5 December 2023

The Victorian Schools Garden Program (VSGP) award-winners have been announced, with Catholic schools taking home a number of awards in honour of their outdoor spaces.

The VSGP Awards recognise and celebrate the gardening achievements of students and their school communities in existing and newly established gardens. Now in their 46th year, the Awards have a long and proud history of bringing gardening skills and the joy of learning to school-aged children. The VSGP recognises the importance of outdoor spaces in progressive modern learning.

Congratulations to the following schools in the Archdiocese of Melbourne for receiving VSGP Awards in 2023:

Best Edible Garden Award (sponsored by Maxicrop)

• Resurrection School, Keysborough
• St Mark’s School, Dingley
• St Paul Apostle North School, Endeavour Hills

Most Engaging Garden for Wellbeing Learning Award (sponsored by Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools)

• Parade College, Bundoora

Regional Award (South Eastern Metropolitan)

• St Louis de Montfort’s School, Aspendale

Regional Award (South Western Metropolitan)

• Bethany Catholic Primary School, Werribee North.

The VSGP was established in 1977 and has a proud history of introducing the joy of gardening to school-aged children. Through the development of green spaces at schools, teachers have an opportunity to take the classroom outdoors and enable students to explore the many benefits of gardening.