Allenbourn Middle school pupils in Wimborne shared their stories using the book ‘My Hero is you…’ as inspiration.

To further mark the reopening of the school after closure, the children and staff planted 14 plants in seven colours of the rainbow. These are June flowering, which should serve as a beautiful reminder each year about resilience and hope.

At Mudeford Infants School in Christchurch a small group of volunteer parents looked after the school garden and finished improving the area around the pond. To make it easier for wildlife to get into and out of the pond they cleared the gravel away from the back and used it to create a new path to the bug hotel. They planted the area behind the pond with heathers, grasses, buddleia, salvia and nepeta and other plants that encourage pollinators. They also buried an old water feature to create an additional wet area where creatures could hide and drink.

Pupils and staff at All Saints Primary School at Bishops Caundle took the opportunity to use their wonderful outdoor areas. They built raised planting beds and planted vegetables and flowers. In addition they prepared and planted a wildflower area, and planted colourful and aromatic flowers, herbs and shrubs in tyres. They enhanced and rejuvenated their pond area, built a wormery, hatched butterflies, searched for bugs and minibeasts and enjoyed pond dipping.

The Dorset Gardens Trust funds and supports teachers to create school gardens and to provide training to promote an early interest in gardening. Grants up to a maximum of £400 are awarded to primary, middle and special schools to fund new projects.