With the Award entries closing in late September, the VSGP committee has been busy judging the 85 entries from 58 schools across the state, to determine this year’s winners.

Judging is never easy, especially with so many schools undertaking amazing garden projects or running inspirational school garden programs.

The ‘Best Edible Garden’ sponsored by Maxicrop and our new category ‘Best School Habitat Garden’ sponsored by Horticulture Media Association Australia were the most popular this year, with these gardens providing a clear link to learning.

We are looking forward to celebrating the achievements of schools with students and teachers, at our Award Presentation Ceremony which will be held on Thursday 21st November, on the Oak Lawn at the Melbourne Royal Botanic Gardens.

If you have an existing school/kinder garden program or project, the Awards Program offers another way to receive funds and recognition for your garden endeavours.

Gardens don’t necessarily need to be big or beautiful to enter but should promote the engagement of students in practical activities which foster learning, wellbeing and community pride.

There are 12 different categories to enter and over $46,500 worth of prizes to win.

Entries are now open and close on Friday 13 September.

Visit Awards (vsgp.org.au) for more information.

This year, the Victorian School Garden Program received a significant increase in the number of grant applications, with a total of 810 applications from 386 schools and kindergartens. That’s a whopping 270 more applications than last year! The VSGP Committee was thrilled to see so many remarkable applications, and it certainly made the job of reviewing and assessing each of the proposed garden projects quite the challenge.

We are delighted to announce that this year, the VSGP will distribute $44,000 worth of grants to 67 successful schools to contribute to their school garden projects, in the form of nursery vouchers or garden products. The VSGP Committee is incredibly proud to support such inspiring projects and look forward to seeing these gardens come to life over the next year.

Click here to view the 2024 Grant results

The vision and effort each school and kindergarten put into their proposed garden projects highlight the importance of green spaces in our educational environments and the wonderful benefits they bring to our children and communities.

We wish could we provide all entrants the opportunity to fulfil their proposed garden project and thank those unsuccessful applicants for their efforts. We hope all schools continue to nurture our children’s education through outdoor leaning and wonders of gardening.

Schools’ interest in garden grants has significantly risen this year, with 810 applications from 386 Victorian schools, reflecting a strong interest in outdoor learning and sustainability.

However, this trend also underscores the issue of inadequate funding for such projects within schools.
Despite their best efforts, securing funding for garden programs remains a hurdle for educators who are committed to providing enriching outdoor learning experiences for their students.

School gardens offer a rich space for hands-on learning, fostering curiosity, environmental responsibility, and essential life skills. Yet, financial limitations often obstruct the realisation of these green spaces.

Promoting policies favouring school garden funding ensures all children can thrive in an environment fostering curiosity, stewardship, and growth. This allows every school, not just the 65 successful ones from the VSGP Grants program, to build vibrant outdoor learning spaces.

The VSGP Committee are currently accessing the Grant applications, with the results to be announced in early June.