Green Butterfly Awards

Ellon Academy is proud to have been nominated for an Aberdeenshire Environmental Forum  Green Butterfly Award.  This is in recognition of all the hard work that pupils and volunteers have put into creating our wonderful garden.  Biodiversity has increased on our site over the last three years and we have created a place where folk can go to relax as well as learn about sowing and growing.  We have held several events where participants have eaten our fresh produce and pupils regularly harvest crops to eat and sell to staff particularly at this time of year.

Thank you to Colin Stirling who nominated us.  The nominees were many and varied this year and though we have not gone through to the final three projects, we are proud to continue creating the garden for the enjoyment of many.

Morrisons Peterhead give the garden a boost

A big THANK YOU to the helpful and generous staff at the Peterhead branch of Morrisons is in order this week!  Having had a huge sale of garden items on the weekend, they put aside lots of bargains for us to collect at greatly reduced prices.  They helped load the trailer and also donated broken bags of compost to our garden project.  We now have a plentiful supply of new gloves, trugs, garden canes, compost and even a wooden arch to make!  We also have an olive tree which will look great on the patio so THANK YOU again!

In other news, we are now back up and running after the summer break.  There is lots of produce for pupils to eat and sell to staff.

The S2 group harvested potatoes for a salad...

...along with baby carrots, red lettuce...

...nasturtium flowers, a green bell pepper and even a cucumber!

Despite damp grass, S4 pupils have managed to make a start on mowing the grass and weeding the new long border.  We will mulch it ready for planting in autumn and spring as we divide plants.

Meanwhile there are lots of lovely flowers in the garden,

Another thank you goes to Ellon Resource Centre for keeping up with weeding, feeding and keeping the paths in good order over the summer holidays.

The step-over trees have apples on...

...there are plenty of runner beans...

...despite having at least 3 rabbits in the garden during the holidays.  Notice the lower level of bean leaves has been stripped off...

...and sunflower stems have been nibbled!

Generally however, things are looking great and we have our hands full developing the second poly-tunnel and top end of the garden space so it "all systems go!"  

Welcome back everyone - gardening gloves on!!

Staff BBQ a great success

On Wednesday 4th July we held a staff BBQ in the garden.  The weather was beautiful and it was really well attended.  Everyone had a lovely time and it was fantastic to see so many people enjoying themselves out there.

Thank you to Aberdeenshire Larder who donated delicious beef burgers...

..and to Ythan Bakery who donated freshly baked sesame buns.

Both contributions helped us raise a fabulous £130 for the garden project, so THANK YOU! :)


Ross and Leyton worked really hard in the heat to mow the grass the day before...

...and we set up chairs at the "new" end of the garden.

Aberdeenshire Larder also gave an onion as we thought we might not have enough.  It was no ordinary onion!  We were tempted to put it among the crops and pretend it was one of ours growing in the garden!

Our "welcome" figure looked great in the sun...

...and folk enjoyed relaxing in deckchairs chatting.

Great to see staff from all departments...

...and thanks to Colin McLean for taking lovely photos.

Jo Russell and Sarah Kyle deserve a special mention for their help in setting up and clearing away, along with our S1 pupils from the Hub :)

...and to Ian Wilson for the expert cooking!

We cropped and washed our own grown red lettuce to serve with the burgers.

A very special thank you goes to the S4 team of boys: Ryan in charge of the the "Guess the seeds in the jar" competition...

...Ross on the entry table welcoming guests and

Leyton serving drinks to everyone.  You worked really hard and many staff commented on your maturity and pleasant attitude so well done to all of you and THANK YOU!  You were a credit to yourselves and great ambassadors for the garden :)

Talking of the Seeds in the Jar competition, the winner was announced at the end...

...there were 1108 sunflower seeds in the jar and the closest guess was made by Ian Wilson!  He was very happy to choose a hanging basket to take home with him (chosen from the three hanging just in the back of this photograph).

Meanwhile, our crops keep growing...

...let's hope this summer weather continues (with rain showers thrown in to water the garden at night!).  We would like to wish all of you a happy holiday doing whatever helps to re-charge those batteries for returning in August!  Thank you again to EVERYONE who has helped with the garden this session - another special mention goes to the Ellon Resource Centre group who will continue to look after the plants during the summer break.  Your hard work means we can relax during the holidays in the knowledge that the place is being cared for and tended.  Please enjoy some red lettuce, berries and chard as it matures and take time too to relax and appreciate the colourful borders :)

Nature update before last sign off!


