Johnsons of Whixley help primary schools to bloom

BALI Registered Affiliate member Johnsons of Whixley is helping to nurture the next generation of gardeners by donating plants and bulbs to three local primary schools.

Johnsons provided more than 600 daffodil bulbs, 12 bags of compost and 300 pots to Kirk Hammerton Church of England Primary and Tockwith Church of England Primary Academy, where green-fingered pupils will plant and tend the bulbs.

Four members of the Richardson family, which owns Johnsons, attended Kirk Hammerton primary school, which is just a mile and a half from the company’s main site.

In addition, the company donated 60 plants worth £150 to Coppice Valley Primary School in Harrogate, where Johnsons’ client Ray Skeltons (Harrogate) Ltd is carrying out a landscaping project. Among the plants gifted to the school were Lavender Hidcote, Hebe ‘Red Edge’ Photinia ‘Red Robin’, Euonymus ‘Emerald Gaiety’, Skimmia rubella and Choisya ternata ‘sundance’.

This latest round of donations brings the total value of plants given to local schools this year to nearly £4,000. Included in this was a donation of plants worth £2,500 to Springwater Special School, Harrogate, lavenders worth £540 to Tockwith Church of England Primary Academy and £50 of plants to Roecliffe Church of England Primary School. 

Justin Reeve Headteacher at Tockwith School said:

“Thank you so much to Johnsons of Whixley's for giving every child in the school the opportunity to add a bit of colour to their own gardens by donating a daffodil plant. We are very grateful for this generous offering and the chance for our children to plant and tend to the bulbs. “

Emma Meadus Headteacher at Coppice Valley Primary School said:

“We are so grateful to Johnson’s of Whixley and their generous donation. With their help, we are working towards redeveloping the space at the front of the school into a community garden with space for enjoying nature and growing food. The beautiful plants from Johnson’s have become part of our wellbeing space for all the community to enjoy.“

Kirk Hammerton primary school added:

“We are so fortunate to have the support of Johnsons of Whixley who provided daffodils bulbs for all of the children.  The children are patiently awaiting a break in the weather so that they can plant the bulbs in our wilderness garden.  We all look forward to them appearing in the spring!”

Eleanor Richardson, marketing and sales co-ordinator at Johnsons, said:

“We love helping out local schools and charities where we can, especially when there's a chance of encouraging the next generation of gardeners. I remember planting bulbs the same way at Kirk Hammerton Church of England Primary School, so it's great to be providing bulbs in the same way over 18 years later, I always thoroughly enjoyed seeing them pop up in the spring.”