A practical, calm, hands-on model for using a garden or community plot as an outdoor classroom. This session was delivered as a Burrenbeo Foundation members webinar and is based on what has worked in the GardeningWell walled garden with school and community visits. The emphasis is on clear structure, real seasonal conditions, and simple tasks that help learners settle, focus, and notice.

What this session covers

• Why gardens work as learning sites, calm, purpose, reality
• The one ground rule, no weed killer, no shortcuts
• Arrival and boundaries, a good start is half the work
• The method, two tasks, everyone belongs
• Inclusion outdoors, predictable, bounded, optional
• A simple task bank, 10 activities you can swap in, same structure each time

Who this is for

• Teachers and SNAs looking for simple outdoor structure that works with real groups
• Community garden coordinators and volunteers running visits
• Nature groups hosting public sessions or family learning events
• Anyone trying to move from “a nice idea” to something repeatable

Watch: The Garden as an Outdoor Classroom (Burrenbeo Trust)

This talk was delivered for Burrenbeo Trust as part of their Wonderful Wednesdays webinar series. All credit to Burrenbeo for hosting and publishing the recording.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/smMos22MkY0

The one ground rule

No weed killer, no shortcuts. The session follows what that choice demands over time, in weather, in failure, and in slow wins. It is a practical philosophy, it keeps the garden safe for wildlife, and it keeps the learning grounded in reality.

Core structure, the two-task method

The method is deliberately simple. It is designed to reduce talking, increase focus, and make visits repeatable.

• Arrival matters, start calm, orient the group, set expectations
• Orientation and boundaries, where we go, where we don’t
• Two tasks, choose two clear tasks per visit, everyone belongs
• Run it solo if needed, one group, two tasks, teachers supervise

Example visit flow

• Task 1, Greenhouse observation, quiet, notice, compare, questions, (sometimes taste)
• Task 2, Compost, feeding the garden, show, do, explain, questions
• The walk back, raised beds, look, point, questions, move on

Inclusion outdoors

This structure supports inclusion because it is:

• Predictable, the shape of the visit repeats
• Bounded, clear physical and behavioural boundaries reduce stress
• Optional, learners can participate without constant performance pressure

The session includes a short real example from a visit by a primary school autism class, what helped, and what to avoid.

Task bank, 10 options (choose 2–3 per visit)

All tasks use the same structure, show, do, explain, questions. Pick the ones that fit your site and the season.

Five core tasks

1. Greenhouse observation
2. Compost, feeding the garden
3. Water one bed
4. Seed collection
5. Wall observation

More tasks you can swap in

6. Path tidy
7. Mulch / leaf blanket
8. Sort and count
9. Find three living things
10. Mini planting

Member takeaway

• A simple repeatable structure for outdoor learning visits
• A task bank you can copy in any garden or community plot
• A school-visit template (arrival, boundaries, two tasks, close)

Downloads

• Download slides (PDF)
• Download slides (PowerPoint)

About the presenter

Ciarán De Buitléar is an Irish gardener and writer, creator of GardeningWell.ie and author of Nature’s Acre. His work is rooted in habitat-first, chemical-free practice, and in the idea that small places can support biodiversity when we stop reaching for shortcuts. He also works with community groups and schools, using gardens as low-pressure learning environments that reward observation and doing.

Contact

If you’d like to discuss a version of this session for your members, school network, or community group, you can contact me via GardeningWell.ie.