Bring young minds together to build a Sustainable Scarecrow to ward off critters in the Home Grown Patch at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show 2023.

Scarecrows and other deterrents have long been used in the plant world to ward off unwanted animals from crops as a natural pest control. Demonstrate sustainability, innovation and applied design with S.T.E.M by using reused and recycled materials.

The Sustainable Scarecrows will be showcased in the middle of the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, sharing and inspiring the possibility of recycling and reusing for the community.

Kitchen garden prizes for the Best Use of Recycled Materials:

1st – $1,200+ worth of nursery voucher and garden products
2nd – $750+ worth of nursery voucher and garden products
3rd – $500+ worth of nursery voucher and garden products
Public Choice – On site garden consultation with professional designer including garden products (Shapescaper steel garden planters, Quality Plants & Seedlings seedling package, $250 voucher from Warners Nurseries), value of $1,200+.

Please read the Sustainable Scarecrow Competition School Brief for detailed information on entry process.

Summary of Entry Process

Step 1 – Express your interest to enter (help gage number of scarecrows being received)

Step 2 – Register your scarecrows entry – by Friday 17th March (confirms your entry into competition)

Step 3 – Delivery your scarecrow to the show – Thursday 23rd or Friday 24th March 2023.  See brief for details.

Step 4 – Collect your scarecrow – Monday 3rd or Tuesday 4 April 2023

If you have any questions, email vsgp@ngiv.com.au or phone the VSGP office on 9567 0599.

On Thursday 24 November, over 400 teachers, education support staff and students from over 30 Victorian schools flocked to the Oak Lawn at the Royal Botanic Gardens for the 45^th annual Victoria Schools Garden Awards Ceremony. After two years of online ceremonies, it was very special to be able to hold the event in person and celebrate the achievements of teachers and students together as a community.

The day began with a traditional smoking ceremony by Aunty Joy Murphy Wandin of the Wurundjeri people to welcome attendees to the gardens, before the microphone was handed to the emcee for the day, NGIV CEO and VSGP Chair Craig Taberner. With the sun only occasionally peeking out from behind the clouds and the mosquitoes out in full force, the students in attendance were a credit to their schools and a reflection of the commitment of dedicated teachers across Victorian schools. Every school in attendance was recognised for their efforts and achievements with every school taking home an award; however, only one school could take home the most prestigious awards of the day, the Kevin Heinze Perpetual Award. It was awarded to St Louis de Monfort’s School.

The staff and students at Aspendale’s St Louis de Monfort’s Primary School recognise the undeniable link between green spaces and wellbeing and have been working towards creating a place of mindful and sustainable practices. The school’s grounds, especially the gardens, home to a wide range of animals and plants, play a major part in students’ journeys towards feeling connected to and nurtured by the environment around them. Visit the school and it’s easy to see just how fundamental gardening is to the school’s curriculum and culture. The school features all types of gardens – edible, sensory, indigenous and vertical – as well as a fernery, grapevines, along with chicken, guinea pig, turtle, lizard and frog enclosures to boot. Grade 3 and 4 students, in particular, have experienced so much of what gardening has to offer, participating in Garden-to-Kitchen classes, enjoying garden spaces every recess and lunch time, all while being responsible for the care of the school’s animals, and being encouraged to play music and create art inspired by their time in the garden. St Louis de Montfort’s are truly deserving winners of the Kevin Heinze Perpetual Award this year and we’re sure they will continue to provide unique and inspiring educational experiences for all students.

NGIV and VSGP acknowledge and appreciate the work of all schools that incorporate gardening programs into their curriculum and school culture. We’re passionate about fostering a love for gardening and horticulture in future generations and recognise the important role schools play in offering enjoyable and engaging early experiences for students and commend the efforts that have been made to get involved in VSGP’s 2023 Grant and Award Programs.

We would like to thank the Victorian Schools Garden Program’s incredible sponsors who recognise the benefit of involving students in outdoor learning; we greatly appreciate your continued support and contributions to the program. We also welcome the opportunity to develop new sponsorship partnerships in 2023 – if you would like to get involved, please contact NGIV or VGSP.

With so many amazing school programs showcased this year, we can’t wait for 2023. It’s sure to be another exciting year for VGSP.

Click here to view 2022 VSGP Awards Results.

Given how busy teachers are this time of year, the closing date for the Victorian Schools Garden Awards has been extended until Thursday 22nd September.

Applications are now open!

The Awards program recognises and rewards the achievements of students and school communities in their school gardens.

With 10 categories to enter and $44,000 worth of prizes to be won, we encourage any school with a garden program to enter.

All entries are automatically entered into the Regional Awards from which the State and Kevin Heinze Perpetual Awards are chosen.

Learn more or submit your entry via the VSGP website – entries close Friday 9th September.

This year’s VSGP Grants Program received over 395 grant entries from 185 schools/kindergartens across Victoria. The standard of entries was extremely high and it was not an easy task for our committee to pick the winners.

Of the 69 successful grant recipients, 52 will receive nursery vouchers worth $500 or $1,000, and 17 will receive garden products to the value of $500 – $4,500 to include in their garden projects.

The purpose of the VSGP Grants program is to provide seed funding to schools/kindergartens to establish new gardens or repair existing gardens. Establishing and/or expanding the green environment, not only improves the aesthetic appearance but can make an exciting outside learning environment with greater benefits to student health and well-being. Involving students in the process helps them to take ownership, pride and care of the space, while providing a connection to nature.

We would like to thank all our Grant sponsors for providing the successful schools with the opportunity to undertake their proposed garden projects and make their grounds greener.

Click here for the 2022 VSGP Grants Results