Interesting finds in the Discovery Garden
More wonderful tiny discoveries
Early September 2014
Its always great to get back to the Discovery Garden after a school holiday and see what has developed and changed in the time we've been away. Early September feels like a wonderful time with rich sun and that feeling of warmth with a hint of autumn in the air! We've been working on various parts of the Discovery Garden and construction is underway of a stand for the instruments made by the children. We were delighted yesterday to find a tiny newt under a log as we worked - such an exciting resident of the garden! Its a young newt - and maybe there are more of them about. We love our wildlife friendly pond and being so close to the canal really helps with all the wetland creatures that we find in the Discovery Garden. There is some really useful information about newts and wetland habitats on the Froglife website here and also the website of the Freshwater Habitats Trust here.
There are so many grasshoppers and crickets about at the moment too - and such a variety of colours and sizes. You can hear them constantly - but to see them you have to be very quiet and patient - then suddenly you can see many of them hopping about or basking in the sun. Bees, butterflies and many other insects are very busy and we have lots of flowers grown to be available for pollinating insects now. Several kinds of dragonflies are easily visible flying about the pond and over the whole garden as they hunt for food. Lots of information and images about UK bugs and mini beasts are found on this wonderful website here at Buglife.
There are lots of wonderful berries around too - raspberries, blackberries and elderberries especially. Birds are busy there too - a jay was flying in and out of the hedgerow yesterday whilst we worked, mistle thrushes and starlings are busy there and a sparrowhawk is seen most days.
If you would like ideas for further autumnal ways to discover nature the Woodland Trust Nature Detectives website is PACKED with free downloads, ideas and activities - its really worth a browse through their website for ideas, identification sheets, links to other places and suggestions for things to do.
Early September 2014
Its always great to get back to the Discovery Garden after a school holiday and see what has developed and changed in the time we've been away. Early September feels like a wonderful time with rich sun and that feeling of warmth with a hint of autumn in the air! We've been working on various parts of the Discovery Garden and construction is underway of a stand for the instruments made by the children. We were delighted yesterday to find a tiny newt under a log as we worked - such an exciting resident of the garden! Its a young newt - and maybe there are more of them about. We love our wildlife friendly pond and being so close to the canal really helps with all the wetland creatures that we find in the Discovery Garden. There is some really useful information about newts and wetland habitats on the Froglife website here and also the website of the Freshwater Habitats Trust here.
There are so many grasshoppers and crickets about at the moment too - and such a variety of colours and sizes. You can hear them constantly - but to see them you have to be very quiet and patient - then suddenly you can see many of them hopping about or basking in the sun. Bees, butterflies and many other insects are very busy and we have lots of flowers grown to be available for pollinating insects now. Several kinds of dragonflies are easily visible flying about the pond and over the whole garden as they hunt for food. Lots of information and images about UK bugs and mini beasts are found on this wonderful website here at Buglife.
There are lots of wonderful berries around too - raspberries, blackberries and elderberries especially. Birds are busy there too - a jay was flying in and out of the hedgerow yesterday whilst we worked, mistle thrushes and starlings are busy there and a sparrowhawk is seen most days.
If you would like ideas for further autumnal ways to discover nature the Woodland Trust Nature Detectives website is PACKED with free downloads, ideas and activities - its really worth a browse through their website for ideas, identification sheets, links to other places and suggestions for things to do.
Dragons emerge from the pond...
April 30th 2014.
We are SO lucky to have such a special place at school, we find so many interesting things in the Discovery Garden and it gives the children such rich learning experiences. Today Oak Class were lucky enough to witness a host of dragonfly larvae crawl out of the pond, climb tall stems nearby and then slowly emerge from their shells as newly hatched dragonflies. Magical! The children were transfixed, as were Miss Claire and Mr Woodings! The newly emerged dragonflies were so delicate and slowly began to spread their wings and pump them to unfold and straighten them - just amazing to watch. When they were ready (this took a long time) the dragonflies then flew off!
