Widgit Wilding Part IV: Gardening at Painting’s Plantation, Campion School

June 2025

With summer well on its way and the scent of cut grass in the air, the Widgit team set out once more for a day of fresh air, teamwork, and getting stuck in. Our latest destination, Campion School in Leamington Spa, invited us to lend a hand in the school’s dedicated green space, known as Painting’s Plantation.

Nestled in a quiet corner of the school grounds, Painting’s Plantation is a peaceful, tree-filled garden named in honour of Norman Painting OBE, a passionate advocate for the natural world and former Vice President of the Tree Council. It’s a space designed to bring nature closer to students – a quiet retreat, and a living classroom.

We arrived mid-morning, greeted by a few staff and students who pointed us in the direction of the garden. Our task for the day: help care for the plantation by pruning trees, barrowing mulch to nourish the beds, and cutting back a laurel hedge that had grown a little too confident over the years.

With the sun on our backs and secateurs in hand, we split into teams and got to work. The pruning team tackled the overhanging branches to let more light reach the undergrowth, while others wheeled mulch across the site, improving the soil and keeping weeds down. Meanwhile, the hedge-cutting crew trimmed the dense laurel back into shape, revealing views across the garden and giving it a neat, welcoming feel.

         

By lunchtime, the difference was clear. The garden felt more open, vibrant, and ready for both learning and wildlife. It was hard work, but the best kind: full of laughter, muddy boots, and shared purpose.

Spending time in a space named after someone so deeply connected to trees and conservation felt especially meaningful. Norman Painting believed in the power of nature to inspire and heal, and it was a privilege to play even a small part in keeping his legacy alive.

We left Campion that day a little sweatier and a little dirtier than when we arrived, but proud of what we’d helped to achieve, and grateful for the chance to support a school that values its green spaces.

Stay tuned for more updates from the Widgit Wilding team!