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Findochty's amazing Grace wows Keep Scotland Beautiful garden judges


By Alan Beresford



ALL is rosy in the garden for a Findochty Primary pupil after her entry bloomed in a Keep Scotland Beautiful (KSB) challenge.

Going to plan...Findochty Primary's Grace Slater proudly shows off her winning design which will be brought to life in the school's garden. Picture: Becky Saunderson
Going to plan...Findochty Primary's Grace Slater proudly shows off her winning design which will be brought to life in the school's garden. Picture: Becky Saunderson

P7 youngsters Grace Slater's budding garden design skills have won through in KSB's seventh national Pocket Garden Design Competition.

Her entry was one of 340 received from schools across Scotland and has made the final 45-strong shortlist.

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Her plans will now be transformed into reality in the school grounds, with the finished article set to go before the public in a few weeks in a national online vote.

Findochty headteacher Dawn Thomson said: "We're really, really proud of what she's achieved, especially as her design was up against ones from across Scotland.

"Grace is really chuffed, it was quite unexpected.

"The whole of P6/7 entered the competition as part of their eco group tasks and the pupils' designs were submitted to Keep Scotland Beautiful. We were all delighted when we got an email back from them saying Grace's design was one of those chosen to go forward."

Grace's design evokes a favourite child's fairy tale.

Mrs Thomson continued: "The theme for the Pocket Garden Design Competition was based around this being the Year of Stories and was used to inspire the designs.

"Grace used this to create her garden design around Little Red Riding Hood's basket. There are quite strict rules about how big it can be – it has to fit into a footprint of 1.2m by 1m although you are allowed to build up the way. While Grace is the main focus of we want to give every other class in school a chance to participate.

"The aim is to have Grace's garden ready by the end of May.

"It has been a very useful experience of the pupils and it keeps promoting the important theme of if we nurture nature, nature will nuture us. I think lockdown brought that really into focus, how being in nature can clear and reset our mind."

Grace's pocket garden will be available to view in the digital showcase from Wednesday, June 8 at www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/pocketgarden

Voting for the nation’s favourite pocket garden will be open from June 8-20.

As part of the contest, children from as young as three were challenged to design a colourful and sustainable garden.

Nicola Davidson, Education and Learning Officer for Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “This year’s competition has encouraged children to tell their own stories, a wonderful part of our culture, through their garden designs.

"We are delighted that schools and young people in Moray are finding the benefits of this competition in learning, teaching and celebrating things that are important to them and their environment. The pocket garden designs we received were practical, creative, challenging, sustainable and full of fun!”

Ella McClellan, Outreach Co-ordinator for Scottish Book Trust, who was involved in the judging, added: “I was delighted when I was asked if I would help to judge this year’s Pocket Garden Design Competition, because it combines two things I feel really passionate about, reading and nature.

"Both share really positive commonalities. Reading books that you love and spending time in nature are both proven ways of reducing stress and anxiety. Delving into new worlds through books, or discovering the vibrant wildlife around you, can also help you to feel less isolated and lonely.

"This lovely project brings both together, in a powerfully beneficial combination and I have really enjoyed ‘reading’ these garden narratives. It has been exciting to see the creative experimental gardens in this competition, ones that are unique to the young people who have designed them.”

Given the difficult task of choosing which entries went forward was a judging panel comprising Anthony McCluskey (Chair of the Garden for Life Forum), Ella McLellan (Regional Outreach Co-ordinator for Scottish Book Trust), Daniel Barrie (Keep Scotland Beautiful), Eve Keepax (Keep Scotland Beautiful) and Nicola Davidson (Keep Scotland Beautiful).


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