Orchards in Schools

Latest Newsletter - Spring 2022

The Canterbury Horticultural Society is proud of its legacy project that connects children with how to grow their own food. We provide traditional life long skills and food resilience. The programme is now in its 8th year, with nearly 40 schools within the greater Christchurch area involved. 

Orchards in Schools highlights where food comes from by providing a connection to food production. Through exploring nature and its processes (e.g. pollination) tamariki will understand the interconnected role of every living thing. The practical, outdoors, hands on style of the programme suits a broad range of learners.

The programme helps schools identify a suitable location within the school grounds, provide the fruit trees, support teachers and caretakers, provide a trained teacher who works alongside students to maintain their orchard with three visits a year (Spring, Autumn and Winter). All sessions are outside in the orchard observing and interacting with the trees; from dissecting blossoms and thinning fruit in Spring to learning how to handle tools and pruning the trees appropriately in Winter. The programme can be tailored to any age from new entrants to high school horticultural students.

Become part of the Orchards in Schools whanau for Winter 2023

We will be establishing new orchards from June and welcome new schools. Contact orchards@chsgardens.co.nz for application details.

Canterbury school students are swapping screens for spades and learning how to grow and care for trees.
Listen to the article on Radio New Zealand from Country Life, 9:45 pm on 7 September 2018  - Let's get planting: school orchards for Canterbury's junior gardeners

Orchards in Schools Podcast
Schools involved in the Orchards in Schools Programme featured in a podcast episode aired on Plains FM 96.9. Listen Here

Participating Schools

• Planted 2021: Rowley School, Cashmere High School, Templeton School, Paparoa St School, Bromley School, Halswell Residential College and Sommerfield School.
• Planted 2020: Belfast School, Hilmorton High School, Kaiapoi North School, Kirkwood Intermediate and Knights Stream School.
• Planted 2019 Breens Intermediate, Bishopdale School, Wigram School, Marshland School, South New Brighton School.
• Planted 2018: Burnside Primary School, Hornby Primary School, South Hornby School, Russley School and Avonhead School.
• Planted 2017: Isleworth School, Haeata Community Campus, Fendalton Open-air School, Elmwood Normal Primary School, Wairakei School, Chisnallwood Intermediate.
• Planted 2016: Waitakiri Primary School, Rāwhiti School, Riccarton Primary School, Wharenui School, Cobham Intermediate, Casebrook Intermediate and Kaiapoi Borough School.
• Planted 2015: St Martins School, Gilberthorpe School, Northcote School, Addington School and Oaklands School.