The Discovery Garden Scientists Club also saw the same amazing process yesterday, which is wonderful that so many children have had a chance to see this. We counted about 40 of them today at different stages of transformation - magical! We looked through several books and websites to identify them and got in touch with the British Dragonfly Society who kindly confirmed for us that they are broad bodied chasers as we thought. This link will take you to the British Dragonfly Society website page about this species, there's some wonderful images and information. All the newly emerged adult dragonflies are yellow but the males will turn blue after a while! This species is one of the first to colonise new ponds - and as our pond is less than 2 years old we feel incredibly lucky that they found us and laid so many eggs.
April 30th 2014.
We are SO lucky to have such a special place at school, we find so many interesting things in the Discovery Garden and it gives the children such rich learning experiences. Today Oak Class were lucky enough to witness a host of dragonfly larvae crawl out of the pond, climb tall stems nearby and then slowly emerge from their shells as newly hatched dragonflies. Magical! The children were transfixed, as were Miss Claire and Mr Woodings! The newly emerged dragonflies were so delicate and slowly began to spread their wings and pump them to unfold and straighten them - just amazing to watch. When they were ready (this took a long time) the dragonflies then flew off!
The Discovery Garden Scientists Club also saw the same amazing process yesterday, which is wonderful that so many children have had a chance to see this. We counted about 40 of them today at different stages of transformation - magical! We looked through several books and websites to identify them and got in touch with the British Dragonfly Society who kindly confirmed for us that they are broad bodied chasers as we thought. This link will take you to the British Dragonfly Society website page about this species, there's some wonderful images and information. All the newly emerged adult dragonflies are yellow but the males will turn blue after a while! This species is one of the first to colonise new ponds - and as our pond is less than 2 years old we feel incredibly lucky that they found us and laid so many eggs.
These insects have been spotted by the Discovery Garden Scientists. We are going to find as many insects as we can and try to name them.
By Oliver, Madrano Class.
By Oliver, Madrano Class.
Interesting finds in the Discovery Garden
Look carefully,
tread softly,
listen well
and take time to explore…
“If tomorrow’s caretakers of the earth are to love and understand the natural world, they need to explore it, enjoy it and recognise our reliance upon it. We have to peel away all those
layers between wild places and ourselves, and provide children with opportunities to reconnect with nature. Young children have a real affinity with the natural world, an insatiable
curiosity and a sense of wonder about the tiniest details.
They will stare in awe at a ladybird crawling along a stem or crouch down to investigate a disciplined army of ants carrying a leaf back to their nest….”
From “Natures Playground” by Fiona Danks and Jo Schofield.
tread softly,
listen well
and take time to explore…
“If tomorrow’s caretakers of the earth are to love and understand the natural world, they need to explore it, enjoy it and recognise our reliance upon it. We have to peel away all those
layers between wild places and ourselves, and provide children with opportunities to reconnect with nature. Young children have a real affinity with the natural world, an insatiable
curiosity and a sense of wonder about the tiniest details.
They will stare in awe at a ladybird crawling along a stem or crouch down to investigate a disciplined army of ants carrying a leaf back to their nest….”
From “Natures Playground” by Fiona Danks and Jo Schofield.
What might you find?
We are so excited by all there is to discover here – we’ve only really scratched the surface in many ways… We are adding to the Discovery Garden all the time, its an exciting journey to be on. Many things were there in the space already, many things have arrived by themselves (various plants and creatures) and we know that a lot of things are happy there because the site sits alongside the canal, Beeston Sidings and other areas important locally for wildlife.
Since we began to really develop the site about three years ago we have added a host of plants, trees, a pond, raised beds, a fire-circle area, living willow domes, a mud-pie / potion making area, a poly tunnel and a digging area. We have some fruit and vegetables growing – and this complements the plants each class grow near their classrooms in the rest of the school.
Since we began to really develop the site about three years ago we have added a host of plants, trees, a pond, raised beds, a fire-circle area, living willow domes, a mud-pie / potion making area, a poly tunnel and a digging area. We have some fruit and vegetables growing – and this complements the plants each class grow near their classrooms in the rest of the school.
