Did you know that in most Queensland schools, the outdoor areas occupy more space than the buildings themselves? That’s a lot of land to maintain!
A beautiful school environment not only provides children with a safe and exciting space to play but also creates a sense of pride in the school. However, maintenance can be costly.
For many groundskeepers, maintaining beautiful school grounds can be a challenge when faced with budget constraints. These can often serve as a roadblock to creativity. However, even with a tight budget, there are plenty of creative ways to keep those outdoor spaces looking great. It’s all about thinking outside the box and finding smart solutions that work for your school.
We've compiled some great budget-friendly tips to keep school grounds and gardens looking fabulous—without breaking the school budget!
Benefits of a Maintained Outdoor Environment
- Positively impacts Mental Health: A greenspace allows children the opportunity to spend time in nature, reducing stress, anxiety, and enhancing overall mood and well-being.
- Encourages Physical Activity: By providing a safe and attractive outdoor space, it encourages physical well-being among children, especially during school breaks and at lunch time. Children can freely kick a ball around, skip and run, benefiting their physical health.
- Encourages Well-Rounded Development: A nice outdoor environment allows kids to foster a sense of self-confidence, independence and self-esteem, supporting their learning and development.
- Less Health and Safety Risks: With a well-maintained outdoor environment, there is less risk of any tripping hazards, with grassy areas regularly trimmed and any deadwood or leaves cleared.
1. Use Native Plants for Low-Maintenance Landscaping
Native plants are known for needing less water to stay happy and healthy, which is great for saving water in schools. They are also low maintenance, with less pesky pests. This reduces the need for expensive irrigation systems and frequent pest control, saving your school time and money. It’s a win-win situation - you’ll save money on both water and pesticides whilst keeping your school grounds looking great!
2. Apply Mulch to Reduce Water Usage
Mulch is a simple cost-effective and low maintenance method that can be a real-game changer for schools. By spreading a thick layer around trees, shrubs, and garden beds, you can help retain moisture in the soil, reduce water consumption, and protect plants from harsh temperatures. This is great for mother nature and keeping costs low!
When choosing your mulch, it's important to choose safe, non-toxic options, especially for garden beds that grow produce. Never use materials from industrial sites, as they're potentially toxic.
By incorporating mulch into your groundskeeping routine, your school's outdoor spaces become incredibly easy to maintain without costing an arm and leg.
3. Smart Irrigation Systems to Optimise Water Usage
Automated irrigation systems are designed to optimise water usage, they act as personal weather stations for your outdoor grounds. These systems keep an eye on things like the weather, soil moisture, and how thirsty your grass or plants are. Then, they automatically adjust when and how much to water. It’s like having a personal gardening assistant working 24/7 to keep your school grounds and gardens intact while saving water!
4. Low Maintenance Landscaping for Tidy School Grounds
Perennial Plants: Plants can be a lot of work to upkeep, with their need for constant watering, pruning and replanting. These costs can add up overtime. However, perennial plants offer a low-maintenance solution for school landscaping. There are many diverse varieties to choose from, providing you with flexibility in deciding which perennials are best suited to your school’s landscaping. You can get creative and design beautiful, long-lasting garden beds that don’t need much upkeep. Some popular perennials that are suitable for school gardens include lavendar, black-eyed susans, hostas, and daylillies.
Artificial Turf: Installing artificial grass in areas where natural turf struggles, like sports fields or playgrounds, can be a cost-effective choice. There won’t be any need for ongoing maintenance like mowing, fertilising, and watering, and it stays green all year round. This is especially useful for sports areas or high-traffic zones that get worn down quickly. It's a great way to keep your school looking fresh and tidy without all the fuss.
5. Natural Fertilisers and Composting in Garden Care
By using eco-friendly lawn care practices, you can cut down on those harsh chemical fertilisers and pesticides. This approach means that you only use the strong stuff when you really need it.
Building compost pits at the school can help reduce the need for chemical fertilisers. Garden waste, fallen leaves, and food scraps are all suitable waste products to add to the compost heap. Although if you don’t have the time to create your own fertiliser, we provide the perfect organic fertiliser here. This magical mix is the secret to feeding the soil naturally. Another neat trick is leaving grass clippings on the oval. The clippings break down and feed nutrients right back into the soil.
6. Engage your School Community in a Gardening Program
Get your community involved!
If you haven’t already got one, consider implementing a consistent school gardening program as a great way to encourage both children and parents to take ownership of specific garden tasks. This can foster a sense of pride, responsibility and environmental awareness. Kids can gain valuable hands-on learning experience, develop interpersonal skills like teamwork, and learn about being patient through gardening activities. It’s the ultimate cheat code to educating kids without making it feel like work!
7. Introduce a Seasonal Maintenance Schedule
Adopting a seasonal maintenance schedule is the key to making the most out of your resources and reducing costs, allowing your school gardens to look spectacular all year round. Planning seasonally provides many benefits such as better soil health, healthy plants, and pest control.
An example of a seasonal maintenance schedule could be:
8. Partner with a Reliable Landscaping Supplier
Finding the right supplier for your school’s landscaping needs can be a game changer!
By establishing a strong relationship with a reliable supplier, you can provide your school with access to discounts and any seasonal deals. This will ensure that your school has the best resources for maintaining beautiful and functional green spaces for your school community while keeping costs manageable.
At Rock ‘N’ Soil, we pride ourselves in providing you with premium quality materials, supplies and advice on cost-effective products that suit your needs. We can be your gardening buddies, ready to help you choose anything from bulk mulches to organic fertilisers. Whether you’re looking to rejuvenate your school’s gardens or maintain your sports fields, we have the knowledge and products to support your vision!
If you’re interested in finding out more information about us, head here. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us, give us a call or send us an email. We’d love to help with making your school grounds beautiful, functional, and budget-friendly for years to come!