Garden comp winner a feast for the senses

Published on 16 December 2021

With hub-cap flowers, tin-can wind chimes and spoons sprouting from the earth, Warners Bay Public School’s new garden bed is not your average green-thumb creation.

But it was exactly this left-of-centre approach by students from the school’s ‘Green Team’ that helped them take out the ‘Best in Show’ category at this year’s Allambi Care School Garden Bed Competition.

The contest, run by Lake Macquarie City Council, encourages local school students to get hands-on experience and skills with gardening, sustainable design and upcycling.

Lake Macquarie Mayor Kay Fraser said it also taught students about the importance of pollinating species like native bees, and how different types of flowers and plants require different care.

“It’s also a great way for Lake Macquarie schools to showcase their amazing sustainability efforts to our wider community,” Cr Fraser said.

The competition is one of the highlights of the annual Living Smart Festival, but had to be moved onto school grounds this year due to COVID-19.

Cr Fraser said Warners Bay Public School’s garden stood out from the rest thanks to its creativity, sustainability and originality.

“The theme of being a sensory garden, where students could taste, smell, touch and hear elements of it, was a fantastic idea,” she said.

“It’s beautiful to look at, and harnessed the idea of upcycling by turning old kitchen utensils and other items into wind chimes and decorations.”

Speers Point Public School’s ‘bee garden’ took out People’s Choice Award, based on a popular vote online. It also used recycled material, and focused on plants that attract bees and other insects.

Cr Fraser congratulated the winners, as well as the other 17 schools across Lake Mac that entered the contest this year.

“Other interesting designs included an indigenous bush tucker garden at Dora Creek Public School, a herb garden at Awaba Public School, a salt and drought-tolerant garden at St Patrick’s Swansea and a garden with vertical watering and drainage system at St Joseph’s Kilaben Bay.”

This year’s competition was proudly sponsored by Allambi Care.