DO step on the grass!
We want the garden to be as friendly for wildlife as possible so that the children and adults have a site which brings all sorts of wonderful natural inspirations. Its not intended to be a manicured garden – we tidy and shape certain areas and we do try and control certain things (such as creeping thistle) from spreading, but we love to have an abundance of thins such as daisies and dandelion because they give rich learning opportunities for the children.
The ethos of the garden is to have a space which gives children an amazing learning opportunity through interaction with the natural world.
The ethos of the garden is to have a space which gives children an amazing learning opportunity through interaction with the natural world.
Find out more
There are lot of interesting articles, activities and information on these links – lots of ways children (and adults) can learn and be inspired by the natural world.
http://storiesunderstones.blogspot.co.uk/
http://creativestarlearning.blogspot.co.uk/
http://www.ltl.org.uk/
http://loveoutdoorplay.net/
http://www.naturedetectives.org.uk/home.htm
https://www.50things.org.uk/
http://storiesunderstones.blogspot.co.uk/
http://creativestarlearning.blogspot.co.uk/
http://www.ltl.org.uk/
http://loveoutdoorplay.net/
http://www.naturedetectives.org.uk/home.htm
https://www.50things.org.uk/
Here are just some of the things growing and living on the Discovery
Garden:
(we keep finding / planting more)
Trees:
Elder . Field Maple . Hawthorn
Cherry (several kinds) . Hazel
Willow (at least 5 kinds including twisted willow, Crack Willow (the
big trees near the canal), red willow and viminalis (which grows fast) and goat willow which has the familiar fluffy pussy willow catkins on it in early spring) . Crab apple . Birch
Blackthorn . Apple . Rowan(mountain ash)
Shrubs:
Buddleia
Brambles (blackberries)
Honeysuckle – several kinds
dog rose
clematis
golden hops
Flowering plants (they all have amazing stories to tell):
Daisy . Dandelion . Speedwell
Thistle, a couple of kinds at least
White dead nettle . Stinging nettle
Garlic mustard / Jack by the Hedge
Tiny geraniums . Bigger geraniums / cranesbills (named because of the shape of the seed-head)
Herb Robert . Various kinds of grasses . Yarrow . Chickweed . Good King Henry . Borage . Chinese lanterns
Lavender . Cornflowers . Red and white campions . Rudbekia . Eccanaccia . Lungwort / pulmonaria
Aquilegia . Plantain . Clover . Mallow . Hawkweed . Cow parsley . Groundsel . Vetch . Cowslips . Foxglove . Toadflax . Purple flax . Everlasting flowering peas . Various narcissi and tulips . Different kinds of aliums . And more…
Thistle, a couple of kinds at least
White dead nettle . Stinging nettle
Garlic mustard / Jack by the Hedge
Tiny geraniums . Bigger geraniums / cranesbills (named because of the shape of the seed-head)
Herb Robert . Various kinds of grasses . Yarrow . Chickweed . Good King Henry . Borage . Chinese lanterns
Lavender . Cornflowers . Red and white campions . Rudbekia . Eccanaccia . Lungwort / pulmonaria
Aquilegia . Plantain . Clover . Mallow . Hawkweed . Cow parsley . Groundsel . Vetch . Cowslips . Foxglove . Toadflax . Purple flax . Everlasting flowering peas . Various narcissi and tulips . Different kinds of aliums . And more…
Crops of fruit and vegetables:
Several kinds of potatoes . Peas . Beans – runner and broad beans
Herbs – mint, parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme (I think there’s a song in there somewhere!) . Strawberries (strawberry fair?)
Gooseberry . Raspberry . Blueberry . Red and black currants
Parsnips . Oak have planted lots of root vegetables including carrot, radish and parsnip,
Herbs – mint, parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme (I think there’s a song in there somewhere!) . Strawberries (strawberry fair?)
