents and partners of the school

work closely to promote environmental awareness. Caring for the environment becomes

part and parcel of every pupil from OLGC. It was timely for us to be part of Singapore

Turf Club (STC) SG50 Gardening Project as it provided us the funds to rejuvenate our

Science Eco Garden with seed amount of $1000.

After SG50 Gardening Project Photos

Garden design These plants are specially selected as they are common plants in Singapore which we

feel that the pupils should at least have the knowledge and hopefully through their

understanding of these plants, their interest in Science will be heightened.

Kindness Poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow relocated at ecogarden entrance to

highlight the importance of caring for plants

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Garden design…

The ecogarden gate opens to a path lined with ornamental plants such as hibiscus, pinto peanut,

mona lavender, hydrangea.

Fern corner under the shady tree Pond teeming with aquatic plants

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Garden design……

More plants for teaching and learning such as non-flowering plants, economic crops,

herbs, spices and desert plants

Carnivorous Pitcher Plant Blue pea flower used as food dye

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Care and maintenance of the eco garden

Brownies adopt a plot of ornamental P2 pupil watering the plants plants

Parents discussing upkeep of eco garden Staff (Mrs Ariel Tan) watering the plants

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Use of the eco garden for interdisciplinary learning and community involvement We look forward to the rejuvenated ecogarden coming alive with a

community of students, teachers, other adults and various partners.

Primary 2 to 5 pupils are involved as follow:

Number Primary Programme

150 2 Germinate seeds of maize, chilli, tomato and chart plant growth

35 3P Adopt and monitor the ferns. Representatives shared with school during assembly to commemorate Tree-planting Day.

35 4I Adopt and monitor the useful and harmful plants. Shared during Tree-planting Day

35 5P Adopt and monitor the aquatic plants. Shared during Tree-planting Day

60 3 to 5 The Brownies adopted a plot of decorative plants. They water and clear the weeds.

Primary 2 pupils with the plants they germinated Pupils with their plant journals

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Primary 4 pupils learning more about useful and harmful plants at the ecogarden

For Learning Fest on 10 July 2015, Primary 5 Integrity pupils and some parents shared

about culinary plants grown in the garden. Pupils tasted potatoes baked with rosemary

and sampled lemongrass tea.

Primary 5 Integrity pupils sharing about edible plants found in our eco garden

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Parents serving lemongrass tea and baked potatoes seasoned with rosemary

Primary 5 Integrity pupils conducted an eco garden trail on local edible plants for St Francis Xavier Kindergarten pupils on 4 August 2015.

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International pupils from Macau were hosted to an eco garden trail on 16 July 2015.

Mr Raymond Hair sharing about the torch ginger Food-tasting for our Macau pupils

Miss Theresa Ng sharing about local edible plants

Two parents support us on this project. Mr Raymond Hair advised on the garden design and maintenance. Mrs Fiona Loh shares tips on germination of various seeds and demonstrates how to cook food using edible plants from our eco garden.

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Mrs Fiona Loh (left) in conversation with Seeds germinated by Mrs Fiona Loh Mr Raymond Hair (right)

Since the eco garden has been rejuvenated with more plants, we have spotted other visitors from nature.

A snail feeding on Thai Basil tender leaves Toad tadpoles in their aquatic home

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A tree lizard looking out for its potential prey Is this dwarf for real?

Relevance to Singapore Turf Club (STC) STC has facilities to enable us further our cause. During the on-site pre-judging

meeting, our team had a fruitful discussion with STC horticulturists who shared their

expertise on plant care.

Our team welcomes the STC horticulturists

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To mark our collaboration, we have placed coloured horseshoes on the ground. The

horseshoes are painted blue, green, yellow or red to represent a category of plant.

Blue for decorative

Green for useful plants

Yellow for ferns

Red for poisonous plants

Colour-coded horseshoes

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Problems Faced Maintaining a well-kept eco garden teeming with healthy plants requires a lot of effort and a team of dedicated, passionate people. At times, plants do not grow well due to problems like insufficient water, poor drainage and diseases.

Rosemary plants turning brown and dying

Tender leaves eaten by snails Plant attacked by mealy bugs

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Moving Forward – Future Plans

Install an automatic irrigation system

Make signages to include the QR code Build more planters for pupils to grow their of each plant where information about plants all year round the plant is read by an imaging device like a cell phone

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Social media links documenting our project

1. Mrs Ariel Tan’s Facebook www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10205279700246403.1073741991.1064102990&type=1&`391850c794

2. Mr Raymond Hair’s Facebook

www.facebook.com/pages/Lawrence-Landscape-Construction-Pte-Lte/263963586976526

3. Singapore Turf Club’s media link

Our Team The gardening project has enabled the pupils to care more for nature and appreciate its importance. It has also led to greater collaboration among the staff, parents and other organisations. Our team would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved in this project for their help and support.

Mrs Rebecca Loh

Mrs Ariel Tan Miss Theresa Ng

Miss Stella Fernandez Mdm Teo Shi Yin

Mrs Shiamala Gopal Mr Raymond Hair

Mrs Fiona Loh