Located in the northern Brisbane suburb of Kedron, the Catholic secondary girls’ school Mount Alvernia College is fostering a deep connection to nature through its outdoor wellbeing centre, La Foresta.
Aligning to the school’s Franciscan heritage, the garden space reflects St. Francis’ deep love for the natural world and highlights the significance of the bond between humanity and nature.
The beautiful green space features 20 garden beds, chickens, and a variety of citrus trees that deliver a fresh range of seasonal fruit and vegetables. The garden is also surrounded by herbs such as dill, coriander, basil and parsley, which makes the space an aromatic sanctuary for visitors.
A serene retreat at Mount Alvernia that connects students with nature
The garden is a space that fosters wellbeing through the way it evokes a sense of home. It is also a space where students can retreat, relax, and connect positively with their emotions. The atmosphere allows for slowing down and stillness and serves as a reminder to be present to the nature that surrounds us and each other.
This beautiful green space at Mount Alvernia College not only serves as a serene retreat but also proves to be an innovative learning resource that enriches student experiences across a wide variety of subjects. Biology students use the leaves from the plants to complete stomatal peels and compare them amongst different varieties of plants to investigate evapotranspiration. Food Technology students source produce from the garden and then design their menus based on the seasonal offerings. Science students identify plants in their natural environment and create dichotomous keys based on the plants’ differing features.
The garden is helpful in inspiring creativity for writing in English, and it is where students can gain clarity away from laptops and connect with the sights and scents around them. Along with being useful in enhancing learning experiences, the garden helps students learn the importance of giving back and connecting with the local community by handing out vegetable seedlings and producing them in front of the school.
Integral to the garden is the connection with assisting students’ knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures. Students were able to hear perspectives from a First Nations guest speaker who was able to use the garden to help students learn and understand the origins of the native plant species that are included in La Foresta.
La Foresta at Mount Alvernia featured on Gardening Australia!
La Foresta was recently featured on ABC’s Gardening Australia, which further highlights how the green space of Mount Alvernia College positively impacts the school community. We invite readers to watch La Foresta in action and discover how this incredible garden enhances student wellbeing and learning.
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