Gooseberry . Raspberry . Blueberry . Red and black currants
Parsnips . Oak have planted lots of root vegetables including carrot, radish and parsnip,
Birds seen over and on the Discovery Garden include:
Wood pigeons and feral pigeons – lots used to roost in the tower of the fire station and they seem to still be around.
Sparrowhawk (often after the pigeons) and seen
regularly . Collared dove . Blue tits . Coal tits . Great tits
Long tailed tits . Blackbird . Song thrush
Mistle thrush (they make a really loud sound and we see them all the time.) House sparrow . Dunnock / hedge sparrow . Heron
Mallard ducks . Coot . Moorhen . Crows . Magpies
Buzzard (seen flying over) . Bullfinch . Goldfinch . Pied Wagtail (often feeding on the field late afternoon) . Kestral (see hunting over the Discovery Garden and the canal tow
path) . Cormorant . Greenfinch
Sparrowhawk (often after the pigeons) and seen
regularly . Collared dove . Blue tits . Coal tits . Great tits
Long tailed tits . Blackbird . Song thrush
Mistle thrush (they make a really loud sound and we see them all the time.) House sparrow . Dunnock / hedge sparrow . Heron
Mallard ducks . Coot . Moorhen . Crows . Magpies
Buzzard (seen flying over) . Bullfinch . Goldfinch . Pied Wagtail (often feeding on the field late afternoon) . Kestral (see hunting over the Discovery Garden and the canal tow
path) . Cormorant . Greenfinch
Mammals:
We could have several! There were very intriguing footprints in the snow in February last year when Oak explored the field straight after the snowfall – no humans had been in there but there were various kinds of animal and bird prints all over.
We certainly have signs of small mammals such as woodmice, shrew and vole; we think a fox visits because we have found buried duck eggs in our raised beds (!),
We also have a dragon who visits and this year built a nest last
spring, which is very lucky! We think its quite a shy dragon as we’ve not seen it yet but it did lay 3 big green eggs… Palm had a really good hunt and found loads of evidence of dragons, including footprints, burnt wood, tree’s
torn down and broken and also dragon poo…
We certainly have signs of small mammals such as woodmice, shrew and vole; we think a fox visits because we have found buried duck eggs in our raised beds (!),
We also have a dragon who visits and this year built a nest last
spring, which is very lucky! We think its quite a shy dragon as we’ve not seen it yet but it did lay 3 big green eggs… Palm had a really good hunt and found loads of evidence of dragons, including footprints, burnt wood, tree’s
torn down and broken and also dragon poo…
Insects and mini-beasts:
Worms – of all sizes and of several kinds
Spiders of many kinds
Dragonflies – several different kinds
Butterflies – including orange tip, brimstone, peacock, cabbage white,
Beetles of many sizes and colours
Earwigs
Woodlice
Slugs and snails of many kinds
Ants – their nests intrigue the children
Grasshoppers and crickets
Moths of many kinds
Spiders of many kinds
Dragonflies – several different kinds
Butterflies – including orange tip, brimstone, peacock, cabbage white,
Beetles of many sizes and colours
Earwigs
Woodlice
Slugs and snails of many kinds
Ants – their nests intrigue the children
Grasshoppers and crickets
Moths of many kinds
Pond Life:
We have planted the pond with a host of wildlife-friendly plants in the hope this will attract lots of creatures; we only made the pond in September 2012 and already (as of May 2013) it is teeming with life. We won’t be adding fish because the pond is too small to support both fish and the frogs and other creatures that we hope will make a home there.
Pond skaters
Whirligig beetles
Water snails of many sizes
Various small larvae and teeny creatures who will grow into other
things…
Pond skaters
Whirligig beetles
Water snails of many sizes
Various small larvae and teeny creatures who will grow into other
things…
At night
We would love to see what visits the Discovery Garden at night! Maybe we should undertake a night-time survey to find out soon! We expect there are bats, a fox, possibly an owl and probably the dragon emerges just at night-time…