Very true nut...it is rather sad. Health and Safety don't really figure in the plant world...
Besides, toxicity in a typical native woodland garden would hardly even compare to the toxicity urban children have to endure passively every day through the crappy air they breathe, the pesticides in foods they ingest etc etc...
Blimey, what's wrong with teaching them something useful, like how to recognise and avoid certain plants? And also how toxic plants can also be extremely useful in medicine and science perhaps? (digoxin from digitalis for example).
We went on school trips back in the 70s and that's what it was all about!
Sorry Moira - I know my post won't help you, but is there no way you can get around these obviously ridiculous health and safety protocols at all? They will somewhat stunt your creativity in designing this, I fear, which is a shame as you are clearly enthusiastic and deserve more help than we can give!
Well, one thing is for sure - the brief can't be changed. So lets try and meet the brief - get ya thinking caps on people.
What kind of plants you after ( grasses, flowers, friut...veg etc)- and what size space you covering ? you need big plants, little plants, shade loving plants, full sun.....
I've found the way around having anything that comes under the umbrella of H&S is to devise a carefully constructed risk assessment for the area, given what you would like to put into it (I'm also a teacher, and one who signs off risk assessments). What about bluebells (bulbs) and forget me not (really easy to grow from seed). Have you considered those dedicated wildlife packs from seed (scatter and water), there are lots of different mixes of seeds, with many consumer requirements! If its a woodland area you are limited, but the other suggestion is hellibores or tobacco plants, which may grow. Just make sure that all are placed within your risk assessment, based on the students that will visit / work there. (Don't forget the staff with hayfever too!) Hope this helps.
I think maybe going back to the school and asking to change the brief might help. It sounds like it was written by someone who has no understanding of plants and would probably be better written by yourself. For example medical Digitalis is used in the treatment of heart conditions, the plants are found all over the place yet how many children do we hear of getting sick from eating Foxgloves?
Surely a garden that transcends many different subjects is more useful to a school than an empty one devoid of any tiny risk.
I wouldn't mind betting that the school already has some 'toxic' plants on site - many school have a privet hedge - mustn't eat that! But then no one does - same with ivy, holly, beech, and so many trees - their leaves would make you ill if you ate too many and so they are described as toxic, but ..............
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
How about scented-leaf geraniums? The children can have fun rubbing the leaves to compare the scents of different varieties, and they can learn about taking cuttings with almost guaranteed success! No idea if they're toxic though.
Posts
I feel sorry for the kids, having their education limited by the fear and ignorance of the educators
In the sticks near Peterborough
Very true nut...it is rather sad. Health and Safety don't really figure in the plant world...
Besides, toxicity in a typical native woodland garden would hardly even compare to the toxicity urban children have to endure passively every day through the crappy air they breathe, the pesticides in foods they ingest etc etc...
Blimey, what's wrong with teaching them something useful, like how to recognise and avoid certain plants? And also how toxic plants can also be extremely useful in medicine and science perhaps? (digoxin from digitalis for example).
We went on school trips back in the 70s and that's what it was all about!
Sorry Moira - I know my post won't help you, but is there no way you can get around these obviously ridiculous health and safety protocols at all? They will somewhat stunt your creativity in designing this, I fear, which is a shame as you are clearly enthusiastic and deserve more help than we can give!
Good luck
moira, the people making your rules won't know a daisy from a daffodil. just palnt what you like
In the sticks near Peterborough
Ps: define "toxic" - how much, how little, airborn, touch, by ingestion - what exactly?!
Well, one thing is for sure - the brief can't be changed. So lets try and meet the brief - get ya thinking caps on people.
What kind of plants you after ( grasses, flowers, friut...veg etc)- and what size space you covering ? you need big plants, little plants, shade loving plants, full sun.....
I've found the way around having anything that comes under the umbrella of H&S is to devise a carefully constructed risk assessment for the area, given what you would like to put into it (I'm also a teacher, and one who signs off risk assessments). What about bluebells (bulbs) and forget me not (really easy to grow from seed). Have you considered those dedicated wildlife packs from seed (scatter and water), there are lots of different mixes of seeds, with many consumer requirements! If its a woodland area you are limited, but the other suggestion is hellibores or tobacco plants, which may grow. Just make sure that all are placed within your risk assessment, based on the students that will visit / work there. (Don't forget the staff with hayfever too!) Hope this helps.
I think maybe going back to the school and asking to change the brief might help. It sounds like it was written by someone who has no understanding of plants and would probably be better written by yourself. For example medical Digitalis is used in the treatment of heart conditions, the plants are found all over the place yet how many children do we hear of getting sick from eating Foxgloves?
Surely a garden that transcends many different subjects is more useful to a school than an empty one devoid of any tiny risk.
I wouldn't mind betting that the school already has some 'toxic' plants on site - many school have a privet hedge - mustn't eat that! But then no one does - same with ivy, holly, beech, and so many trees - their leaves would make you ill if you ate too many and so they are described as toxic, but ..............
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
How about scented-leaf geraniums? The children can have fun rubbing the leaves to compare the scents of different varieties, and they can learn about taking cuttings with almost guaranteed success! No idea if they're toxic though.