What is a global garden?

A global garden is designed to minimise its environmental impact in a world facing climate change and increased demand for limited resources such as water and oil. A global garden:

• uses harvested rainwater and  growing methods which reduce water consumption
• diverts stormwater into the landscape, replenishing groundwater and reducing the risk of flooding
• reduces waste sent to landfill by composting organic waste and re-using unwanted building materials for its hard landscaping
• limits its carbon footprint by using locally sourced re-used and renewable materials where possible
• reduces food miles by growing fruit and vegetables for local consumption
• uses organic methods which do not use oil-based fertilisers and stores carbon dioxide in the soil
• includes fruit and nut trees which absorb carbon, produce food and provide shade.

 A school global garden

• is designed to enrich childrens' learning experience across the whole curriculum, from Design & Technology to Maths and Literacy
• includes plants which are especially suited to exploring the historical, cultural and economic importance of plants, from the Andean potato to the Central Asian apple
• helps a school to achieve the Sustainable Schools Framework and Eco-Schools Programme
• gives children hands-on experience of the 6 Rs - rethink, refuse, reuse, reduce, repair, recycle
• uses the knowledge of plants and growing skills of its local communities
• uses the practical experience of growing to enable children to understand food: how it is grown and arrives on our plates, how we can grow secure and sustainable food, how the world can feed itself
• develops an understanding of the role of plants in human history
• enables children and young people to explore how food is grown and consumed in other countries
• helps to develop the knowledge, understanding, skills and values that they need if they are to make a positive contribution, both locally and globally

The Edible Schoolyard in Berkeley, California is a wonderful example of how 'Edible Education' can integrate core curriculum areas with growing, cooking, healthy living, and the global dimension.

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