Eight Schools announced as National Finalist in the Corrin Hill Biodiversity Garden Awards

Eight primary schools have reached the finals of the Corrin Hill Biodiversity Garden Awards.  The aim of the awards is to recognise and promote gardens that are developed to benefit biodiversity and the environment.  This year the focus is on school gardens.  The awards are organised by Corrin Hill Ice Cream in conjunction with Birdwatch Ireland. 

The 8 finalists in the 2009 awards are:

St. Brigid’s National School, Blackrock, Co. Dublin

St. Martin de Porres National School, Tallaght, Co. Dublin

St. Louis National School, Rathkenny, Co. Meath

Scoil Mhainchin National School, Ennistymon, Co. Clare

St. Annin’s National School, Rosscahill, Co. Galway

St. Mary’s National School, Blessington, Co. Wicklow

Gaelscoil, Cholmcille, Coolock, Dublin

St. Catherine’s National School, Rush, Co. Meath

The final judging event for the awards will take place over the coming weeks and the winners will be announced in late September.  Prizes include funding to spend on the garden, plaques and ice cream for the winning schools. 

“The standard of entries has improved significantly this year and we are particularly pleased to support the development of biodiversity gardens in schools”, said Nikki Murphy from Corrin Hill Ice Cream.  “Schools across the country are really making superb use of their gardens and are using them as an education resource for students, their families and the local community.  Some gardens are very new or at the planning stage and some are wonderfully established and very much part of the school and local community.  Schools have taken to gardening for the environment on many levels from growing food and native plants to using organic gardening methods, composting waste and collecting rain water.  Many schools have created a range of habitats in their gardens for birds, butterflies, frogs and endangered wildlife such as bats. Students and local communities are learning so much as well as getting terrific enjoyment from the gardens.  Every entry is a winner in its own right and we will have a difficult time selecting an overall winner”, concluded Nikki Murphy.

Corrin Hill Ice Cream is made in Fermoy, Co. Cork by the Murphy family.  The company is Ireland’s largest producer of ice cream and celebrates its 30^th Birthday this month.  Corrin Hill is a full dairy ice cream made with local cream and milk and does not contain any artificial ingredients. 

The Corrin Hill Biodiversity Garden Awards began in 2007 and the aim of the awards is to raise awareness of the benefits that can be achieved for the environment by gardening with nature rather than trying to control it.  This method of gardening safeguards precious wildlife and includes cutting down on the use of garden chemicals, planting nectar-rich and native varieties of flowers along with fruit and vegetables and providing shelter and food for a wide variety of birds and insects such as butterflies and bees.

Ten Top Ways to Garden for the Environment

1. Garden using organic methods and stop using garden chemicals such as pesticides that are bad for the environment and your health.
2. Plant native or scented old fashioned varieties of flowers such as roses, sweet pea, lavender, poppies and daisies.
3. Grow your own fruit, vegetables, herbs and salads.
4. Provide water for birds and if possible a small pond.
5. Grow native trees or hedges such as birch, mountain ash or blackthorn.
6. Put up a nest box for birds.
7. Provide food for birds by growing berries and leave the seed heads on flowers in winter.
8. Provide food for small birds, especially in winter.
9. Compost garden and kitchen waste to feed your garden and collect rainwater – your plants will love it.
10. Learn to enjoy a slightly wilder, natural garden and plant a wildflower patch.