If you’ve wandered past our new garden lately, you’ve probably noticed something a little… wild! That’s right — our newly redeveloped garden has officially transformed into a thriving, leafy jungle paradise, and our students couldn’t be more excited.

Over the past few months, the incredible Tamas Oszvald and a team of dedicated staff from the 24 Carrot Gardens have worked tirelessly to bring the garden back to life. New garden beds, fresh soil, improved pathways, and a whole lot of teamwork have created a space bursting with colour, life, and delicious possibilities.

One standout feature is our beautiful new gate, adorned with stunning pottery pieces created by students late last year. Although the gate isn’t accessible just yet (there are still a few finishing touches happening this term), it will soon become a welcoming entrance for students and families stepping into this magical space.

And it’s not just the students loving the makeover — the plants are thriving too! Everything is growing faster, greener, and bigger than ever before. Some of our plants are almost as tall as the Grade 3s!

Each week, classes visit the garden to explore, learn, and help care for the space. It’s quickly becoming one of the most anticipated activities of the school week. Students have been proudly watering, weeding, planting, and even chatting to the plants (and while we’re not saying it’s magic… the plants do seem to be listening!).

One of the highlights of every lesson is harvesting time. Our veggie beds are absolutely booming — a hedge of basil, rainbow chard leaves wider than your hands, and carrots that rarely reach full size thanks to curious little hands and hungry little mouths! Students have been thrilled to uncover golden nugget pumpkins, yellow zucchinis, beans, chillies, capsicums, beetroots, and even the odd (and extremely precious!) watermelon. Every harvest feels like a tiny adventure.

Not only are students learning how food grows, but they’re also building confidence, teamwork skills, and a sense of pride in something they’ve helped create. For many, the garden has become a peaceful, happy place to dig, explore, and connect with nature — a refreshing break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

We’re also thrilled that our fresh produce is making its way into kitchen classes. From crunchy salads to zucchini muffins, students are discovering that home‑grown food doesn’t just taste good — it tastes amazing when you’ve grown it yourself.

Alongside our incredible new garden, we’re very excited to welcome our amazing Garden Specialist, Jess Fodor! Jess joins Kitchen Specialist superstar Kelly Clark and Lead Teacher Indianna Massey, and we are absolutely buzzing with excitement for the year ahead.

Our garden is still expanding, still thriving, and always welcoming helping hands. Families are invited to pop in, ask questions, or even volunteer if they’d like to get involved. Together, we’re growing more than just vegetables — we’re growing confidence, community, and a whole lot of joy.

We cannot thank the incredible Tamas and the team at the 24 Carrot Gardens enough for creating such a special space for our school community!!

So next time you walk past, take a peek. You might just hear the gentle whisper of leaves saying, “Welcome to our jungle!”

Words by Indianna Massey, 24CG Lead Teacher at Herdsmans Cove Primary