We have a family of stoats living currently under the flat-pack shed!

Our S1 Hub group spotted them...

...and Mr Richardson got these excellent shots!  They are good at keeping the rabbit population in check!

The garden project has definitely provided habitat for more wildlife that when we audited 3 years ago.  It includes:

Many insects like bees, wasps, crane flies, butterflies and moths.  These then help to attract birds like:

• Robins and thrushes raising broods in the garden and shed extension
• Woodpeckers in the trees behind the garden
• Great tits and sparrows in our nesting boxes made by S4 pupils in technology
• We have many more worms in the soil now along with ground beetles, centipedes, wood lice etc.
• Oyster catchers have also successfully raised chicks in the staff car park area so really, we have a wonderful site to work on here at the academy :)

See you in August! X

Proud Moments

We have had two particularly proud moments recently...

On Friday 22nd June, Ross Watson was awarded the Cameron Cup at our school prize giving ceremony.  This is an environmental award.  Miss Swallow says:

I have awarded Ross Watson the Environment Award because he has regularly "gone the extra mile" in the garden.  He is responsible and helpful to others during class, helps at lunchtimes and has also come outwith school time to water and look after plants.  Not only this, but he has taken on the difficult task of maintaining our RIDAN hot composter several times a week during his own time too. He is therefore showing through his positive actions, a real commitment and dedication to creating a better environment.  "A very deserving candidate for such an award."

So well done Ross and keep up the good work!

Our second proud moment was to be able to supply pots and a trough of pansies for the school production of the Railway Children.  They were part of the set for the railway station in Yorkshire and as such came on and off stage a few times during the evening!We dead-headed the flowers and watered them each day to keep them looking their best as they were taken into the theatre each night.

A third proud moment was to be able to give a tour to local councillor Anouk Kloppert who was intrigued by Ross's award so wanted to meet and speak to him.  Ross of course brought her out to the garden and the S4 class (including Ryan above) gave her a tour.  

She was very impressed with all the hard work that has gone into making the garden to date plus the varied learning opportunities and activities that we have held in the garden.  She went home happily with an assortment of vegetables!

WAP Wider Achievement Program - a busy three days

Last week was "WAP week".  Pupils' normal timetables were suspended and there were many varied trips and activities going on from Wednesday to Friday.

We had a great team in the garden and the weather could not have been better for us.  Here is a brief summary of our achievements:

DAY 1


Potting on pansies

Planting out chard...

...and climbing beans.

Kai and Adam worked independently to make a compost container...

...to help tidy up the dalek bin area.

Angela and Mrs Dilworth weeded behind the seat and re-potted the bamboos as they were getting very dry and pot bound.  They also did a fabulous job of watering and mulching the borders inside the fruit cage.

Darren also helped plant peas to grow up the frame.

DAY 2

Kai and Adam finished tidying the compost area then enjoyed learning how to use the mower.


Angela worked with Mrs Anderson to plant out strawberries and runner beans, then joined Grant from Ellon Primary emptying spent bulbs from pots to make more room on the storage shelves.

At lunchtime, Ross brought Mrs Murdoch from the library to tour the garden.  She is looking forward to holding lunchtime reading sessions in the library in future :)

Darren helped Miss Swallow treat the new shed extension...

...to help preserve it...

...whilst the other two lads were both strimming and mowing.

Newly planted and watered strawberry plants

In the afternoon, the BBQ needed assembling ready for day 3.

This turned out to be quite a challenge!

DAY 3


Kai tidies up around the shed with the strimmer

Darren potted up small seedlings from a seed tray.

We put up a second gazebo...

...and set up an outdoor kitchen.

Meanwhile, the art pupils brought out their wooden character that has been elaborately painted.  It will be mounted on a post like an artisan scarecrow - watch this space!

We lit the BBQ...

...and started cooking :)

We had a lovely lunch with lots of extra visitors - some of whom enjoyed partaking in the hot melted chocolate bananas!!

All in all it was a busy productive three days.  Everyone worked really hard despite the extreme heat at times!  The garden progressed and is looking substantially better as a result of all your hard work folks, so well done and THANK YOU!