School garden honours a mate

Boffa Miskell designers often contribute their expertise to smaller-scale projects close to their hearts. This is typically done on a pro-bono basis, and has involved anything from advising community groups to helping design small gardens and playspaces.

Christchurch-based landscape architect Katie Chilton has recently contributed to a particularly poignant project at her children’s primary school.

Pupils at the school helped with the design.

She undertook designing a friendship garden inspired by, and in remembrance of, a pupil whose long battle with cancer ended last year.

“It was important to all of us that the garden truly represented what he was all about,” says Chilton. “So talking with his classmates and teachers was the first step in the design.”

Through hearing these shared stories, she learned that the design would need to include the colour yellow and bee-themed elements, along with offering places for children to sit and talk.

Bees are a special feature.

The final design includes a pathway, steps and “nests” surrounded by native plantings, where children can explore, relax and congregate.  Bringing the design to life was a real community effort, as a number of individuals and organisations got involved.

The local Men’s Shed built and donated internal seating inside the nests. The bee-themed motif and mosaics were created during artists’ workshops with the children and a number of ‘bee hotels’ were also provided to ensure that real-life insects benefited, too.

The school community inspects the completed project.

A parent who is a professional landscaper helped complete the hard landscaping; while the school community continued their on-going support by volunteering for planting days and working bees. Funding from the MOE’s one-off School Investment Package fund, and targeted fundraising from the PTA, helped complete the project.

The garden is a place for remembrance, and it has become an integral part of the school’s day-to-day activities. It’s also a popular spot for photos, award ceremonies and outdoor lessons.

“It’s a lovely space, and going through the process of creating and building it has been something I think all of us will remember,” says Chilton.