Botanical artists Jacqui Pestell and Sharon Tingey create our backdrop

As the opening of the Botanic Cottage is fast approaching props and resources are being made and tested for the new school programmes which will open for bookings next spring.
Education volunteers, who are an essential part of the team, have been beavering away making bespoke items such as gnome hats, laminated vegetables, wiggly worms and labelling tools.

School Gardening Project volunteers Helen and Charlie make gnome hats

RBGE’s botanical artists Jacqui Pestell and Sharon Tingey have been hand painting and printing a beautiful backdrop for ‘Grandpa’s Garden’, our new nursery programme. Grandpa (a green-fingered puppet) will invite children to come and meet him in his potting shed (the Botanic Cottage) to help him in his garden with activities such as digging; Colour match in the rainbow patch; Swish and sniff; learning Grandpa’s special gardening song and lots more. They will learn that everything has its season in the garden through listening to Grandpa’s story. The backdrop shows four seasons in one and contains visual clues to bring the whole experience together.

Other new programmes include ‘Dig for Victory’ and ‘Grow your Own’ for older children.The new Botanic Cottage Schools Programme is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Cruden Foundation, The Edina Trust, The Ernest Cook Trust, The Gannochy Trust and The RobertsonTrust.

To find out more about these and other school programmes at RBGE RBGE Schools Programme 2015-16.