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Slabs into Shrubbery?

Derek Dunne
Colaiste Eanna, Ballyroan

Derek Dunne reports on a remarkable initiative by the students of Colaiste Eanna in building a Japanese Garden in their school yard!

Water into wine? Maybe. But slabs into shrubbery? Anything's possible when these students put their mind to it.

As part of a Science project, the Transition Year students of Colaiste Eanna have undertaken to transform approximately seventy square metres of concrete paving slabs into a Japanese-style garden!

Four classrooms, two offices, a social area and the school hall surround the courtyard on all sides. So it is hard for students and teachers alike not to notice the dull and lifeless enclosure.
The two classes (TY Joyce and TY Beckett), after researching different ideas through local libraries and the Internet, eventually decided on the Japanese theme. This was because of the similarities between the two environments; both can get pretty hectic at times and space is also at a premium. The idea of the Japanese garden is to take your mind off your daily worries and think about the 'Bigger Picture'.

The first step was to decide on a definite plan. Each student was given the necessary dimensions and asked to come up with their own plan. The drawings were then brought together and studied by the students. The result was a masterplan, taking the best parts from each sketch. Now it was time to get those hands dirty. After a slow start late last year due to the weather, the students really put their back into it after the break.

Phase One was to prepare the ground for the 'light' work to come later. This meant shifting the four hundred plus concrete paving slabs covering the yard. The students could then start digging the bed for the water feature, with the soil removed being used to form a small hillock along one wall. Some of the paving slabs were then broken up with a sledgehammer (they enjoyed that bit) and the pieces stacked along the side of the riverbed to form a low wall.
With most of the prep work out of the way, all were ready to give the final push before the summer break. The bed of the river was covered in heavy-duty plastic, and filled at last (using the school's fire hose). Meanwhile four ton of pebbles had been delivered outside the school, which was soon taken care of by a hastily-made human chain and spread evenly over the garden; riverbed, hillock and all. The surrounding walls were also painted to suit the new style.

The students didn't have a minute to spare, as a Parents' Night was planned during the last week of school. They convinced their teachers that the garden had to take priority, and the final touches were added on the morning before that night's 'invasion'. Just as the corridors were swept clean and the hands were scrubbed pink, the students' parents began to arrive in their droves to admire their sons' handiwork. Such phrases as, 'I wish I could get him to do the same in our place' or 'My Stephen wouldn't touch a trowel at home' were heard on more than one occasion.

Although the original plan is not yet complete, the improvement is immense, as I am sure all concerned will agree. It is hoped that the courtyard can now become a focal point rather than an eyesore and students will no longer have to avert their stare. There is still work to be done of course, but it is now up to the new recruits to finish the job and maintain this 'oasis of calm & contemplation'.

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