Green-fingered children at Spennymoor’s Rosa Street Primary School agree there’s nothing artificial about their new indoor garden.
Each term, a new role-play area is set up for children in the reception class.
The theme this term has been ‘nature and nurture’, so staff set out to create an indoor garden centre and make it as authentic as possible.
Seeking artificial grass for the centrepiece of the garden, they approached Grass Direct to find out what range would be best placed to handle the patter of many tiny feet.
When the company, which has a local store on the Portobello Trade Park at Birtley, heard what the grass was for, they immediately donated it free of charge, and for the past month the children have been enjoying playing in their new garden centre.
Class teacher Natasha Darke said: “The children have been using the garden as a role-play area, including growing their own vegetables and herbs, planting flowers, playing with garden utensils and even setting up their own shop.
“It’s also helping with their vocabulary and spelling as we have been getting the children to pronounce different vegetables and asking them to practice their spelling.
“The artificial grass really brings the area to life and we’re so grateful to Grass Direct for their kind donation.
“Like most schools, budgets are very tight so it means the money we would have had to spend on the grass can now be directed to other school resources.”
Jessica Fox, Marketing Operative at Grass Direct, said: “We’re delighted to have been able to support Rosa Street School’s indoor garden project by donating some of our artificial grass.
“Especially as an ex-pupil of the school, it’s amazing to be able to give something back to them so many years after attending!
“It needed to be hard-wearing, so we provided one of our best-selling grasses, from the Bordeaux range, and it means the school will be able to reuse it again and again.
“We’re always happy to support schools, local charities and organisations who do such a great job in our local communities.”
Spennymoor's local community newspaper.
