This local initiative, run by Newbury Town Council, celebrates community gardening and environmental care, with the aim of enhancing the town’s beauty and biodiversity.

We were thrilled to welcome the Newbury in Bloom judging panel to our Junior School site, where our Reception pupils proudly gave a tour of their flourishing garden. From vegetable beds to bug hotels and even a hen with five newly hatched chicks, the garden is a vibrant testament to the children’s curiosity, teamwork and care for the natural world.

The garden has been lovingly nurtured throughout the year by our Reception pupils, as well as those in the Y1 & 2 Gardening Club, who have grown a wide array of fruit and vegetables from seed, including strawberries, raspberries, lettuces, pumpkins, courgettes and runner beans. Sunflowers and pollinator-friendly plants add a cheerful burst of colour and encourage biodiversity. Not only is the garden a peaceful and purposeful learning space, but it also offers real-life lessons in sustainability and food production – with children often taking home the fruits (and vegetables!) of their labour.

As part of their tour, the judges also heard from pupils about the bug hotels they’ve constructed to support insect life and the care they provide for the garden’s resident hens. The arrival of five fluffy chicks earlier this half-term has only added to the excitement and learning opportunities in this hands-on space.

The Newbury in Bloom campaign is now in its eighth year and continues to grow, with more schools and community groups taking part than ever before. Councillor Ian Jee, Chair of the Council’s Green Spaces Working Group, praised the work being done by local communities, adding:

“We are incredibly proud of the Newbury in Bloom community... The campaign’s goal is to enhance the town’s beauty, promote horticultural excellence, and create a greener, cleaner, and more inviting environment for everyone.”

The competition also plays a key role in Newbury’s future bid for the Thames & Chilterns in Bloom 2025, and we are proud to be contributing to the town’s green credentials through our Reception Garden project.

A huge well done to all of our budding Reception gardeners, and to the staff and Gardening Club members who support this valuable work. The results of this year’s competition will be announced at a special presentation evening at The Corn Exchange on Tuesday 10 September, and we’ll be keeping our (green) fingers crossed!