Wild Gardens for Well-Being (School Program)
Our “Wild Gardens for Well-Being” program helps schools bring wild beauty and biodiversity to their grounds, creating calm, restorative spaces where students and staff can reconnect with nature. A key element of the program is the co-creation of each wild garden with students, teachers, and families - nurturing community connection and shared care for the restored land.
Benefits
Enhances student well-being by providing a natural place of respite, reflection, and relaxation.
Boosts living beauty and biodiversity - enriching school grounds with flora and the associated fauna.
Builds community connection and stewardship through shared involvement of students, teachers and families in creating and care for the wild gardens.
Provides hands on learning opportunities that can be integrated/ aligned with school curricula.
Program Inclusions
Each “Wild Garden” we create is a collaboration - thoughtfully designed, planted together, and nurtured by shared care.
-
On-site visit and discussion focused on transforming a site within the school grounds (typically 50-100 sq. metres) into a place of beauty, belonging, and care.
Custom concept design for a multi-layered biodiverse garden - featuring a planting palette rich in native species, textures, and sensory variety.
-
Sourcing of high-quality plants and sustainable materials.
Site preparation by Horticultural TAFE students (under supervision).
Facilitation of a community planting day involving students, staff, and local families.
Mulching of new gardens by Horticultural TAFE students (under supervision).
-
Comprehensive maintenance and care guide (2 year plan)
Optional follow-up visit(s) for seasonal assessment of additional planting.
Cost
Program cost varies depending on the size and condition of the selected garden site. As a general guide, a “Wild Garden for Well-Being” can be co-created for $15-20K on a site that requires minimal preparation (for example, only weeding and soil improvement).
Partnerships & Support
Tended Earth is currently seeking partnership and funding opportunities to help grow the "Wild Gardens for Well-Being” program. Our goal is to make the program partly or fully subsidized, ensuring that every school has the opportunity to create a wild, restorative garden - for, and with, its community.