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The structure of the garden has been created using memorial tiles designed and made by our pupils, each one naming somebody from our memorial plaque, a sculpture, and planters made from old boots, depicting soldiers marching to war. The planting uses a red and gold theme, with plants having been chosen, grown and planted by pupils from the school. In addition the existing buildings in the garden will be used to create other scenes of war e.g. a bunker from an existing seating area and a field hospital from the arbour etc.
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The borders are planted in red to echo the fields of red that surround the Ypres Salient and Somme. The Bunker and Sandbags The bunker was inspired by a recent trip to Belgium and France. We gained inspiration from the bunkers that still remain in the Langemark German Cemetery. We used Plum Pudding Heuchera to portray explosions from shell fire hitting the bunker and red to symbolise the blood lost. This border was planted by a year 7 science class. Mourning Soldiers The Brooding Soldier at Vancouver Corner is the inspiration for our Mourning Soldiers sculpture. We have adorned the sculpture with trailing fuchsias, to depict tears of a country mourning a lost generation. |
Marching Boots
The idea of the boots, which depict soldiers marching to war, was the idea of some of our year 7 pupils. The poppies, which are in some of the boots, have been grown by our year 5 pupils. We chose poppies as a symbol of remembrance. The boots were a donation from the 170 (Infrastructure Support) Engineer Group. These boots have seen action in: Iraq, Afghanistan and Nairobi. Tree on Fire Inspired by our recent visit to Hill 62 and the skeletal remains of a tree (scorched by bombing) found in Sanctuary Wood. Celosia has been used to represent the flames and orange and yellow flowers to portray fire. Field Hospital During our battlefields trip, we visited Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery. We paid our respects to Staff Nurse Nelly Spindler, who died when the field hospital that she served at took a direct hit. We planted gold Lilies around our field hospital to signify warmth and peace. |
Cemetery and Last Post
Tyne Cot British Cemetery was the inspiration for remembering the lives lost; particularly of the 63 ‘Old Boys’ of Ashton whose names are listed on the six crosses.
‘In Flanders Fields’ poem has been printed and placed in our garden. It was chosen because of its poignancy.
The Last Post is played by Christopher Bedlington, a year 8 pupil.