The weather was cold and gloomy but there were plenty of reasons to smile as students from Hughes Preschool set about planting some Floriade bulbs for residents of St Andrews Village.
The Preschool successfully applied for an allocation of spring annuals and bulbs to plant and grow in their local community as part of Floriade: Reimagined.
Preschool teacher Susan Jones said that earlier in the year students had taken home a bulb as part of their remote learning. It was while researching how to care for bulbs to assist her students that she came across Floriade: Reimagined.
She said the preschool had already planned on building a connection with St Andrews pre-COVID-19. This project provided an ideal opportunity for the preschool to reconnect with the community as well as teaching students to “think beyond themselves and do something for others”.
The students filled four planter boxes today, Tuesday 26 May, as well as treated residents to a rendition of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. For St Andrews resident Barbara Oom, it “was lovely” to see the youngsters and for them to “want to bring us flowers”.
“Things have been a bit quiet here,” she said. “We definitely have had isolation and (social) distancing … so it was very nice to see the children. It’s lovely that they want to come and do this.”
While Barbara said it is a pity Floriade can’t be held this year, she is looking forward to a little slice appearing at St Andrews – “as long as the tulips were planted the right way up,” she smiled. In addition to planting the bulbs at St Andrews, Hughes Preschool will also be planting at the Preschool, where staff recently planted a community orchard while students were away, and Home Ground at the Hughes shops.
