#holytrinityprimaryschool

How can you not love a sunflower? Ours are extra special because they have all been nurtured, from seed, by children from Holy Trinity Primary School. The school is 5 minutes walk from the Dalston Curve Garden, so throughout every summer term Year 1 children take part in our immersive ‘Inspired by Nature’ programme. They explore every corner of the Garden, discovering and learning about bees, butterflies and other mini beasts, sow and grow their own sunflowers, nasturtiums, beans and squash and make mini-beast puppets and other creations in art sessions. Over the weeks as they engage and connect with Nature right here in the heart of their own neighbourhood, we see them grow in confidence.  We love making this annual journey in the Garden with the children from Holy Trinity.

Why is green space so crucial in built-up, busy Dalston? Today’s ‘Inspired by Nature’ session with Year One pupils from Holy Trinity Primary School provides the perfect answer. Like most Dalston residents, many of the children do not have their own gardens. Here at the Dalston Eastern Curve Garden, they can spot a butterfly, hold a snail in the palm of their hands, delve their hands into soil, wonder at the multitude of different sizes and shapes of leaves and flowers, sow their first seed - and two weeks later see it magically turn into a tiny plant.

Not only do our sessions teach hands on gardening skills and capitalise on the creative inspiration that the natural environment provides, they encourage the children to develop a love of and respect for nature and give them ownership and responsibility for a space within their neighbourhood.

In our hectic Dalston environment which is ever changing, nothing feels constant - blink and it can feel as though the whole landscape has changed. Of course, nature is ever changing too, but its pace is steadier, and there is something grounding and reassuring about seeing the seasons come, and go, and come around again.

Portraits workshop with Holy Trinity Year 1

We’re learning about gardening, through the story of Jack and the beanstalk. 

Children also participated with designing their own magic seed packets!